William Irving (New York)

William Irving ( born August 15, 1766 New York, † November 9, 1821 ) was an American businessman, politician and occasional writer.

Curriculum vitae

Irving's parents were of Scottish emigrants William Irving and his English wife Sarah ( née Sanders ). In 1763 they emigrated to New York and had acquired a trading company a modest prosperity. They had eleven children, three daughters and eight sons; However, three of the sons died in infancy. William was the oldest of the siblings; the youngest was Washington Irving (1783-1859), the most successful American writers of his time.

William Irving began his career as a businessman and sought the Irvingsche family to expand. Among other things he tried in the fur trade with the Indians in the north of the State of New York to enter and therefore let in the meantime in the border settlements Johnstown and Caughnawaga Mohawk River on down. After his return he married on November 7, 1793 Julia Paulding, James Kirke Paul a sister thing. As a result, he was active in economic and political life of New York involved. In 1807 he founded with his younger brother Washington and his brother-in Paulding, with whom he had previously founded the literary debating and Saufclub " The Lads of Kilkenny ", the satirical magazine Salmagundi in which the three in their drawn only with different pseudonyms contributions is the elite of the city took on the grain.

In 1812 he was appointed by the Democratic-Republican party as successor to the retiring Egbert Benson in the House of Representatives of the United States. His mandate was confirmed at subsequent elections so that he was also a member of the 14th and 15th Congress. Overall its mandate from the January 22, 1814 lasted until March 3, 1819. Two years later, he died in New York.

From his marriage with Julia Paulding Irving five sons and three daughters were born. The fourth oldest son, Pierre Munro Irving (1803-1876) was known later as secretary, administrators and biographer of his uncle, Washington Irving.