AAFA ACTION The Official Publication of the Alford American Family Association Summer 1997 Vol. X, No. 1 The President’s Piece THE ANNUAL MEETING By Gilbert K. Alford, Jr. NOTE: Most of the time when I say “Alford”—quotes or not—I really mean Alford, Alvord, Halford, and all the other spellings. The same day we received the Spring issue of AAFA ACTION, we also received Contents an e-mail from one of you indicating that you’d read at least the first two pages of my piece in that issue. I hope all of you read it—not only my piece, but much more of the quarterly. I’m still waiting to see—as a result of your effort—a big The President’s Piece 1 increase in membership, a significant increase in donations, and a lot of registra- New Member Lineages 3 tions for the meeting in California. Alfords in the News 10 Obituaries from Greene Co., It’s the latter I wish to talk about in this piece—actually, it’s meetings in general. Missouri—Part 4 15 By the way, for those of you planning to attend the Pleasanton meeting, do Obituaries from Alabama 20 be advised that there is also a big antique fair in town that weekend and West Indies Alfords 25 there will be some competition for hotel space. Don’t wait any longer to James Stephen Alford make your room reservations—call (510) 847-6000. Family of Virginia 26 We usually have about 25% of the membership at any one meeting—a respect- Part 24: Josiah Alford’s Alford able turnout for a national organization like AAFA—but we’d like to increase Family Notes 29 that percentage. At each meeting about half the attendees have been to one or British Columbia Marriages and more previous meetings, and the other half are first-timers. About 30% of those at Deaths 36 any one meeting are not likely to ever attend again. Jeptha Alford of Georgia, c1797 – after 1861 38 We think the meetings are great and we’re not looking for any significant change “Alfords” in the 1850 in them—other than maybe greater participation. Max and Earline Alford have California Census 40 taken on the job as co-chairs of our Meetings Committee. Since Max is already Landy Alford, AAFA Secretary, don’t be surprised if you see Earline leading this effort! They California Pioneer 42 are responsible for recommending to the board and the membership the state in Arkansas Land Records which we will meet. In our meeting this year they will recommend a state for 2001. Before 1908 44 Over the next several years they’ll lead in the selection of the city, then the hotel and Amasa Alford’s finally getting a contract with the hotel. Finally they will be in charge of the meeting Gold Rush Letter 46 from the minute it starts—or even before—until the last thing is done at the end. “Alfords” on Roster of Confederate Soldiers 49 My real purpose in writing this though is (1) to encourage you to attend as many David Price’s Alford Genealogy 53 meetings as you can and (2) to discuss briefly what happens at each session. Booklist Additions 57 Many, many—and I do mean a lot—of members have told me just how much our Burt Alvord, Outlaw annual meeting has meant to them. None of us can get over the warm atmosphere Sheriff—Part 3 60 of camaraderie of the meetings. Although many of us are unrelated (yet!) and are Lawrence County, Tennessee, seeing each other face to face for the first time ever, we quickly feel a special and Alfords: Part 5 62 close affinity. I’ve heard a number of times comments like, “I could actually feel Welcome New AAFA Members 68 love permeating the area.” If you haven’t joined us, you must do so at your Index 69 earliest opportunity. (Continued on p. 2) Page 2 AAFA ACTION Summer 1997 AAFA Officers (The President’s Piece, cont. from p. 1) About nine on Friday morning we begin to talk about genealogy—more What really goes on at a meeting? Alford American Family Association or less in general, with Lynn Shelley, You’ve all received a registration P.O. Box 1586 AAFA VP and the chair of our form, but I know some that don’t plan Florissant, MO 63031-1586 Research Committee, in charge. She’ll to go don’t waste time looking at it. E-mail: [email protected] have several folks lined up to make This is not your regular “family good presentations on subjects se- http://www.alford.com/alford/aafa/ reunion.” You don’t get a box lunch lected, to some extent, by the partici- homepage.html and it’s not “all day singing and