Alverson, Benjamin 1816-1892

ALVERSON, HURT, MCQUERRY

Posted By: Edward R. Alverson (email)
Date: 11/12/2003 at 14:22:03

Benjamin ALVERSON was born on October 15, 1816, in Garrard County, Kentucky. He was the oldest of the ten children of John C. ALVERSON (1790-1844) and Polly or Mary MCQUERRY(?)(1796-1856). In 1837, Benjamin married Celesta or Salista HURT or HART, who was born on January 1, 1816 also in Garrard Co. Kentucky. The names of her parents and number of siblings are not known. In about 1848, Benjamin and Celesta emigrated from Kentucky to southeastern Iowa, along with Benjamin’s widowed mother Polly, several of Benjamin’s siblings, and possibly also members of the McQuerry family. Between the years of 1838 and 1860, Benjamin and Celesta had eleven children, six while they lived in Kentucky and another five in Iowa, although only eight children survived to adulthood. They were:

John Elvin ALVERSON (1838-?); m. 1865 to Nancy Ann WALLACE
Mary Elizabeth ALVERSON (1840-1921); m. 1866 to William Abel ARMSTRONG
Lucinda Frances ALVERSON (1842-?); m. 1857 to John D. ARMSTRONG
Joseph Henry ALVERSON, (1844-1943); m. 1882 to Sarah Louise ALLEN; Civil War veteran
William Butler ALVERSON (1846-1913); m. 1869 to Priscilla TROY
Rolinda Emaline ALVERSON (1848-bef. 1860)
Eliza Jane ALVERSON (1851-bef. 1870)
Sarah Amanda ALVERSON (1854-after 1880)
Nancy Ellen ALVERSON (1856-1878); m. 1877 to Walter L. WELLS
Benjamin ALVERSON (1858-bef. 1870)
James Breckenridge ALVERSON (1860-1945); m #1 in 1889 to Kate MASON; m#2 in 1934 to Laura Belle HUGHELL

The Benjamin Alverson family initially settled in Locust Grove Township, Jefferson County, where they were recorded in the 1850 census. Benjamin was described as having been a teacher in Batavia in the early days when the town was known as Creesville. By 1856, the family was living in nearby Pleasant Township, Wapello County. A Wapello County directory from about 1878 lists Benjamin as the owner of 40 acres of land in section 36 of Pleasant Township (the farm was located outside Batavia and less than a mile from the Jefferson County line). He was described as having been Constable and Justice of the Peace, and was a Democrat. Benjamin and Celesta had a total of at least 26 grandchildren, but many did not survive to adulthood. Benjamin died on June 27, 1892, at the age of 75, and Celesta died on March 20, 1899, at the age of 83. It is suspected that they both might have been buried in Batavia Cemetery, but the exact location of their graves is not known.

Iowa Family Group Sheets web site
 

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