Irwin Donovan, who has been admitted to practice in all of the Oklahoma state courts and also before the United States supreme court, is now devoting his attention to civil law in Muskogee, having an extensive clientele, who recognize the strength and power of Mr. Donovan as advocate and counselor. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, August 3, 1879, and is a son of Joseph Thomas and Mary Lucy (Mahoney) Donovan, the former a well known real estate dealer of St. Louis.
Reared in his native city, Irwin Donovan supplemented his early education by study in Smith Academy of St. Louis in preparation for a course in Washington University. He was also for two years a student in Cornell University at Ithaca, New York, and, returning to his native city, entered upon preparation for his chosen profession in Washington University, completing his law course with the class of June, 1.11,01. He then entered upon practice in St. Louis, where he remained for three years and in 1904 he came to Muskogee as law clerk with the Dawes commission. In that position he continued until early in 1906, when he opened an office for the private practice of law and through the intervening period of fifteen years has made steady advancement at the bar. He has also been admitted to practice in the federal courts, including the United States supreme court. The legal profession demands not only a high order of ability but a rare combination of talent, learning, tact, patience and industry. The successful lawyer must be a man of well balanced intellect, thoroughly familiar with the law and practice, of comprehensive general information and possessed of an analytical mind. Imbued with all of these qualities Mr. Donovan has gained an enviable position as a representative of the Muskogee bar.
On the 8th of January, 1903, was celebrated the marriage of Irwin Donovan and Miss Laura Virginia Edwards, of St. Louis, a daughter of Major John W. Edwards, who established the Kansas City Times and won his title by service in the Confederate army during the Civil war. Fraternally Mr. Donovan is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and also with the Knights of Columbus. He is a member of the Country Club and belongs to the American Rose Society, which is indicative of his keen interest in the queen of flowers. For two years, from 1908 until 1910, he served as title attorney for the state school land department through appointment by the state. He has never sought nor filled office, however, outside the strict path of his profession, preferring always to concentrate his efforts and energies upon his duties as an attorney, and his devotion to the interests of his clients has become proverbial.