John "Jack" Rankin Irwin, fourth child of John N. and Mary L. Irwin, was born in Keokuk, Iowa on August 24, 1883 and died in Keokuk on August 10, 1959. Jack graduated in 1902 from Lawrenceville Preparatory School in Lawrenceville, NJ and in 1906 received a Bachelor of Letters degree from Princeton University in Princeton, NJ. On July 7, 1909 John married Keokuk's Florence Vanderburg Johnstone, who was a talented pianist and composer. They had two sons, Alexander Johnstone Irwin and John Nichol Irwin II.
After working for a time with the family's business (Irwin-Phillips Wholesale Dry Goods Company), Jack went on to an active role in Keokuk affairs and Iowa state politics. His father, John Nichol Irwin, had served two terms (1876 and 1882) in the Iowa House of Representatives. Carrying on the "family tradition" Jack was elected as the Lee County representative to the Iowa Legislature in 1928, 1934, 1936, 1938, and 1940. In 1939 he served as Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, 48th General Assembly. Appointed postmaster of Keokuk by President Hoover in 1929, Jack also served as a trustee of the Keokuk public library, as a director of the Y.M.C.A. in Keokuk, and as a director of the Keokuk Savings Bank and Trust Company. In 1943 Jack retired from politics and enjoyed his retirement in the family home at 633 Grand Avenue, Keokuk. In 1999 the above-mentioned Grand Avenue home was listed in the U. S. National Register of Historic Places.
After working for a time with the family's business (Irwin-Phillips Wholesale Dry Goods Company), Jack went on to an active role in Keokuk affairs and Iowa state politics. His father, John Nichol Irwin, had served two terms (1876 and 1882) in the Iowa House of Representatives. Carrying on the "family tradition" Jack was elected as the Lee County representative to the Iowa Legislature in 1928, 1934, 1936, 1938, and 1940. In 1939 he served as Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, 48th General Assembly. Appointed postmaster of Keokuk by President Hoover in 1929, Jack also served as a trustee of the Keokuk public library, as a director of the Y.M.C.A. in Keokuk, and as a director of the Keokuk Savings Bank and Trust Company. In 1943 Jack retired from politics and enjoyed his retirement in the family home at 633 Grand Avenue, Keokuk. In 1999 the above-mentioned Grand Avenue home was listed in the U. S. National Register of Historic Places.
John "Jack" Rankin Irwin, fourth child of John N. and Mary L. Irwin, was born in Keokuk, Iowa on August 24, 1883 and died in Keokuk on August 10, 1959. Jack graduated in 1902 from Lawrenceville Preparatory School in Lawrenceville, NJ and in 1906 received a Bachelor of Letters degree from Princeton University in Princeton, NJ. On July 7, 1909 John married Keokuk's Florence Vanderburg Johnstone, who was a talented pianist and composer. They had two sons, Alexander Johnstone Irwin and John Nichol Irwin II.
After working for a time with the family's business (Irwin-Phillips Wholesale Dry Goods Company), Jack went on to an active role in Keokuk affairs and Iowa state politics. His father, John Nichol Irwin, had served two terms (1876 and 1882) in the Iowa House of Representatives. Carrying on the "family tradition" Jack was elected as the Lee County representative to the Iowa Legislature in 1928, 1934, 1936, 1938, and 1940. In 1939 he served as Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, 48th General Assembly. Appointed postmaster of Keokuk by President Hoover in 1929, Jack also served as a trustee of the Keokuk public library, as a director of the Y.M.C.A. in Keokuk, and as a director of the Keokuk Savings Bank and Trust Company. In 1943 Jack retired from politics and enjoyed his retirement in the family home at 633 Grand Avenue, Keokuk. In 1999 the above-mentioned Grand Avenue home was listed in the U. S. National Register of Historic Places.
After working for a time with the family's business (Irwin-Phillips Wholesale Dry Goods Company), Jack went on to an active role in Keokuk affairs and Iowa state politics. His father, John Nichol Irwin, had served two terms (1876 and 1882) in the Iowa House of Representatives. Carrying on the "family tradition" Jack was elected as the Lee County representative to the Iowa Legislature in 1928, 1934, 1936, 1938, and 1940. In 1939 he served as Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, 48th General Assembly. Appointed postmaster of Keokuk by President Hoover in 1929, Jack also served as a trustee of the Keokuk public library, as a director of the Y.M.C.A. in Keokuk, and as a director of the Keokuk Savings Bank and Trust Company. In 1943 Jack retired from politics and enjoyed his retirement in the family home at 633 Grand Avenue, Keokuk. In 1999 the above-mentioned Grand Avenue home was listed in the U. S. National Register of Historic Places.
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