Mary Elizabeth Woodward and Melville Brown Irvine
MELVILLE BROWN IRVINE, son of SARAH PHILLIPS BROWN and PHILANDER YOUNG IRVINE, was born February 25, 1843 in Saline County, Missouri,1486 and died October 6, 1929 in Cotulla, La Salle, Texas.1486
He married MARY ELIZABETH WOODWARD on June 23, 1869.10221 She was born April 12, 1842 in Missouri,4931 and died December 22, 1919 in Newburgh, Warrick, Indiana.4931
Work History
- Melville Brown Irvine was a Presbyterian minister.10221
Obituaries
Albany Ledger, October 24, 192910221
Some Facts of The Life Work of Rev. M. B. Irvine
The following notice of the death and life of the late Rev. M. B. Irvine, former pastor of Albany, appeared in the Cotulla, Texas, Record, the paper in the town in which the good man died.
Rev. M. B. Irvine, age 87 years, died at 2 a. m. Sunday at the home of his niece, Mrs. W. M. Dyson, in this city, after an illness which confined him to his room for two months.
Mellville Brown Irvine was born in Saline county, Missouri, on Feb. 25th, 1843. He was married to Miss Lizzie Woodward of Marshall, Mo., on June 23, 1869. One daughter was born to the union, who died in 1898. His wife passed away in 1919.
The remains were sent to St. Joseph, Mo., Monday where they were interred Wednesday by the side of his wife and daughter. The funeral service was held at the Presbyterian church Sunday afternoon, conducted by the pastor, Rev. Harry Hamilton. The church was filled with sorrowing friends and more than a score of relatives who had come to pay their last tribute to "Uncle Mel." After the service the body was returned to the Dyson home where it lay until Monday morning when it was sent to the home of his youth, and was accompanied by his brother, A. M. Irvine.
Deceased graduated in Civil Engineering in 1863, but just about this time he was converted and changed his plans and decided to enter the ministry, therefore began to prepare himself. His father, having lost everything in the Civil War he found it necessary to work himself through college, which he did. At the conclusion of his college work, he was married. He was offered places in large churches but preferred the mission work in western Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska, and with a horse and buggy, his young wife, he began a work that continued for several years, they enduring many hardships, in the then scarcely settled country, when conditions were bad. At the end of seven years his health had broken under the strain and he was forced to give up the work. In that seven years a record kept showed that he had traveled an average of 5000 miles a year, and his average salary per year was $318. After recovering his health, which required some time, he served churches in Missouri, Kansas, Colorado and Minnesota. His life was an active one. In the last 38 years of his active ministry he had only four vacations of two weeks each.
Five years ago, at the age of 82, he gave up active service and come to Cotulla to live with the family of his niece, Mrs. W. M. Dyson. During the years he made his home here he did a great deal of work in the church, frequently filling the pulpits, of not only the Presbyterian, but other churches, when pastors were absent. He taught a Mens' Bible class at the Presbyterian church until two or three months past, when he had to give it up. "Uncle Mel", as he was familiarly known, knew the Bible as few men know it. He had a command of language that held the interest of every one, and his sermons were always interesting. Even up to the time when his body became so weak that he could hardly stand through a service his voice was strong. "Uncle Mel" did a great deal of good work in Cotulla. He was beloved by all who knew him, and there were many sad hearts when he passed away.
Rev. Harry W. Hamilton, pastor of the Presbyterian church, conducted the service Sunday afternoon. He paid high tribute to the dead man for the spirit of love and unselfishness, which he always exhibited. The minister said that he had found a diary among the effects of "Uncle Mel" which showed that he had kept a careful record during his ministry of 38 years. A summary showed that during that period he had preached 7,313 sermons and addresses and held 265 funeral. He had conducted 130 revival meetings, had 1903 professions of faith and 1442 additions to the church. He baptized 184 infants and 794 adults. During the period he made a total of 36, 406 calls and received a total salary of $35, 911. The average number of sermons preached per year 159; average calls per year 968; average salary per year $750.
Deceased is survived by one sister, Mrs. W. E. Rock, of San Antonio; two brothers, A. T. Irvine of Cotulla and A. M. Irvine, of Ft. Scott, Kan.
Census Records
| Date | Location | Enumerated Names |
|---|---|---|
| September 30, 185010222 | Saline County, Missouri | |
| August, 186010224 | Miami, Saline, Missouri |
