Family Group Sheet
NameAlfred H. Alfrey
Birthabt 1815, Kentucky
FatherSamuel Alfrey (~1790-~1832)
MotherRachel Cassity (~1791->1850)
Marriage3 Feb 1840, Morgan Co., Kentucky
SpouseMary Ann Bradshaw
Birthabt 1822, Kentucky
Children
Birthabt 1843, Morgan Co., Kentucky
Birthabt 1845, Kentucky
SpouseSarah Ann Jones , 1C4R
SpouseMelvina Lewis
Birth12 Jun 1859, Rowan Co., Kentucky
Notes for Alfred H. Alfrey
Morgan County Vital Statistics on LDS microfilm #216,835 contain six entries for children of Alfred and Mary who died in June 1854:
In the middle of one page, listed together, are:
Samuel Alfrey, age 14 years, died 30 June 1854
Nelson T. Alfrey, age 7 years, died 30 June 1854
Malissa Alfrey, age 1 year, died 25 June 1854
In the middle of the next page, about 25 lines later, also listed together, are:
Malinda Alfrey, age 2 years, died 23 June 1854
Nelson Alfrey, age 6 years, died 30 June 1854
James Alfrey, age 16 years, died 30 June 1854
All are listed with parents Alford & Mary Alfrey. The cause of death is given as "flux" for all except the second occurrence of Nelson, in which it is given as "inflammation of brain."
What I believe is that this represents only three deaths, reported to the county clerk by two different individuals.
These are from the reports of all births & deaths during the previous year sent each January to the State Auditor. They are not listed in date order, and they are NOT a record that is maintained steadily throughout the year. The law was that at the end of the year every doctor, undertaker, etc., had to give a list to the county clerk of the deaths that they had recorded during that year, and the clerk copied them all together and sent them on to the State Auditor. So on the list, they tend to be in batches of deaths reported by the same person, with about 50 entries per page. Moreover, many transcription errors come in because the county clerk can't read the doctor's handwriting.
The double reporting of Nelson's death is a clear giveaway, as is the fact that there are many other deaths listed in between the two batches, showing that these came from two different reports. Why would both doctors (or whoever it was) report Nelson, but then each report two different deaths from among four other children who died? It wouldn't make sense. And a double reporting would sure explain why the 1850 census is two kids short of having enough to account for four children over 4 years old dying in June 1854.
A combination of misread handwriting and the kind of age approximation we're familiar with from censuses could account for the differences.
Malissa and Malinda are similar names, and a "5" can look a lot like a "3", accounting for the differing death dates.
Alfred and Mary didn't marry until 1840, so it is unlikely that they had a son who was 16 in 1854. The "age 16" should probably be "14". (I often have trouble distinguishing 4's and 6's in old handwriting.) For James vs Samuel, I'm not sure whether it is a misreading, or whether his name was James Samuel. We no longer have the original reports from the doctors to examine and compare, just the second-hand version compiled by the county clerk.
In the middle of one page, listed together, are:
Samuel Alfrey, age 14 years, died 30 June 1854
Nelson T. Alfrey, age 7 years, died 30 June 1854
Malissa Alfrey, age 1 year, died 25 June 1854
In the middle of the next page, about 25 lines later, also listed together, are:
Malinda Alfrey, age 2 years, died 23 June 1854
Nelson Alfrey, age 6 years, died 30 June 1854
James Alfrey, age 16 years, died 30 June 1854
All are listed with parents Alford & Mary Alfrey. The cause of death is given as "flux" for all except the second occurrence of Nelson, in which it is given as "inflammation of brain."
What I believe is that this represents only three deaths, reported to the county clerk by two different individuals.
These are from the reports of all births & deaths during the previous year sent each January to the State Auditor. They are not listed in date order, and they are NOT a record that is maintained steadily throughout the year. The law was that at the end of the year every doctor, undertaker, etc., had to give a list to the county clerk of the deaths that they had recorded during that year, and the clerk copied them all together and sent them on to the State Auditor. So on the list, they tend to be in batches of deaths reported by the same person, with about 50 entries per page. Moreover, many transcription errors come in because the county clerk can't read the doctor's handwriting.
