Ambrose Allen Alford (abt. 1833 - 1910)

Born about 24 Jul 1833 in Pennsylvania, United States [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Orra (Lent) Alford — married about 1853 (to before 27 Jan 1885) in Ohio, United States [uncertain]

Husband of Ella (Buch) Alford — married 27 Jan 1885 (to 10 Apr 1910) in Williamston, Ingham, Michigan

Descendants

Died 10 Apr 1910 at about age 76 in Webberville, Ingham, Michigan, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Bonnie Saunders [send private message]

Biography

Ambrose Alford served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: Unknown
Mustered out: Unknown
Side: USA
Regiment(s): 9th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment

Ambrose Allen Alford was born around 24 Jul 1833, in Pennsylvania, United States. There are three sets of dates and birth places, 28 July 1832, at Colon, Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States, ^[1] 24 July 1833, in Pennsylvania, United States, ^[2] and 24 Jul 1822, in Pennsylvania, United States. The last date comes from the image of his death certificate but does not correspond to the years shown in the certificate (77) and, if calculated using the years, months and days given, gives a different tally, i.e. the second date (1833) has been used arbitrarily. ^[3] Regarding his place of birth, the censuses, from 1850 to 1900, ^{[4] [5] [6] [7]} list Michigan, except for a second census located for 1850 and the 1860 census ^{[8] [9]} which both list Pennsylvania. His death and burial records also place his birth in Pennsylvania. His mother was from Pennsylvania and according to the Alford History, ^[1] in 1820 his parents were living in La Bauf, Erie County, Pennsylvania. La Bauf could be referring to Fort Le Boeuf, ^[10] currently Waterford, Erie, Pennsylvania, ^[11] but could also refer to LeBoeuf Township, ^[12] where his brother Milo C was born (Labrouf Township [sic], Erie County, Pennsylvania). ^[13]

The family supposedly moved west in 1830, and settled at Colon, Michigan. If the 1830 date is correct, Ambrose was likely born in Michigan, not in Pennsylvania. However, no census information or other documents were located for the family in the 1820-1849 period. So, while Pennsylvania has been used for his birthplace, it is not substantiated.

Ambrose died on 10 April 1910, at Webberville, Ingham, Michigan, United States, at the age of 77 years old. ^[14] He is buried in Rowley Cemetery in Webberville. ^[2]

In Ambrose's death certificate, ^[14] his parents appear as Jacob Alford & Mary Morely, but actually they were Oliver Alford (abt 1795-1859) and Elizabeth (Betsey) Mallory (abt 1799-abt 1863), as given in the Alford History, ^[1] "The Known Descendants of Benedict Alford and Joan Newton" ^[15] and the 1850 census. ^[4] Oliver and Elizabeth are both named in their daughter Martha Alford's death certificate. ^[16]

Oliver Alford and Elizabeth Mallory had at least 11 children. ^[1]

1. Milo C Alford (abt 1817-1896)
2. Lovina Alford (1819-1826)
3. Harriet Alford (1821-1899)
4. Martin Alford (abt 1823-bef Dec 1907)
5. Marshall Alford (abt 1826-1862, in the Civil War, at the Battle of Shiloh)
6. Oliver Henry Alford (abt 1829-abt 1876)
7. Orville Alford (abt 1830-1905)
8. Ambrose Alford (abt 1833-1910)
9. George F Alford (abt 1835-1863, in the Civil War, at Chancellorsville)
10. Emily Alford (abt 1838-bef Jan 1864)
11. Martha Alford (1841-1926)

Ambrose married twice. His first marriage to Orra Lent (abt 1836-abt 1890) has been estimated @ 1853, based on the birth date of their first child, Jacob Eugene, in 1854.The event possibly occurred in Ohio (their first two children were born there) but no evidence was found in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania or New York. The marriage ended sometime before 27 Jan 1885, when Ambrose married a second time. ^[17] No divorce records were found. Apparently, Michigan didn't begin to require divorce records to be recorded on a county level until 1897, although, some counties began recording them as early as 1892. ^[18] Orra Lent died around 07 Aug 1890 ^[19] but Ambrose's second marriage is recorded in 1885, i.e., if the burial record found for Orra is really for Ambrose's first wife, the couple would necessarily have divorced in the period between 1880-1885.

