American Businessman and Diplomat. A great-great grandson of Benjamin Franklin, Irwin grew up in Philadelphia and first went to Japan in 1866 to open up a Pacific mail steamship service. He was later hired to work for the Mitsui business conglomerate and became great friends with Takashi Masuda, a member of Japan's finance ministry, and Karou Inoue, a leader in the movement to modernize and expand Japan. Inoue matched Irwin and Iki Takechi, a young lady from an influential family, in what became the first American-Japanese marriage to be based on legal arrangements between the two countries. In 1884, he became the first consul general from Hawaii to Japan, and headed the negotiation and management of a government-contracted Japanese immigration to Hawaii during 1885-1894 called "Kanyaku Imin". He later became a Japanese citizen and received both the "Order of the Rising Sun" and the "Order of the Sacred Treasure." In Japan, he is called the "Father of Japanese Immigration to Hawaii." He was the son of US Congressman William Wallace Irwin and Sophia Arabella Bache Irwin. His father was serving as US Chargé d'Affaires to Denmark at the time he was born in Copenhagen. His mother was a great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin. His daughter Sophia A. Irwin (aka "Bella Irwin") in 1917 established a school for nursery school teachers in Tokyo. That institution is now known as The Irwin School.
American Businessman and Diplomat. A great-great grandson of Benjamin Franklin, Irwin grew up in Philadelphia and first went to Japan in 1866 to open up a Pacific mail steamship service. He was later hired to work for the Mitsui business conglomerate and became great friends with Takashi Masuda, a member of Japan's finance ministry, and Karou Inoue, a leader in the movement to modernize and expand Japan. Inoue matched Irwin and Iki Takechi, a young lady from an influential family, in what became the first American-Japanese marriage to be based on legal arrangements between the two countries. In 1884, he became the first consul general from Hawaii to Japan, and headed the negotiation and management of a government-contracted Japanese immigration to Hawaii during 1885-1894 called "Kanyaku Imin". He later became a Japanese citizen and received both the "Order of the Rising Sun" and the "Order of the Sacred Treasure." In Japan, he is called the "Father of Japanese Immigration to Hawaii." He was the son of US Congressman William Wallace Irwin and Sophia Arabella Bache Irwin. His father was serving as US Chargé d'Affaires to Denmark at the time he was born in Copenhagen. His mother was a great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin. His daughter Sophia A. Irwin (aka "Bella Irwin") in 1917 established a school for nursery school teachers in Tokyo. That institution is now known as The Irwin School.
Inscription
In loving memory of Robert Walker Irwin
born Jan. 7, 1844
died Jan. 5, 1925
Iki Irwin
born Dec. 23 1851
died Aug. 17, 1940
Family Members
Spouse
Sponsored by Ancestry
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