The double reporting of Nelson's death is a clear giveaway, as is the fact that there are many other deaths listed in between the two batches, showing that these came from two different reports. Why would both doctors (or whoever it was) report Nelson, but then each report two different deaths from among four other children who died? It wouldn't make sense. And a double reporting would sure explain why the 1850 census is two kids short of having enough to account for four children over 4 years old dying in June 1854.
A combination of misread handwriting and the kind of age approximation we're familiar with from censuses could account for the differences.
Malissa and Malinda are similar names, and a "5" can look a lot like a "3", accounting for the differing death dates.
Alfred and Mary didn't marry until 1840, so it is unlikely that they had a son who was 16 in 1854. The "age 16" should probably be "14". (I often have trouble distinguishing 4's and 6's in old handwriting.) For James vs Samuel, I'm not sure whether it is a misreading, or whether his name was James Samuel. We no longer have the original reports from the doctors to examine and compare, just the second-hand version compiled by the county clerk.
Census
1850 census of Morgan Co., Ky, records on page 103, as family #233 (after the widow Rachael Alfrey at #232):
Alfred Alfrey, 35; Mary, 28; Samuel, 9; Carlina, 7; Bruce, 5; Nelson, 2. All born in Kentucky.
1860 census of Rowan Co., Ky, records as family #269 (between Alfred Myers and R. M. Evans):
A. H. Alfrey, 45; Mary A., 38; Caroline, 17; Bruce, 15; William H., 5; Alfred W., 1. All born in Kentucky.
1870 census of Rowan Co., Ky, Pearce precint, page 10, records as family #71 (between Harrison Ramey and Thompson Alfrey):
Alfrey, Alfred, 55; Mary, 40; Caroline, 28; William, 13. All born in Kentucky.
1880 census of Rowan Co., Ky, Pearce precinct, records as family #240:
Alfrey, Alfred, 65, farmer, Ky Va Ky; Mary, 59, wife, Ky Ky Ky; (surname illegible) Margaret, 23, servant, Ky Ky Ky; George G., 4/12, son of servant, Ky Ky Ky.
(The next two families, those of R. Bruce Alfrey age 36 with wife Sarah, and Henry Alfrey age 24 with wife Vina, are also listed as family #240, but it is not clear whether this represents an actual merged household or just an enumeration error. Neither the family number nor the household number changes.)
Alfred Alfrey, 35; Mary, 28; Samuel, 9; Carlina, 7; Bruce, 5; Nelson, 2. All born in Kentucky.
1860 census of Rowan Co., Ky, records as family #269 (between Alfred Myers and R. M. Evans):
A. H. Alfrey, 45; Mary A., 38; Caroline, 17; Bruce, 15; William H., 5; Alfred W., 1. All born in Kentucky.
1870 census of Rowan Co., Ky, Pearce precint, page 10, records as family #71 (between Harrison Ramey and Thompson Alfrey):
Alfrey, Alfred, 55; Mary, 40; Caroline, 28; William, 13. All born in Kentucky.
1880 census of Rowan Co., Ky, Pearce precinct, records as family #240:
Alfrey, Alfred, 65, farmer, Ky Va Ky; Mary, 59, wife, Ky Ky Ky; (surname illegible) Margaret, 23, servant, Ky Ky Ky; George G., 4/12, son of servant, Ky Ky Ky.
(The next two families, those of R. Bruce Alfrey age 36 with wife Sarah, and Henry Alfrey age 24 with wife Vina, are also listed as family #240, but it is not clear whether this represents an actual merged household or just an enumeration error. Neither the family number nor the household number changes.)
Notes for Mary Ann Bradshaw
Probably a daughter of David Bradshaw, who was listed three households away in the 1850 census. The problem with this attribution, though, is that the 1830 census lists no daughters under 10 with the David Bradshaw household (it does list three daughters 10-14.) Most likely she was about 10 in 1830, and the 1850 census understates her age when it lists her as 28.