Ambrose's second marriage took place on 27 Jan 1885, at Williamston, Ingham, Michigan, United States., ^[17] He married Ella Buch (1853-1947) (she appears in other documents with the name Buck, Beach, Beech & Mason). The marriage ended with his death on 10 April 1910. ^[14]

According to the 1870 & 1880 censuses he had nine children with his first wife ^{[5] [6]} and two (the last in the list) with the second, so there were 11 children in the family.

1. Jacob Eugene Alford (1854-1943)
2. William Alford (abt 1856-aft Jun 1870)
3. Oliver Alford (abt 1858-1930)
4. Charles Alford (1859-1911)
5. Irvine Alford (abt 1861-1905)
6. Laura Ellen Alford (abt 1864-1930)
7. Ella Alford (1867-1940)
8. Emma Alford (abt 1873-aft Jun 1880 )
9. Ambrose Allen Alford (abt 1874-abt 1957)
10. Ida M Alford (1888-1934)
11. Lumon Alford (1890-1931)

Ambrose appears to have been a veritable jack-of-all trades. In the Alford History, ^[1] his occupation is given as "Locomotive Engineer", which ties into the 1880 census ^[6] that states his occupation as "Works on MC Rr" (Works on Michigan Central Railroad). In "Known Descendants of Benedict Alford and Joan Newton" ^[15] and in the 1850 census ^[4] , he appears as a "Farmer" and as "working in a Stove Factory" in 1870. ^[5] In his death certificate, his occupation is given as " Mill Wright & Farmer". ^[14]

Although records were not found, Ambrose's gravestone is engraved with "Fifer Co. A. 9 Michigan Regt. Civil War", ^[2] so he apparently served on the Union side of the Civil War as a Fifer. ^[20] The Regiment may have been the 9th Regiment, Michigan Infantry ^[21] or Cavalry. ^[22] The Infantry unit has been used. His brother Martin was enrolled in the same Regiment.

Draft papers were found for an A A Alford in the 1863-1865 time period in Ancestry.com but they are not for the Ambrose who died in Michigan in 1910. ^[23] The information indicates that this Alford was a carpenter, living in Indiana, married and 29 years old (Ambrose was married in 1853 and would have been 29-30 years old in 1863, although "Carpenter" was not listed among the several occupations that were), meaning that he could be Ambrose. However, an 1860 census reveals that the Indiana Alford was living with Josephine Alford, 23, presumably his wife, and further, in other documents, that this Alford, born in 1834, died at Indianapolis, Indiana, 17 May 1898, and was named Ambrose Asbury, not Ambrose Allen, i.e., this is not the Ambrose A Alford in question ^[24]

Ambrose appeared in the following censuses:

Aug 1850 Ambrose Alford appeared in the 1850 Census, on 06 August 1850 at Ridgeville, Lorain, Ohio, United States, "Ambrose Alford", 19 yrs, born in Michigan, Farmer, with his father, "Oliver Alford", 55 yrs, born in Vermont, Farmer, his mother, "Elizabeth Alford", 57 yrs, born in Pennsylvania, two borthers, "Arville Alford", 20 yrs, born in Pennsylvania, Farmer, and "George F Alford", 14 yrs, born in Michigan, and two sisters, both born in Ohio, "Emily M Alford", 11 years, and "Martha Alford", 9 yrs. ^[4]

Nov 1850 Ambrose Alford appeared in the 1850 Census, on 02 November 1850 at Elyria, Lorain, Ohio, United States, "Ambrose Alford", 20 yrs, born in Pennsylvania, Laborer, with his brother, "Martin Alford", 27 yrs, born in Pennsylvania, Farmer, Martin's wife "Mayett Alford", 18 yrs, born in New York and Martin's son "Edwen L Alford", 1 yr, born in Ohio. ^[8]

