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John Irrgang of York County, PA

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John Irrgang of York County, PA

Posted: 11 Apr 2005 1:51AM GMT
Classification: Query
John Irrgang

John Irrgang was born in Philadelphia, December 25, 1841, to Benjamin and Julia (Doll) Irrgang, natives of Germany. Benjamin Irrgang began learning cabinet-making in Germany, and finished his trade in France. On coming to America he landed in Baltimore, whence he walked to Philadelphia, where for a number of years, he followed his trade and then opened a fancy goods store, which he conducted to within ten years of his death in 1881, at the age of eighty-two. The mother still lives in Philadelphia at the age of eighty. John Irrgang, our subject, at the age of sixteen, came to Wellsville, this county and worked in a whip factory until the opening of the late war, when he enlisted in Company H, Seventh Pennsylvania Reserves, under Gen. Meade, and took part in the engagements at Gainesville, Mechanicsville and Ganes Hill, in the last of which he was wounded and captured, and imprisoned in Libby prison and at Belle Island for three months; on his release he was placed in parole camp at Annapolis, whence he was taken to Alexandria. Va., where he received his discharge, December 26, 1862. Returning to Philadelphia he learned the hatter’s trade, which he followed until the invasion of this State by the Confederates, when he enlisted in the militia, from which he was discharged July 13, 1863, when he resumed his trade. In May 1865 he settled in Wellsville, acting as postmaster, and was engaged in mercantile business four and a half years. In May 1875, he married Miss Emma. a daughter of Thomas Medcalf, and a native of Maryland. To this union have been born four children: William F., Blanche, Julia and Lewis E.


Taken from the book, “History of York County, Illustrated 1886” by John Gibson, Historical Editor

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