Excerpted from: OTHER PHYSICIANS IN THE COUNTY.

Benjamin F. Irish came to McDonough county in 1853, and settled near Fandon, and practiced medicine for three years, after which he removed to Colchester, where he engaged in farming four years, but lived about Colchester from 1856 to 1872.  He now lives on the farm of Ebenezer Hicks and controls about 470 acres.  His farm lies in Bethel township, where he owns one-half section of land.  B. F. Irish was born and raised in Michigan and studied medicine with his father, Thomas Irish, who was then a practicing physician in Ann Arbor. He studied in the eclectic schools and has always practiced under that form of practice. At present he does not do much in this line, only going on occasional visits among the neighbors as necessity compels.  Mr. Irish has been twice married, the latter union being with Mary F. Hicks, a daughter of E. N. Hicks, of Hire township.

History of McDonough County, Illinois, 1907
Andrew McLean, pp. 919-920

Irish, Benjamin F.--Qualified in youth for the professions of medicine and agriculture, Benjamin F. Irish has known nearly a half century of increasing prosperity in the latter capacity, and at the present time is one of the largest and most resourceful producers in McDonough County, Ill.  Mr. Irish presents many claims in favor of moderate and wholesome living, for, notwithstanding the fact that he has passed his seventy-third year, he still is active in his chosen calling, investing it with the skill, good judgement and ripe wisdom which comes of the ability to profit by one's observations and experiences.  While Michigan still was a Territory, Mr. Irish was born there in what now is Oakland County, July 10, 1833. He is a son of Dr. Thomas and Issamena (Ellenwood) Irish, the former born in New York and the latter in New Hampshire.  His father practiced medicine in Michigan for many years, making his home for part of that time in Ann Arbor, where his son supplemented his earlier educational training with Latin and anatomy at Ann Arbor College. Receiving his license to practice medicine, the young man came to McDonough County in 1853, settling in Fandon, which then was called Middletown, where he practiced medicine for three years. In 1854 he invested his earnings in 120 acres of land in Lamoine Township, and to this he since has added until at the present time he owns 560 acres in McDonough County.  In 1879 he located on his present farm, and in 1886 built the large and comfortable residence which the family now occupies.  Mr. Irish also owns 400 acres of land in Kansas, 100 acres in Missouri and several pieces of valuable property in Stronghurst, Henderson County.

On April 17, 1856, Mr. Irish was united in marriage to Mary White, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Hicks) White, who then were living in Tennessee township.  Mrs. Irish died in 1873, the mother of the following named children: Thomas, a farmer living near Deer Park, Wash., who married (first) Mary Miller, and later his present wife, and who has eight children; Frank Stanley, living half a mile west of his father, who married Lizzie Connor, and who has five children; Alva, the deceased wife of Thomas Miller, a farmer in Carroll County, Mo., and who left four children; Hugh, editor of "The Times," who married Nellie Walker, and lives in Williamsfield, Knox County, Ill., with his wife and one child; Ralph, living near Lewiston, Idaho, who married Minnie Udell; Phila, deceased wife of Franklin Miller, also deceased, and who left two children, Ralph and Charles; and two children who died in infancy.  March 17, 1878, Mr. Irish married Mary Hicks, of McDonough County, and of this union there have been born seven children: Eben N., who married Laura Harris, and now owns and operates the farm near Blandinsville, upon which his wife was born and reared, and where was born the only child in the family; John W., a farmer of Hire Township, who married Anna Bryant, of Logan County, Ill., and has two children; Charles H., married to Myrtle Smith, of Hancock County, and occupying a farm near Blandinsville; Rial C., living with his father; Darius H., deceased; Grover L., living at home; and Minnie, also on the home farm.

Mr. Irish has been a stanch [sic] supporter of Democratic politics for many years, and has been one of the most efficient and popular officials in the township, serving as Collector, Assessor, Road Commissioner and Supervisor, holding the latter office eight years, during three years of which he was President of the Board.  Mr. Irish represents the men of fine and honorable character who has lent their business sagacity and public spiritedness to the upbuilding of McDonough County, and who, through the success which has attended their efforts, have proved one of its financial, moral and intellectual bulwarks.

