Benjamin Alvord (1813 - 1884)

Born 18 Aug 1813 in Rutland, Vermont, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Emily Louise (Mussey) Alvord — married 27 Sep 1846 in New York City, New York

Died 16 Oct 1884 at age 71 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States

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Biography

Benjamin Alvord is Notable.

Major Benjamin Alvord served with the United States Army during the Mexican-American War
Service Started: 1833
Unit(s):
Service Ended: Aug 08, 1865

Brig Gen Benjamin Alvord served in the United States Civil War.
Side: USA

Benjamin Alvord is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Benjamin Alvord was born 18 Aug 1813 at Rutland, Vermont. He was the sixth child of William Alvord (1766-1853) and Lucy (Claghorn) Alvord (1776-1862).

• Graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1833
• Civil War 1862-1865
• U.S. Volunteers General Staff Infantry Regiment on 15 Apr 1862.
• Promoted to Brevet Lt Colonel on 13 Mar 1865.
• Promoted to Brevet Colonel on 13 Mar 1865.
• Promoted to Brevet Brig-General on 09 Apr 1865.
• Mustered out on 08 Aug 1865.

• Battle of Cerro Gordo
• Battle of Palo-Alto
• Battle of Resaca de la Palma

Benjamin Alvord was a Civil War Union Brigadier General. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1833, placing 22nd out of 43 (his classmates included future Civil War Union Generals John G. Barnard and Rufus King, as well as future Civil War Confederate Generals Henry C. Wayne and Daniel Ruggles). He was posted in the 4th United States Infantry, and participated in the Seminole Wars in Florida and in the Mexican War, where he fought in the Battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, and in the march from Vera Cruz to Mexico City. His service there won him the brevet of Major. In 1854 he was promoted to full rank Major and was assigned to the Paymaster Department. Serving as Chief Paymaster of the Department of Oregon when the Civil War started, he was commissioned Brigadier General, US Volunteers on April 15, 1862 and was placed in full command of the Department. His entire service during the Civil War years were in the American Northwest, where he spent much of his time mediating between Indians and White settlers (who for the most part repeatedly broke treaties with the Native Americans). Resigning his Volunteer commission in August 1865, he was sent to the East, where he became Paymaster of New York City, New York. His subsequent military service was in the paymaster department, eventually being promoted to Brigadier General and Chief Paymaster of the United States Army. (bio by: Russ)

Alvord was admitted to the Aztec Club of 1847 under the Resolution of September 1871 in 1873.[1]

Spouse: Emily Louise (Mussey) Alvord (1826-1885) ^[1]

Children:

1. Anna Claghorn Alvord, b. 16 Oct 1849, Fort Gratiot, Michigan - 10 Jan 1860, Vancouver, Washington)
2. Clarence Alvord (16 Oct 1849 - 26 Jan 1856)
3. Emily Louise Alvord, b. 20 Oct 1858, Fort Vancouver, Washington; married 4 May 1880 Thomas Craig; 2 children
4. Benjamin Alvord Jr (1860-1927), b. 15 May 1860; married 30 Jun 1886 @ Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, Margaret McCleery; 3 children
5. Alden Henry Alvord, b. 5 Dec 1862, Ft. Vancouver, Washington; unmarried
6. William Cullum Alvord, b. 11 Jan 1866, Hastings-on-the-Hudson, New York; married 1 Dec 1897 Genevieve Schuyler; no children; d. 1924

Gen. Benjamin Alvord died 16 Oct 1884 in Washington, DC ^[2]. His grave is in Evergreen Cemetery, Plot: Section 20, Lot 4, Rutland Rutland County, Vermont, USA ^[3].

Sources

1. ↑ Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XFFN-PYJ : 6 December 2014), Benjamin Alvord and Emily L Mussey, 17 Sep 1846, Marriage
2. ↑ District of Columbia Deaths, 1874-1961," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7YM-5D4 : accessed 21 October 2017), Benjamin Alvord, 16 Oct 1884, District of Columbia, United States; citing reference ID , District Records Center, Washington D.C.; FHL microfilm 2,135,786.
3. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #22684

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 28 August 2017, 21:50), entry for Brigadier General Benjamin Alvord USA(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:KJC2-1G7); contributed by various users.

• Benjamin Alvord; Wikipedia
• The Oregon Encyclopedia
• Arlington National Cemetery

• 1850 US Federal Census Year: 1850; Census Place: Port Huron, St Clair, Michigan

• 1860 US Federal Census Year: 1860; Census Place: Clark, Washington

• 1880 US Federal Census Year: 1880; Census Place: Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia

• A Genealogy of the Descendants of Alexander Alvord an Early Settler of Windsor, Conn. and Northampton, Mass. (1908), no. 525: https://archive.org/details/genealogyofdesce00alvo/page/123/mode/1up; https://archive.org/details/genealogyofdesce00alvo/page/225/mode/1up

• Aztec Club of 1847. (1909). Constitution of the Aztec Club of 1847. (Pg. 34).