FIFTH GENERATION
Henry Jefferson ALVIS was born on 7 Dec 1811 in Richmond, Chesterfield, Virginia. Birth date in obits was Dec 7, 1810. Date on gravestone was Dec 7, 1811. Census of 1860, 1880, 1885 and 1895 bear out the date of 1811. He died on 4 Dec 1903 in Sand Prairie, Lee, Iowa. He was buried on 6 Dec 1903 in Vincennes, Lee, Iowa next to his wife. Oakland Cemetery, Vincennes, Des Moines Township, Section 19, Lee County, Iowa, is located south of Argyle on Iowa 394, then west on 320th St.He made his home in Sand Prairie, Des Moines Twp, Lee County, Iowa, and was a resident of Lee County for over sixty years. He spent the early portion of his life in the East and did not come west until he was thirty years of age. In 1840 he came out to Iowa and settled in this section of the country, while Iowa was yet one of the territories. He made Iowa and Lee County his home from then until his death. He was a soldier in the Seminole war and fought through that conflict in Florida. His record as a soldier was a good one, and he distinguished himself upon more than one occasion. To his dying day, almost, he was wont to relate interesting incidents in which he participated. (excerpts from obituary, Dec 6. 1903, Daily Gate City)
Henry is listed in the June,1900 census at the farm of his son, Edward, on Ambrosia Lane.
Knew Audubon when HJA was riverboat captain on the Mississippi River. Traded calico, sugar, kerosene, etc with the Indians. That was how he got wood to fuel his steamboat. (A good story, but as of yet unconfirmed. Riverboat commerce on the Missouri was in its heyday.)
He was married to Electa DANIELS on 21 Jul 1839 in Quincy, Adams, Illinois. They came to Lee County Iowa by Dec 1839.
True and correct copy of the marriage record, established and filed in my office in accordance with the provision of the Illinois statues relating to the registration of marriages. Certified by Adams County Clerk Dec 29, 1999.
(Written in long hand with some words missing because of fold in binding of book.) State of Illinois, Adams County. Set. We the people of the State of Illinois to any person lawfully authorized to Solemnize Marriage. Greeting. You are here by Licensed and permitted to Celebrate and certify the rites of Marriage between Mr. Henry J. Alvis and Miss. Electa Daniels, And for so Doing this Shall be your Sufficient Warrant. In testimony wherof I have here unto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the County Commissioners Court at my office in Quincy this 20th Day of July A.D. 1839.Marriage abstracted from Quincy Papers, Keokuk Public Library, #243, 1835-50 Vol. 2 #13 Page 3. "Bride, late of Far West, MO. Groom, late of Manchester, VA.
(back side) the persons named within were duly married by me on the evening of J... ... 1839. W. H. Window Methodist... ...Minister Recorded...25th 1839.29. Electa DANIELS was born on 29 Dec 1820 in Dryden, New York. Electa is listed in the June,1900 census at the farm of her daughter, Evaline in Charleston twp. She died on 6 Sep 1901. She was buried in Vincennes, Lee, Iowa. Oakland Cemetery, Vincennes, Des Moines Township, Section 19, Lee County, Iowa.
Children were:
ii. Hiram J ALVIS was born on 26 Oct 1842 in Argyle, Lee, Iowa. He died on 3 Nov 1909 in Argyle, Lee, Iowa. He was buried on 7 Nov 1909 in Vincennes, Lee, Iowa. Oakland Cemetery, Vincennes, Des Moines Township, Section 19, Lee County, Iowa.
Hiram J. ALVIS, was one of the respected old settlers of Lee county. Death is thought to have resulted from a wound received during the civil war, in which he served for four years and nine months as a member of Co. G., Twenty-first Missouri. During the war his skull was fractured above the right temple, by a cannon ball and from this wound, he had suffered for many years. Two years before his death he had an attack of typhoid fever and this left his body in an enfeebled condition. Hiram had spent all of his life in Lee county, having been born near the present family home. He heard the call for defenders of the nation and went to the civil war, where he served for the full term and was honorably discharged after seeing much service and suffering many hardships. After the war he returned to farm life. On October 28, 1868, at St. Francisville Mo., he was married to Miss Nancy WHEATLEY, who had come west with her parents as a child from Ohio. They returned to the farm in Lee county and led a happy and contented life. He was not a church member. At one time he was a member of the Odd Fellows.
Bachelor on Ambrosia Lane. Lived on south side of Ambrosia Lane, west of Sugar Creek, near Argyle, Iowa. The 1900 census lists him as living with his sister, Evaline on her farm in Charleston twp, Lee County, Iowa.
This picture is labeled "An Alvis (I think) Uncle George or Lennis?" Dorris Wells
Bachelor on Ambrosia Lane. Lived on south side of Ambrosia Lane, west of Sugar Creek, near Argyle, Iowa.
Youngest of nine children
Lillie Alvis Curan said Uncle Willie Alvis walked from Iowa to Missouri to tell Audubon their mother died. Willie didn't take a horse because he wasn't sure of food supply for the horse...so he walked all those miles alone. It took him a month. He appeared suddenly in Missouri. After dinner, Willie and Audubon sat by the fire and Audubon smoked his pipe. Finally he asked Willie why he'd made the journey and Willie told him of their mother's death. Lillie was a little kid then and she remembered thinking that her father couldn't be very sad because he "didn't cry." (according to Mary Curran/Razor)
Picture of Dorris, Uncle Willie, and the baby skunks was taken at Uncle Willie's farm. Yes, that is a young fox. Dorris loved it there, down in the pasture where there were 2 lakes (Spring Lake and Long Lake or Round Pond.) 160 acres. The road on west side was developed south from Argyle road, but did not extend to the north past Billie and Charlie.
Now Ambrosia Lane has been blacktopped, the bridge removed and even the course of Sugar Creek altered by the Corps of Engineers.