Mary Hicks White Irish is buried at White Cemetery, located on the White family farm north and west of Tennessee, McDonough County.

The Irish - White children:

Mary Frances Hicks was the daughter of Ebenezer Newton Hicks and Jane Robinson.  She was also a first cousin, once removed, of Mary Hicks White.

The Irish - Hicks children:

i.	Ebenezer Newton Irish, born January 14, 1879.
ii.	John Wilson Irish, born March 1, 1880.  Died August 6, 1945, in Logan County, Illinois.
iii.	Charles Henry Irish, born Sept 22, 1881, died in 1969, burial at Friendship Cemetery.
iv.	Rial Clinton Irish, born February 4, 1883, died in 1958.  He was buried at Friendship Cemetery.
v.	Darius Hicks "Day" Irish, born in 1884, died in 1902, burial at Friendship Cemetery.
vi.	Grover Lloyd Irish, born in 1887, died in 1912, burial at Friendship Cemetery.
vii.	Minnie Frances Irish, born in 1889.  She died in 1935 and was buried at Friendship Cemetery.

Thomas Irish, 45, male, physician, born NY
Benjamin F, 17, male, physician, born MI

Benjamin Irish, 27, male, farmer, value of real estate 600, value of personal estate 300, born MI
Mary, 22, female, born OH
Thomas, 1, male, born IL
Franklin, 3/12, male, born IL

Irish, B F, 39, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 5200, value of personal estate 2475, born MI, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Mary, 30, female, white, keeping house, born OH
Thos, 11, male, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Frank, 10, male, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Alva, 9, female, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Philer, 4, female, white, born IL
Hugh, 2, male, white, born IL
Ralph, 3/12, male, white, born IL, born March
Kennady, John, 22, male, white, labourer, born OH, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more

Irish, B F, white, male, 46, married, farmer, born MI, both parents born MI
Mary F, white, female, 37, wife, married, keeps house, born IL, both parents born OH
May F, white, female, 14, daughter, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, father born MI, mother born OH
Hugh M, white, male, 12, son, single, at school, attended school within the year, born IL, father born MI, mother born OH
Ralph S, white, male, 10, son, single, at school, attended school within the year, born IL, father born MI, mother born OH
Newton E, white, male, 1, son, single, born IL, father born MI, mother born OH
John W, white, male, 3/12, born March, son, single, born IL, father born MI, mother born OH

Irish, B F [poorly written], head, white, male, July 1833, 66, widower, born MI, father born NY ?, mother born MA, farmer, months not employed, could read, write and speak English, owned his farm home free of mortgage, farm schedule 136

Ebon, son, white, male, Jan 1879, 21, single, born IL, father born MI, mother born IL, farm laborer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English

John, son, white, male, Mar 1880, 20, single, born IL, father born MI, mother born IL, cook, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English

Charles H, son, white, male, Sept 1881, 18, single, born IL, father born IL [sic], mother born IL, at school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English

Real C, son, white, male, Feb 1883, 17, single, born IL, father born MI, mother born IL, at school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English

Darius, son, white, male, Feb 1884, 16, single, born IL, father born MI, mother born IL, at school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English

Grover, son, white, male, Mar 1887, 13, single, born IL, father born MI, mother born IL, at school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English

Minnie F, daughter, white, female, Mar 1889, 11, single, born IL, father born MI, mother born IL, at school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English

Irish, B F, head, male, white, 76, widower, born MI, father born NY, mother born NH, spoke English, farmer, gen farm, employer, could read and write, owned his farm home free of mortgage, farm schedule 72

Rial, son, male, white, 26, single, born IL, father born MI, mother born IL, spoke English, farm laborer, home farm, employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - no, number of weeks out of work during 1909 - 0, could read and write

Grover L, son, male, white, 24, single, born IL, father born MI, mother born IL, spoke English, farm laborer, home farm, employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - no, number of weeks out of work during 1909 - 0, could read and write

Minnie F, daughter, female, white, 22, single, born IL, father born MI, mother born IL, spoke English, could read and write

White, Eva A, housekeeper, female, white, 25, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born German(Ger), spoke English, housekeeper, private home, employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - no, number of weeks out of work during 1909 - 0, could read and write