Farmers in Oklahoma

D2c: Alford i Missouri och Oklahoma
av Esben Alfort

John Alford & Margaret Newby

  Johan ”John” August Gerhard Alford (24/2 1865 – 23/11 1929)
  D2 branch [1.2.11.8.1.8]
  Son of Frank Alford & Hannah Johansdotter
  Älgaberget, Lyckö, Malexander, Östergötland, Sweden
  Farmer

  Margaret ”Maggie” Ellen Newby (16/2 1872 – 25/10 1961) (g. 25/10 1887 i Jasper co.)
  Carl Junction, Jasper, Missouri
  4 children – Founders of the D2c branch

  Primary sources
  04-02-2021

Älgaberget. Photo: Esben Alfort 2019.

John is born in the cottage Älgaberget under Lyckö in Malexander parish, but as the family emigrates to Missouri in 1866, he grows up at Carl Junction outside Joplin.

In 1887 he marries Margaret Ellen Newby from Carl Junction, who is a younger sister of his brother Axel’s wife Ann Newby. The two sisters’ parents were Milton Newby (1845-1918) and Nancy Jane Hastings (1848-1919).

It is possible that the couple’s first child is born at Carl Junction, but they soon settle at a farm in Lawtonicon-map-marker, Pleasant View township in Cherokee Co., Kansas, which is in fact only a stone’s throw from their previous homes. His brother Axel lives at one of the neighbouring farms, and in fact it is unclear exactly which of these farms is the one known as Alford Farms to this day – perhaps they were simply merged at a later date.

Alford farms at Lawton. Source: Google.

At any rate, the original farm buildings are probably to be sought among the dilapidated buildings of Lawton village, as maps from the middle of the 20th century show no sign of any buildings among the fields. Alternatively, it could be the buildings in the southeastern corner of the fields, right at the state boundary.

Shortly after the turn of the century they move to Chitwood in the outskirts of Joplin, but in spring 1909 they buy a farm in Narcissaicon-map-marker, Ottawa Co., Oklahoma.

The landscape around Narcissa is very flat. Source: Google.

In 1920 they move back to the village of Wacoicon-map-marker outside Carl Junction, right next to the state border.

They have 4 children.

John dies of pulmonary tuberculosis in 1929. His widow then moves in with their youngest son Albert and his family in Diamondicon-map-marker, Marion Township, Newton Co., and later relocates with them to Joplin.

John Alford’s grave in Carl Junction Cemetery. Source: Findagrave.com.

∇

John August Alford’s death 1929. The death certificate contains several errors. Source: Sos.mo.gov.

Research data

  •  name (others’ spellings): Johan August Gerhard (1865); J. Alford (1895); John A. Alford (1900-1920); John Alford (1910-1918); John August Alford (1929)
  •  name (others’ spellings): M. Alford (1895); Margret E. Alford (1900); Margret Alford (1910); Margaret E. Alford (1920-1940); Mrs Margarett Alford (1929)
  •  b. Malexander 1865: v39090.b34.s29
  •  cens. 1895-1920 Pleasant View: 1895; 1900; Narcissa: 1910; Waco: 1920
  •  cens. 1895-1940 Diamond: 1930; Galena: 1940