Ira Harvey was manufacturing soda and beer at 1 Crawford Place and 101 South Main Street in Providence in 1847. By 1850 he was manufacturing beer at 4 Dean Street, later at the corner of Union and Westminister Streets, and also at 188 Pond Street, all in Providence.

By 1859 he had become an agent for the Eagle Yeast-Cake Manufactory at 186 Pond Street, and circa 1864 he also became an agent for the Connecticut Yeast Company.

In 1865 Ira quit the yeast cake business and joined George P. Harvey at Harvey & Co. at 14 Bath Road in Newport. The company was bottlers of porter, ale, cider, sodas, etc.

Around 1868, Ira left Newport and went back to Providence where he became an agent for the Fleishmann & Co. Compressed Yeast Factory Depot at 81 Bridgham Street. He retired from this company in 1881 and passed away in 1885.