Person:Benedict Alford (1)

In a letter to I.S.Gunn, 20 Nov 1959 from John K. Adams (Ypsilanti, MI) regarding William Alford: "Father [of Benedict] was in Revolutionary War. Played a fife at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown." [Note: both Gunn and Adams are descendants of William Alford.]

From Genealogical Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files, Vol. I, A-E, as abstracted by Virgil D. White (The National Historical Publishing Company, Waynesboro, TN, 1990): "Benedict [Alford], S8016, CT, MA and VT Lines, appli 22 Feb 1826 Orleans City NY aged 69, b 1757 Windsor CT, lived Williamstown MA until 1783 thence VT 2 yrs thence to Burlington VT 3 yrs thence Ferrisburg 7 yrs thence to Georgia VT 6 yrs thence to Willisborough NY 14 yrs thence to Cayuga Cty NY 2 yrs & had lived in Orleans Cty NY 15 yrs, son Benedict Alford, JR. stated sol d 1839 & wid d about 1yr later, son Benedict Alford, Jr. lived in Troy OH in 1859 aged 73 & he made reference to 2 brothers one in MO & the other in Lower Canada, in 1826 sol's wife was 69 & a daughter & her 2 fatherless children & a motherless grandchild were living with sol, sol's bro George Alford lived Monroe City, MI in 1826." (page 30 and 31)

The information below was extracted by Gil Alford from pension files (see sources):

Benedict Alford was born in Windsor, Connecticut in 1757. He died in 1838. He was married prior to 1790. His wife was born about 1757.

February 1, 1776 he enlisted under Captain A. Prior to serve for six months. He remained two months and secured a substitute.

June 1776 he enlisted in a company of volunteers under Captain Jonathan Farret of Pittsford, Vermont to serve during the campaign. There were two other companies in the battalion, commanded by Captains Matthew Lyon and John Farret. Benedict was in the regiment of Colonel Samuel Safford and served six months in the states of Vermont and New York under General Gates until discharged in December.

From April 1, 1777 he served two months in Captain Simeon Wright's Company in Colonel James Mead's militia regiment. When his term expired he enlisted with Captain Jesse Sawyer's Company, Colonel Herrick's Rangers for six months, continuing until December.

He volunteered and took command of a detachment of militia to guard and escort prisoners from Bennington to Hartford, serving three months.

From April 1778 he served the remainder of the year as a minute man in and near the town of Rutland, where the garrison was under the command of Colonel Thomas Sawyer of the Vermont Militia, Colonel Warner's Regiment. He then served with Captain Bronson of the Continental Line for six months, and was then discharged.

In 1780 he volunteered to go with a company of Militia under Captain Samuel Clark of Williamstown, Massachusetts to NewYork. He served one month and was discharged.

In October 1780 he volunteered under Captain N. Smedley to go to Castleton, Vermont and was discharged after one month.

He served one six month term of service as an acting sergent, but afterwards remained a private.

During his military service he took part in the evacuation of Ticonderoga when the American fleet was destroyed, and in the battles of Mt. Hope, Bennington, and Lake George Landing.

Benedict resided in Ridgeway, Orleans County, NY in 1826. His wife was 67 years old and very deaf. He had one daughter with two small fatherless children living in the household, and a motherless grandchild. He was a farmer.

George Alford, a brother, resided in Monroe County, Michigan in 1826. George Aford attested to the fact that he (Benedict) had 18 months service in 1776-78. George made affidavit on January 22, 1833, at which time Benedict was still in Ridgeway, NY.

By February 14, 1837, Benedict Alford resided in Troy, Geauga County, Ohio with his son Benedict, Jr. He applied to have his pension changed from New York to Ohio. Benedict Alford, Jr. remained in Troy and was a resident there in 1859 at the age of 73. He had cared for his parents for 30 years. He had two brothers--one went to Missouri, he said, and the other to Canada. Neither brother had been heard from for 40-50 years.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 AAFA Action
   Page 19, June 1992.

   "Benedict Alford's Revolutionary War Service" in AAFA ACTION, June 1992, page 19. The information was extracted by Gil Alford from pension files MICROCOPY 804-31, Pension #S8016.

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Find A Grave.

   Tombstone not shown: [[1]]

3. ↑ Connecticut Vital Records to 1870
   Vol. 2, page 287.

   (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928. Vol Windsor, page 3 Original: Vol 2, page 287.

4.   Massachusettes Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution
   Vol. 1, page 125.
5.   Genealogical Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files
   Vol. 1, A-E, pages 30-31.

   as abstracted by Virgil D. White (The National Historical Publishing Company, Waynesboro, TN, 1990)

6. ↑ ^6.0 6.1 Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots
   Vol. 1.

   Serial: 9901; Volume: 7

7.   Known Descendants of Benedict Alford and Joan Newton
   pages 28-30.

   [[2]]

8.   Troy Township Cemetery Files.

   [3]

9.   Letter from the Commissioner, Bureau of Pensions.

   Letter from the Commissioner, Bureau of Pensions, V Warner: [4]