Aug 1860 Ambrose Alford appeared in the 1860 Census, on 09 August 1860 at Augusta, Washtenaw, Michigan, United States, "Ambrose Alfred", 32 yrs, born in Pennsylvania, Real Estate Value $ 0, personal value $ 200, with his wife " Orra Alfred", 20 yrs, born in Ohio, and four sons, the first two, born in Ohio, "Jacob Alfred", 7 yrs and "William Alfred", 5 yrs, and the last two, born in Michigan, "Oliver Alfred", 3 yrs and "Charlie Alfred", 1 yr. ^[9]

Jun 1870 Ambrose Alford appeared in the 1870 Census, on 06 June 1870 at Augusta, Washtenaw, Michigan, United States "Ambrose Alfred", 37 yrs, born in Michigan, Works in Stove Factory, Real Estate Value $400, Personal Value $150, with his wife "Orra Alfred", 27 yrs, born in New York, Keeping House and seven children, two boys born in Ohio, who were working in a stove factory and had attended school in the last year, "Jacob Alfred", 16 yrs, and "William Alfred", 14 yrs, three sons born in Michigan, all who had attended school in the last year, "Oliver Alfred", 12, who was also working in a stove factory, "Charles Alfred", 10 yrs, and "Irving Alfred", 8 yrs, and two daughters, both born in Michigan, "Laura Alfred", 6 yrs, attended school in the last year, and "Ella Alfred , 4 yrs. ^[5]

Jun 1880 Ambrose Alford appeared in the 1880 Census, on 24 June 1880 at Denton, Wayne, Michigan, United States "Ambrose Alford", 47 yrs, born in Michigan, works on MCRR (Michigan Central RR), with his wife "Orra Alford", 44 yrs, born in New York, keeping house, and five children, all born in Michigan, "Charles Alford", 21 yrs, at school, Laura Alford, 17 yrs, at home, "Ella Alford", 14 yrs, at school, "Emma Alford", 7 yrs, at home, "Ambrose Alford", 6 yrs, at home. ^[6]

Jun 1900 Ambrose Alford appeared in the 1900 Census, on 06 June 1900 at Locke, Ingham, Michigan, United States "Ambrose Alfred", 68 yrs, born in Michigan, Farm Laborer, with his wife "Ella Alfred", 36 yrs., Ohio, and two children, both born in Michigan and at school, daughter "Ida M Alfred", 13 yrs, and "Luman Alfred", 11 yrs. ^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} _ "The Alford History Section 9"
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Find A Grave: Memorial #72667862 Ambrose Alford (father) on 10 April 1910
3. ↑ _ DEATH CERTIFICATE Image: Ambrose Alford (father) on 24 July 1822
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} _ 1850 Census at Ridgeville, Lorain, Ohio, United States
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} _ 1870 Census at Augusta, Washtenaw, Michigan, United States
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3} _ 1880 Census at Denton, Wayne, Michigan, United States
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} _ 1900 Census at Locke, Ingham, Michigan, United States
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} _ 1850 Census at Elyria, Lorain, Ohio, United States
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} _ 1860 Census at Augusta, Washtenaw, Michigan, United States
10. ↑ _ Fort Le Boeuf
11. ↑ _ Waterford, Erie, Pennsylvania
12. ↑ _ LeBoeuf Township, Erie, Pennsylvania
13. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #7419538 Milo C Alford on 06 Oct 1896
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3} _ DEATH CERTIFICATE: Ambrose Alford (father) 10 Apr 1910
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} _ The Known Descendants of Benedict Alford and Joan Newton
16. ↑ _ DEATH CERTIFICATE: Martha Alford on 11 Oct 1926
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1} _ MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE: Ambrose Alford and Ella Buch on 27 Jan 1885
18. ↑ _ Access Genealogy
19. ↑ _ BURIAL RECORD: Orra Lent on 07 Aug 1890
20. ↑ _ Fifer
21. ↑ _ 9th Regiment, Michigan Infantry
22. ↑ _ 9th Regiment, Michigan Cavalry
23. ↑ _ Ancestry.com
24. ↑ _ Census & other documents for A A Alford of Indiana

Find a Grave Entries in this Biography

1. Ambrose Alford: Find A Grave: Memorial #72667862
2. Milo C Alford: Find A Grave: Memorial #7419538