dinner pants. I’ve had members tell me that BOARD OF DIRECTORS on the ground.” Some call it a confer- they had attended similar professional ence and others a convention. It really sessions or genealogy classes and they Cecil O. Alford Paul W. Alford starts on Thursday when many of us did not learn near as much as they did Gilbert K. Alford, Jr. Lynn Shelley begin to arrive. There is continuous in our workshop. This workshop will Jimmie R. Alford Janice S. Smith handshaking and hugging going on in Lodwick Alford Robin Alford Sterling go on all day. We do take time each Max Ray Alford Pamela Alford Thompson the lobby or even in the front door of the morning and afternoon for a little Doris Alford Vetri hotel. Frequently changing groups of us nourishment. Alfords do like to eat. PRESIDENT are together from then until bedtime, first GILBERT K. ALFORD, JR. for dinner and then gab sessions On Friday evening we have a reception 1403 Kingsford Drive wherever we can find room to sit. that is designed for those present to Florissant, MO 63031 meet new cousins and to renew old (314) 831-8648 Friday morning Max and Doris Vetri, acquaintances. We want you to move E-mail: [email protected] AAFA Treasurer, are up early with a around and meet as many folks as registration table set up so folks can possible and to talk to nearly everyone VICE-PRESIDENT pick up their name tags, meal tickets, present. It is the only session in which LYNN D. SHELLEY etc. Somewhere not far away you’ll 1921 E. Nottingham Lane AAFA officials are not harping on one likely find the AAFA Store which is thing or another. At this one you do all Springfield, MO 65804-7733 run by Sally Stoewer and her Merchan- E-mail: [email protected] the talking. To the extent possible and dise Committee. They will have all to encourage your moving around, we SECRETARY kinds of neat things with Alford and/or try to disperse the food so you have to MAX RAY ALFORD AAFA on them. Her store hours may walk several places to get a hand full. 427 Wheatridge “come and go” with other things on the We also do our best to hide places to Mesquite, TX 75150 program because it’s not fair to ask her sit, except for the old and infirm. We E-mail: [email protected] and her folks to miss all the events just don’t want you to get a plate full and to keep the store open. By the way, TREASURER run off in a corner and spend the rest of Sally and her storekeepers don’t get the night telling war stories to just one DORIS ALFORD VETRI any of the take from the store. And like 981 Larkspur Place, N. person with whom you are already all other AAFA workers they don’t get Mount Laurel, NJ 08054 well acquainted. E-mail: [email protected] paid. All the proceeds go into the purchase of more merchandise, and if Saturday morning is the time for EDITOR, AAFA ACTION there is extra it just stays in the treasury. business, which will vary from PAMELA ALFORD THOMPSON meeting to meeting, but you can 1017 Marilyn Drive Somewhere in the area you’ll see a depend on an election of members of Mountain View, CA 94040 display of “old” Alford photographs that E-mail: [email protected] the board of directors at each meeting are nominees for the photo awards given and a vote on the state for the meeting All contents Copyright ©1997 by the each year. Throughout the session, but Alford American Family Association about four years hence. Of course most especially Saturday evening when of the officers, committee chairs, and unless copyrighted by individual contribu- you’re all prettied up for dinner, you’ll tors or reprinted from published work. project officers will make a report. see John and/or Janice Smith taking There is some recognition of several The Alford American Family Association photographs. They co-chair the AAFA folks present and there are some prizes is a Missouri corporation which has been Photo Committee, which now includes exempt from federal income tax by the given away, so it’s something that the AAFA photo archive established most folks want to attend. It’s not all Internal Revenue Service as provided by by Jack Kinabrew, and they are getting Internal Revenue Code 501 (c7). The boring business. Association has no paid staff or employees photos for Pam to use in subsequent and depends entirely on volunteer workers. issues of this quarterly. Smile big when ISSN 1082-3212 you see them coming.