Ira Payne Alford was born 22 January 1822 in Progress, Pike, Mississippi. He married Elizabeth Hope. They were the parents of eight children: Nancy Jane (Alford) Berryhill, Edwin James Alford, Ira Newton Alford, Isabel Martha (Alford) Schilling, Cynthia E. (Alford) Brock, John Ira Alford, Jeptha Josephus Alford and Samantha W. Alford. Elizabeth died in 1871.[i]His second wife was Mary Hughes who he married in 1872. They had two sons: Joseph Henry Alford and Felder Fletcher Alford.[ii]
Walter Edwin Tynes, son of Tyra J. Tynes and Harriet Jane (Alford) Tynes wrote about his uncle:
Uncle Ira (Ira Payne), born January 22, 1822. Married Betsey Hope, settled on a farm, two miles west of the parental home, and reared a large family.[iii]
In 1860 the family lived in Washington Parish, Louisiana where Ira was a farmer. His land was assessed at $2,000 and his personal estate at $2,000. Seven children were living at home. His closest neighbors were his sister, Harriet Jane (Alford) Tynes and her family and his brother, Jeptha J. Alford.[iv]In 1860 Ira owned four slaves, a 32-year-old female and three children.[v], [vi]Ira also owned land in adjoining Tangipahoa Parish. In May 1861 he was issued four land patents there, near his father and his brother, Jeptha J. Alford.[vii]He had purchased 297 acres.[viii]
In 1870 Ira and family were in Tangipahoa Parish where he was a 48-year-old farmer. Four children were living at home.[ix]
Ira lived with his granddaughter-in-law, Mary Berryhill, a widow, and Mary’s daughter, Jessie Berryhill in 1900. At 88 years old he was still working as a farmer. Next door was his daughter Nancy Jane (Alford) Berryhill, her husband Mark A. Berryhill and children Ulysses S. Berryhill, Daisy L. Berryhill and Emma A. Berryhill. Ira had plenty of family nearby.
Ira Payne Alford died 15 September 1901 in Progress, Pike, Mississippi.[x]
Brother Alford was a hard worker all his life; always had plenty of everything around him; kind and obliging to every one; a good Christian neighbor; he was favorably known by a great many persons. For a number of years he was quite deaf, and did not attend his meetings, which he regretted very much, but devoted his time Sundays reading his Bible and other religious books. His funeral was attended by a great many persons, and the sermon was preached by Rev. William H. Schilling. Text: 7th chapter, 1st, 2nd, 9th, and 10th verses of Job. May we all be prepared to meet Brother Alford on the banks of sweet deliverance, where he is waiting and watching for us.[xi]
[i]Find A Grave(findagrave.com: accessed 2016) Memorial #33947781, Elizabeth Hope Alford, 1826 – 1871 (Mt. Hermon Cemetery, Washington Parish, LA).
[ii]Conerly, Luke Ward, Source Records from Pike County, Mississippi, 1798-1910(South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1989, Page 97. Ira Payne Alford.
[iii]Tynes, Walter Edwin,My Pilgrimage(1928) 8.
[iv]1860 US Census, LA, Washington, Ward 2, page 47; digital image,Ancestry(ancestry.com: accessed 2016) Ira P. Alford family.
[v]1860 US Census, Slave Schedules, LA, Washington, Ward 2; digital image,Ancestry(ancestry.com: accessed 2016) Ira P Alford.
[vi]Kerns, Gloria Lambert. Washington Parish, Louisiana Records, 1810 – 1898(Baker, Louisiana: Folk Finders, 1983) 23. Ira P. Alford.
[vii]Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Tangipahoa County, Louisiana.Deluxe. (Norman, Oklahoma: Arphax Publishing Co., 2008) 62.
[viii]US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records; Accession #LA0080.097, 1861; digital image (glorecords.blm.gov: accessed April 2019) Ira Alford in LA.
[ix]1870 US Census, LA, Tangipahoa, Osyka, page 17; digital image,Ancestry(ancestry.com: accessed 2016) Ira P. Alford family.
[x]Find A Grave(findagrave.com: accessed 2016) Memorial #33947735, Ira Payne Alford, 1822 -1901; Mt. Hermon Cemetery, Washington Parish, LA.
[xi]Creel, Bevin J.,A Patriot’s Legacy: The Family of Richard Dillon and Ann Lawrence From Bertie County, North Carolina To Southern Mississippi and Louisiana(Franklinton, Louisiana: Privately Printed, 2002); Family Search(familysearch.org.: accessed 2016).
