Gaston, Joseph. "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912." Vol. 3. Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 283. EDWARD CLARK IRELAND is the owner and proprietor of a large wholesale and retail cigar business in Medford, this state, and is numbered among the men who stand well at the front of enterprising business interests in this portion of Oregon. He is a native of Ohio, having been born in Cincinnati on the 20th of May, 1860. His father, William Ireland, was born in Kentucky and followed the profession of teaching, in early life but later became engaged in various business enterprises. In 1849 he crossed the plains to California, being one of the many thousands of gold seekers who were swept westward by the gold fever then affecting, the people throughout the entire nation. After spending some little time in the Golden state he returned to the east and in 1855 he again crossed the plains and engaged in mining in California. In both of these fortune-seeking ventures he was entirely successful, although eventually he encountered the misfortune of losing his entire wealth by investing in a business venture, which proved to be unprofitable and at the last a disastrous failure. On the breaking out of the Civil war he entered the government' service as a volunteer soldier, remaining at the front for four continuous years and holding the military rank of colonel at the time he was mustered out. At one time he was the junior partner in the firm of McGill & Ireland, the concern being engaged in the packing, business in Cincinnati, Ohio, at a time when that city was headquarters in the meat and packing business throughout the west. In 1870, while actively engaged in the affairs of business life, he passed away in Watseka, Illinois. He had for several years survived his wife, who passed away when our subject was but two and a half years of age. Edward Clark Ireland was reared by foster parents and by them educated in the public schools. At the age of ten years he left his adopted home and as an inexperienced boy went to Indianapolis, Indiana, and at once invested in a bootblacking outfit and established himself in the shoe-shining business, having his headquarters in the rear room of the law offices of Benjamin Harrison, who at that time was engaged in the practice of his profession and just beginning to acquire a reputation throughout that portion of the state as a corporation lawyer. The boyhood days of Mr. Ireland were full of trials and tribulations. Without the love of a mother or the protecting care of a father, he was alone in the world, young, without experience and without means of support other than what he provided by his own labor. Being ambitious he watched his opportunities, diligently and soon found more profitable employment than shining shoes, and was enabled to accumulate surplus funds sufficient to enable him to obtain two winter terms of study in the public schools, this constituting his entire schooling. His first employment of consequence was with a firm of contractors and bridge builders. As a common laborer in the employ of this company he received the handsome compensation of one dollar a day and succeeded in obtaining board at the rate of two dollars per week. By giving perfect satisfaction to his employers he was later put in charge of all their derricks and his salary increased to three dollars and a half per day. In 1881, after having terminated his connection, with the former company, he secured the position of brakeman in the employ of the Wabash Railway Company. Here he continued to give undivided and competent attention to his duties and in 1883 he was advanced to the position of conductor of a freight train and in 1885 further promoted as conductor of a mixed freight and passenger train running in the schedule of first-class service. Shortly after this he was again promoted, this time becoming a conductor in the regular passenger service. He was employed by the railroad company continuously for a period of twenty-five years. Retiring from this business in 1906, he spent the two following years in the promotion and real-estate business in Champaign, Illinois, and at the end of this period he journeyed to the Pacific coast, hoping to find here better opportunities than were offered in the middle west where business conditions were more fixed. After reaching the Pacific coast he spent some six months looking over the entire western country and finally located at Medford in Jackson county, this state, believing that to be the place offering the greatest inducements for future business. Having once made up his mind to become a citizen of this place, he established himself in the retail cigar business and later, extending his operations, he added to his retail store a wholesale department. In this business he is now engaged, giving his entire time to its interests. In 1883 Mr. Ireland was united in marriage to Miss Belle Beams, of Havana, Illinois, and to their home three children have been born, one of whom is still living, Etha May, now the wife of E. F. Thompson, who is associated with Lampson Brothers, Board of Trade operators of Chicago, Illinois. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Thompson has been born one child, Edward F., Jr. Mr. Ireland gives his political allegiance to the republican party and is a member of the present city council of Medford. He has also been a member of the Commercial Club, since his arrival in Medford and likewise belongs to the Merchants Association. In Masonry he has attained high rank, belonging to Western Star Lodge, No. 240, F. & A. M., of Champaign, Illinois; Champaign Chapter, No. 50, R. A. M.; Champaign Commandery, No. 68, K. T.; Urbana Council, No. 19, R. & S. M.; Valley of Peoria Consistory, A. & A. S. R.; and Mohammed Temple, A. A. 0. N. M. S., of Peoria, Illinois. He is likewise a valued member of the following organizations: Medford Lodge, No. 1168, B. P. 0. E., which fraternity he joined in Champaign, Illinois; and Crater Lake Lodge, No. 675, R. 0. M. of Medford. Edward Clark Ireland is one of the best known and most effectively public-spirited men in the city of Medford. He is always identified with every good cause seeking the improvement of the business interests and the educational and moral wellbeing of the community in which he lives. His life of varied experiences, abounding in hardships and prosperity, has rendered Mr. Ireland a safe business adviser and a generous, helpful friend to every man who worthily is seeking to improve the conditions of himself and family. He is a popular and trusted leader among his associates and,has a reputation of being one of the most effective agencies in the building up of the new western city in which he has established his residence. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2008 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.