Jacob Irving

Bio: Jacob Irving, Rapides Parish Louisiana
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890
Submitted by: Suzanne Shoemaker

JACOB IRVING is now living retired from the active duties of life, but formerly kept an extensive and well patronized meat market. He was born near Loch Maben, Dumfrieshire, Scotland, July 17, 1814, and although the "sons of Scotland" are fairly well represented in Rapides Parish, they, with characteristic modesty, do not assume to brilliancy on the forum, yet hold conspicuous places in many pursuits, which makes Rapides Parish a substantial star in the galaxy of Louisiana's many interesting parishes. His parents were David and Mary (Wright) Irving, and on both sides of the family tree there are to be found people of good size, hardy constitutions, long lived, and tenacious of their religious faith, that of Presbyterianism. Jacob Irving was the eighth child of a family of six sons and seven daughters. David, a son of the family, came to America and settled at Chillicothe, Ohio, about 1830, and there left a family. William, another member, came here about 1825 or 1826, but eventually located in Rapides Parish but left no family. Jacob came thither in 1831, and after spending one year at Natchez, Miss., he came to Rapides Parish, La., and began life as a butcher, following it successfully until about 1880, when he retired from that business. He was married in 1836 to Miss Martha Besan, a native of Louisiana and of Rapides Parish and a daughter of John Besan. To them seven sons and eight daughters have been born: Mary (who married Alphonse Cazabat, both being now deceased, leaving one son and three daughters), Stephen (who was married, died in 1867, and left three daughters), John (the father of a son and daughter), Judith (wife of William Cruikshank, of Alexandria, by whom she has three sons and four daughters), Elizabeth (deceased, was the wife of J. J. Broom, of Rapides Parish, and left four sons and four daughters), David (who is married, and has five sons and two daughters), Jeanette (who married James Daniels, and has six daughters and one son), Margaret (who married Louis Aberdie, of Pineville, by whom she has one son and two daughters), Jacob (who has a son), and Robert (at home, unmarried). The other members of the family are deceased. Mr. Irving is one of the substantial citizens of Alexandria, and has served as alderman of his ward for eleven different terms.