Joseph Dana Alvord (1824 - 1877)

Born 23 Dec 1824 in Westhampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Ruth Rosella (Starkweather) Alvord — married 18 May 1845 in Chicopee, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died 29 Aug 1877 at age 52 in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut, USA

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Biography

Joseph Dana Alvord, born 23 Dec 1824 at Westhampton, Massachusetts, was the tenth and final child of Sarah (Barker) Alvord (1777-1863) and Isaac Alvord (1779-1848).

He married 18 May 1845 at Chicopee, Massachusetts, Ruth Rosella Starkweather ^[1]. They had 4 children, their first two born at Chicopee, their final two at Bridgeport, Connecticut:

1. Josephine Sarah (Alvord) Sterling (1846-1892), b. 17 May 1846; married 1) 28 Oct 1865 George Albert Mayne; 2) 18 Jun 1884 Sherman H. Sterling
2. Williston Isaac Alvord (1847-1894), b. 22 Sep 1847
3. Charles Earle Alvord (1849-), b. 2 Sep 1849
4. Dana Joseph Alvord (16 Jan 1858 - 8 Dec 1861)

This family was recorded during the 1860 U.S. census in Bridgeport, Connecticut ^[2], where they remained ^[3].

Per the Alvord genealogy, Joseph Dana Alvord was a mechanical genius. He learned the trade of a pattern-maker at Chicopee, Mass., and showed great skill in the construction of tools and fire-arms. He was, therefore, employed in the armory at Springfield, Mass., for eight years. From Springfield he went to Hartford, Conn., and took a contract with his friend, James Wilson, in the Sharp's Rifle Co., in which he so much increased his reputation as a skillful mechanic that the Wheeler & Wilson Sewing Machine Co., of Bridgeport, Conn., offered Messrs. Alvord and Wilson a contract to manufacture certain parts of their sewing machine. This led to his removal to Bridgeport about the year 1857, Mr. Alvord continued with the company until his death, having at times several hundred men under him and holding a very lucrative position. He was unquestionably more essential to the success of the company than any other mechanic in its employ. Of a generous disposition by nature, Mr. Alvord indulged freely in benevolences and kindly acts. He treated everyone with gentleness and respect, never with the assumption of superiority. At the time of his death he was regarded as one of the leading citizens of Bridgeport and his funeral was very largely attended.

Joseph Dana Alvord died 29 Aug 1877 at Bridgeport, Connecticut ^[4]. His grave is in Mountain Grove Cemetery and Mausoleum, Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut, USA ^[5].

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts, Springfield Vital Records, 1638-1887", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XPNG-1KK : 3 May 2022), Joseph D. Alvord, 1845.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH5T-X6D : 18 February 2021), James D Alvord, 1860.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN73-KLS : 28 May 2021), Joseph D Alvord, 1870.
4. ↑ "Connecticut, Charles R. Hale Collection, Vital Records, 1640-1955", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7C8-9YD : 16 September 2020), Joseph D. Alvord, 1877.
5. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #158237560

• A Genealogy of the Descendants of Alexander Alvord an Early Settler of Windsor, Conn. and Northampton, Mass. (1908), no. 631: https://archive.org/details/genealogyofdesce00alvo/page/140/mode/1up; https://archive.org/details/genealogyofdesce00alvo/page/253/mode/1up

• Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.