The Biographical Dictionary of America/Alvord, Thomas Gold

ALVORD, Thomas Gold, statesman, was born at Onondaga, N. Y., Dec. 20, 1810, son of Elisha and Helen (Lansing) Alvord. His paternal ancestor, Alexander Alvord, immigrated from Somersetshire, England, and settled at East Winsor, Conn., in 1634. His maternal ancestor, Abram Jacob Lansing, left Holland in 1630, and located at Fort Orange. He became the patroon of a large grant of land which he called Lansingburgh. His paternal grandfather, Thomas Gold Alvord, was a soldier in the French and Indian war of 1756, and also served in the Revolutionary war, as did his maternal grandfather. His father removed immediately after his marriage to Onondaga county. He returned to Lansingburgh in 1813, and there young Alvord received his preparatory education at the academy. At the early age of fifteen he entered Yale college, where he was graduated at 1828. He then worked in a country store, studied law, and in October, 1832, was admitted to the bar, and began the practice of his profession at Salina, N. Y. In 1846, he devoted himself to the manufacture of lumber and salt. The lumber supply practically giving out about 1860, he confined himself to the salt manufacture. Mr. Alvord represented his district in the New York assembly in 1843. He was again a successful candidate in 1857, and from this time on for twenty-four years he was successively re-elected either as assemblyman or to some other state office. Twice again in 1864 and 1879, he was chosen speaker of the assembly, and he also served as speaker pro tempore in 1852, during a portion of the term of Henry J. Raymond. In 1864 he was elected lieutenant-governor, and he served during 1865-'66, and in 1867 and 1868 he was a member and vice-president of the state constitution convention. He was permanent chairman of the state convention which met in Syracuse in 1861. His service as a state legislator ended in 1882. He died in Syracuse, N.Y., Oct. 26, 1897.