Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

Jonathan Alford, second son of Jeremy
and Sarah (Eno) Alford, was born September
16, 1720, married, December 17,
1744, Charity Thrall, born about 1729,
and died September 9, 1776, the daugh-
ter of William and Hannah (Thrall)
Thrall.
Joseph Alford, second son of Jonathan
and Charity (Thrall) Alford, was born
July 6, 1748, married, in 1772, Lucy Griswold,
who was born in 1753, and died
April 10, 1835. She was the daughter of
Moses and Mary (Nichols) Griswold, of
Poquonock, town of Windsor.
William Alford, eldest son of Joseph
and Lucy (Griswold) Alford, was born
May 3, 1774, and died December 26, 1856,
at Poquonock. He married (second)
April 3, 1810, Selina Griswold, born Janu-
ary 2, 1782, and died February 4, 1821
she was the daughter of Isaac and Chris-
tiana (Holcomb) Griswold.
Euclid W. Alford, fifth son of William
and Selina (Griswold) Alford, was born
July 16, 1813, and resided at Poquonock,
where he died April 24, 1859. He mar-
ried, October 10, 1842, Mary Elizabeth,
the daughter of Leonard Keeney, of East
Hartford, Connecticut. They were the
parents of the following children: 1.
Celeste, born March 3, 1844; married
George W. Barnes, of Windsor, and died
in that town in February, 1915. 2.
Hestes Ward, of whom further. 3. Wil-
liam Euclid, born March 16, 1848; removed
to Oklahoma, and died there about
1914; he married, in Connecticut, Elsie
Merriman, of Tarrifville, formerly of
Windsor. 4. Frank Wells, born Decem-
ber 27, 1856, who has lived on the paternal
homestead at Poquonock during his en-
married tire life ;
man, the sister of his brother's wife; she
was born October 29, 1857, and is the
mother of the following children : Alden
Euclid, born November 29, 189a; Mary
;
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Katherine Suess Merri-
87
Sophia, January 9. 1893, Elsie Merriman,
April 10, 1895, Alice Viets, August 16,
1897, and Leon Morton, November 20,
1899.
Hestes Ward Alford, son of Euclid W.
and Mary Elizabeth (Keeney) Alford,
was born May 4, 1845, in Poquonock, and
received such education as the public
schools of the neighborhood afforded. He
was but fourteen years of age when his
father died, and as eldest son much of the
responsibilities of the management of the
paternal farm fell upon him. He still
continues to till a portion of this farm and
has given much attention to tobacco cul-
ture. After many experiments he dis-
covered the best use of fertilizers and the
peculiarities of the tobacco plant, and has
long been known as one of the most suc-
cessful growers of the Windsor section.
He never had an ambition to try any
other life than that of farmer, and was
always fond of hunting and fishing. He
relates many interesting details of his ex-
periences while pursuing these sports.
He has been an extensive collector of bird
specimens, and has a very large number
representing the natives of this locality.
All of these were mounted by Mr. Alford
himself, and he takes a just pride in exhibiting
his collection to those who may
be interested. His intimate knowledge of
bird nature and habits enabled him to so
mount his specimens as to bring out the
most characteristic pose of each. Equally
interested in the development of plant
life, his success in agriculture naturally
followed his study of these subjects. Mr.
Alford has always maintained an intelli-
gent interest in the progress of his coun-
try, and has ever espoused the principles
of the Republican party, but he has
always shunned any political preferment.
His shrewd and successful management
of his own affairs naturally led his townsmen
to seek his services in other con-