1 Ira Payne Alford b: 22 Jan 1822 in Progress,Pike County, MS, d: 15 Sep 1901 Washington, LA
… + Elizabeth Hope b: 15 Jan 1826, m: 30 Dec 1843, d: 25 Dec 1871 in Washington, LA
……2 Nancy Jane Alford b: 1845 in LA, d: 1924
…… + Mark Anthony Berryhill
………3 Samantha Berryhill
………3 Robert Berryhill
………3 Mark Berryhill
………3 Margaret Berryhill
………3 Ulysses S. Berryhill
………3 Daisy Berryhill
………3 Euna Berryhill
………3 Lucius Berryhill
………3 Elizabeth Berryhill
……2 Edwin James Alford b: 1846 in LA
……2 Ira Newton Alford b: 04 Oct 1847 in LA, d: 20 Feb 1923 in Pike, MS
…… + Samantha N. Ott b: Jul 1850 in LA, d: 1919
………3 Annie Ola Alford b: 1870 in LA
………3 Albert Arthur Alford b: 1872 in MS, d: 1936
………3 Oscar Alford b: 1874 in MS, d: 1907
………3 Fannie Belle Alford b: 12 May 1876 in MS, d: 1948
……… + John Jefferson Hall b: 1858, d: 1923
………3 Vincent W. Alford b: Nov 1880 in MS
………3 Hettie Alice Alford b: Apr 1884 in MS, d: 1962
………3 Lewis Alford b: Apr 1886 in MS
……2 Isabel Martha Alford b: 1849 in LA, d: 1918
…… + James Jeffrey Schilling
………3 Ellis N. Schilling
………3 Esco Martin Schilling b: 1868
………3 Willie Schilling b: 1869
………3 Lois Elizabeth Schilling b: 1871
………3 Joseph Leon Schilling b: 1873
………3 Charles Hemson Schilling b: 1875
………3 Theodore J. Schilling b: 1876
………3 Coar E. Schilling b: 1878
………3 James Hezebiah Schilling
………3 Lena C. Schilling
………3 Freddie W. Schilling
………3 Benjamin Frank Schilling
………3 Orlando Schilling
………3 Luther Schilling
………3 Mallie Jane Schilling
………3 Raleigh O. Schilling
……2 Cynthia E. Alford b: Abt. 1851 in LA
…… + William F. Brock
………3 Ada Jean Brock
………3 Seymour Brock
………3 Ella Brock
………3 William Clyde Brock
……2 John Ira Alford b: Abt. 1852 in LA, d: 1917
…… 3 Emily Brock
……2 Jeptha Josephus Alford b: 08 Dec 1854 in LA, d: 29 Nov 1913 in Pike, MS
…… + Olevia Luminda Fortenberry b: 22 Dec 1856, m: 18 Feb 1874, d:3 Dec 1942
………3 George Howard Alford b: 28 Jan 1875 in Pike, MS, d: 06 Apr 1958 in Pike, MS
……… + Mayme Indiana Simmons b: 11 Jul 1878 in Pike, MS, m: 2 Nov 1902, d: 14 Mar 1949 in Pike, MS
………3 Lillie Dale Alford b: Dec 1877 in MS
………3 Carrie Lee Alford
………3 Delis Collier Alford
………3 Thomas Cleveland Alford b: Apr 1883 in MS
………3 Luther Alvin Alford b: Jul 1886 in MS
………3 Yarborough S. Alford b: Oct 1891 in MS
………3 Ethel Mae Alford b: Aug 1893 in MS
………3 Claude A. Alford b: Jul 1897 in MS
………3 Effie M. Alford
……2 Samantha W. Alford b: Abt. 1861 in LA
… + Mary Hughes Parker
Selected Sources:
- 1860 US Census, LA, Washington, Ward 2, page 47. Ira P Alford family.
- 1870 US Census, LA, Tangipahoa, Osyka, page 17. Ira P Alford family.
- Conerly, Luke Ward. SOURCE RECORDS FROM PIKE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI 1798-1910; 1798-1910; South Carolina, Southern Historical Press, 1989
- Creel, Bevin J. A Patriot’s Legacy: The Family of Richard Dillon and Ann Lawrence From Bertie County, North Carolina To Southern Mississippi and Louisiana. Franklinton, Louisiana: Privately Printed, 2002.