James Harvey Irvine , Sr. ( 1867 – 1947 ) , son of James Irvine I and Henrietta Maria ( Nettie ) Rice , was born October 16 , 1867 , in San Francisco . His mother died when he was seven years old , and his father died when he was about eighteen . Between the time of James Irvine I 's death in 1886 and James Irvine II 's inheritance of the Southern California real estate holdings upon his twenty-fifth birthday in 1892 , the properties were supervised by James Irvine I 's brother , George Irvine . James II bought out Flint and the other partners , and formed the Irvine Company . He married Frances Anita Plum in 1892 , and they had three children , " Jase " , James Harvey Irvine Jr. ( 1894 – 1935 ) , Katharine Helena Irvine ( 1894 – 1920 ) and Myford Plum Irvine ( 1898 – 1959 ) . In 1931 , James II married Mrs. Kathryn Brown White , who died in 1950 . James II lived in San Francisco until the 1906 San Francisco earthquake , when he relocated to the Irvine Ranch . He was a member of the Bohemian Club , and kept a residence in San Francisco , at 2421 Pierce Street . He established the James Irvine Foundation in 1937 , an entity dedicated to the " general well-being of the citizens and residents of the state of California . " James II owned nearly a third of the land in present-day Orange County . The city of Irvine ( formerly Myford ) is named after him . He died of Bright 's disease in 1947
1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Irvine family