The Creaney Chronicles

Simpson

Irwin

Erwin

Walton

Shield

Hetherington

Irwin

Our IRWIN ancestors also called Urwin, Irvine & Irving would have originally came from the Scottish border counties of Dumfries & Galloway, moving across to Cumberland perhaps in the 1500s or before. They were one of the BORDER REIVER families.

Our particular family lived in the town of Kirklinton in Cumberland only 10 miles from the Scottish border at Gretna. I have examined the Kirklinton Church records from the early 1600s and have found a complex network of families, originally Urwin then becoming Irving & Irwin, sometimes switching names from one generation to the next. Consequently it is difficult to be 100% sure of the actual connections & this will take some more time to be certain, if ever.

Parish Church Kirklinton

These families were primarily farmers, husbandmen (smallholders!!) & agricultural workers.

The earliest ancestor that I am sure of is Joseph Irving born in Kirklinton in 1771 he was married to Ann.

They had a son James Irving born at Kirklinton in 1806 who married Catherine Bugess born 1815 in Rockcliff, Cumberland. They married about 1835.

They had 6 children, one was Walter, born in Kirklinton on 30 June 1839, he adopted the Irwin name which his descendents have used ever since.

(The name Walter appears repeatedly down the years from the earliest times in the Irwin / Irving families all around Kirklinton) Walter married Jane Percival, on 4th July 1860, they had 4 children:

Jane died 21 Feb 1870 and on 22 Feb 1871 (exactly one year later) Walter married Maria Shakshaft who 20 years old, Walter was 32.

At this time Walter worked as a railway labourer, then sometime in the next few months Walter, Maria & the three children went to America to Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania.

On 10th Nov 1871 their daughter Matilda was born in Pittsburgh.

Before 1874 they left America & returned to England settling at Grove Road in Tow Law where Walter worked in the mines. They had a further 7 children in Tow Law. Walter Irwin maintained a Family Bible in which he recorded the births, deaths & marriages in his family. To view a copy of his entries click here.

Descendants of Joseph Irving

Generation No. 1

1. Joseph1 Irving was born 1771 in Kirklinton, Cumberland. He married Ann. She was born 1786.

Child of Joseph Irving and Ann is:
+ 2 i. James2 Irving, born Abt. 1806 in Kirklinton, Cumberland; died 1870 in Kirklinton, Cumberland.

Generation No. 2

2. James2 Irving (Joseph1) was born Abt. 1806 in Kirklinton, Cumberland, and died 1870 in Kirklinton, Cumberland. He married Catherine Burgess, daughter of Ann Burgess. She was born Abt. 1815 in Rockliff, Cumberland.

Children of James Irving and Catherine Burgess are:

3 i. John3 Irving, born Abt. 1836 in Kirklinton, Cumberland.

+ 4 ii. Walter Irwin, born 30 Jun 1839 in Kirklinton, Cumberland; died 1890 in Tow Law, Durham, England.

5 iii. Mary Ann Irving, born Abt. 1843 in Rockliff, Cumberland.

6 iv. James Irving, born Abt. 1845 in Rockliff, Cumberland.

7 v. Catherine Irving, born Abt. 1850 in Rockliff, Cumberland.

Generation No. 3

4. Walter3 Irwin (James2 Irving, Joseph1) was born 30 Jun 1839 in Kirklinton, Cumberland, and died 1890 in Tow Law, Durham, England. He married (1) Jane 04 Jul 1860 in Kirklinton, Cumberland. She was born 24 Aug 1838, and died 21 Feb 1870 in Tow Law, Durham, England. He married (2) Maria Shakshaft 22 Jan 1871 in Kirklinton, Cumberland, daughter of Robert Shakshaft and Ann Shakshaft. She was born 22 Sep 1850 in Carlisle, Cumberland.

Children of Walter Irwin and Jane are:

+ 9 i. Walter4 Irwin, born 03 Jan 1860 in Kirklinton, Cumberland.

10 ii. Mary Jane Irwin, born 09 Jan 1862 in Kirklinton, Cumberland.

11 iii. Janet Irwin, born 04 Feb 1864 in Kirklinton, Cumberland; died 1869 in Kirklinton, Cumberland.

+ 12 iv. Isabella Irwin, born 21 Feb 1867 in Kirklinton, Cumberland.

Children of Walter Irwin and Maria Shakshaft are:

13 i. Matilda4 Irwin, born 10 Nov 1871 in Pittsburgh, USA.

14 ii. Catherine Ann Irwin, born 18 Jan 1874 in Tow Law, Durham, England; died 1884 in Carlisle, Cumberland.

15 iii. Robert James Irwin, born 27 Nov 1875 in Tow Law, Durham, England.

16 iv. Benjamin Irwin, born 23 Nov 1877 in Tow Law, Durham, England; died 1878 in Tow Law, Durham, England.

17 v. Joseph Irwin, born 23 Nov 1877 in Tow Law, Durham, England; died 1878 in Tow Law, Durham, England.

18 vi. John Henry Irwin, born 29 Jan 1882 in Tow Law, Durham, England.

19 vii. Ethel Maria Irwin, born 23 May 1884 in Tow Law, Durham, England.

20 viii. Leonora Irwin, born 25 Jul 1887 in Tow Law, Durham, England.

Generation No. 4

9. Walter4 Irwin (Walter3, James2 Irving, Joseph1) was born 03 Jan 1860 in Kirklinton, Cumberland. He married Ellen Whittle 1882. She was born 1863 in Wigan, Lancashire.

Children of Walter Irwin and Ellen Whittle are:

21 i. Amelia Jane5 Irwin, born 1884 in Wolsingham, Durham.

22 ii. Nancy Isabella Irwin, born 1885 in Wolsingham, Durham.

+ 23 iii. Annie Irwin, born 1887 in Wolsingham, Durham.

24 iv. Walter Irwin, born 1890 in Wolsingham, Durham.

25 v. Mary Alice Irwin, born 1891 in Wolsingham, Durham.

12. Isabella4 Irwin (Walter3, James2 Irving, Joseph1) was born 21 Feb 1867 in Kirklinton, Cumberland. She married Joseph Hind 1888 in Tow Law, son of Robert Hind and Isabella Erwin. He was born 25 Aug 1866 in Sunniside, Co Durham.

This family line is continued on the HIND page.