My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Dallas County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

* * * *

John M. Alford, merchant and farmer, and one of the principal stock dealers of Dallas County, Mo., was born in Knox County, Tenn., February 9, 1822, and is a son of John and Jane (McElhattan) Alford, also Tennesseeans, who immigrated to Carroll County, Ark., in 1852, and there spent their declining years. The father was a farmer and also carried on milling in his early days, and of his large family of children there are living at the present time: Malinda, Robert, John M., Orlando D., Thomas, Margaret, Rebecca and Mary. John M. was reared on a farm in his native State, and was married in Meigs County, Tenn., March 4, 1840, to Lucinda Cardell, by whom he became the father of two children, Robert and William In 1855 he came with his family to Dallas County, Mo., and reached Four Mile Prairie November 5, 1855, where he purchased a claim that was partly improved, with about ten acres cleared, and on which was a little log house. In 1856 he entered several forty-acre tracts, 160 acres being prairie land and the rest in timber, and here has lived up to the present date. He now owns 1,600 or 1,700 acres of valuable land, the most of which is under cultivation, and is an extensive dealer in the better class of stock. He has a good residence and other buildings on his farm, and a look over his home farm shows the thrift and energy that has put his place in its present admirable condition. Since 1862 he has been engaged in the mercantile business at Wood Hill Post-office, and in his public as well as social career would prove a valuable addition to any community. He married his present wife, whose maiden name was Hannah Hallomon, April 13, 1847, and nine of their ten children are now living: Pleasant, Jeremiah, Sarah, Matthew, Charles, Thomas, Owen, Susan, Mary and John.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 74 biographies included in The History of Dallas County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Dallas County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Dallas County, Missouri family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.