Aemilius Irving was born in Leamington, England, on 24 March 1823 to Jacob Aemilius Irving and Catherine Diana Homfray. The family lived in France before immigrating to Upper Canada in 1834. They settled in Lundy's Lane and later moved to Newmarket. He married August Louisa Gugyon on 3 June 1851 and had eight children. Irving attended Upper Canada College in Toronto. He was admitted to law school in 1844 and was called to the Bar in 1849. He articled with Joseph Clarke Gamble in Toronto. He moved to Galt in 1851, serving as Clerk of the Peace for Waterloo County. He later served as legal counsel for the Great Western Railway and for the Government of Ontario during the Settlement of Accounts Arbitration. Irving was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1863. He served as a bencher (1874-1893) and Treasurer (1893-1913) of the Law Society of Upper Canada. Irving was a Member of Parliament for Hamilton, elected in the general election of 1874 and again in a by-election in 1875. He died on 27 November 1913.