The “History of Berrien & Van Buren Counties, Michigan” written in 1880 reports that Alfred was born in New York as the second of four children. In 1836, the family moved to Ohio where Alfred worked with his father, farming and lumbering “until he became of age.” On May 1, 1859 (age 24) he married Laura A. Packard (age 19) in Ohio.
Immediately following their marriage, Alfred and Laura moved from Ohio, settling in Ganges Township, Allegan County, Michigan. They moved from Ganges to Deerfield (now Covert) in 1867. They had one son, Ernest, born April 2, 1870. Laura died April 10, 1870, eight days after giving birth and the son Ernest died four months later August 23, 1870. This would be the only child of Alfred during his lifetime. The following year, Alfred returned briefly to Ohio to marry his second wife, Mary E. Burnham (age 25) on June 22, 1871.
“Until 1877 he was in business with his father and brother in Covert, but in the fall of that year a division was made, Mr. Packard taking what is known as the “upper mill” property. He now [1880] owns and operates that, also one at South Haven, and has a horse-railway from the former to a pier on the lake-shore, four miles distant. He is at present [1880] the owner of two thousand five hundred acres of land, from which he is clearing the timber. Mr. Packard is a Republican in politics, and both himself and wife are members of the Congregational Church.” His second wife Mary died April 25, 1881 {age 34}, the year after that was written, and was buried back in Ohio.
The following year, on May 2, 1882, Alfred (age 47) married his third and final wife, Clara Atkinson (age 32) in her hometown of Raisinville, Monroe County, Michigan. The wedding ceremony was performed by Clara’s brother Rev. George Atkinson. Clara had been teaching in Covert for one year, following her 1881 graduation from Olivet College. On two hundred acres of cleared and well improved land northeast of Covert village near the North Mill, Alfred built them a home and named it “Claravista”. After the timber was played out, Alfred converted the cleared land to peach orchards and his death certificate lists his occupation as “Peach Farmer”. Alfred and Clara lived at Claravista until his death in 1902 (age 68).
The “History of Berrien & Van Buren Counties, Michigan” written in 1880 reports that Alfred was born in New York as the second of four children. In 1836, the family moved to Ohio where Alfred worked with his father, farming and lumbering “until he became of age.” On May 1, 1859 (age 24) he married Laura A. Packard (age 19) in Ohio.
Immediately following their marriage, Alfred and Laura moved from Ohio, settling in Ganges Township, Allegan County, Michigan. They moved from Ganges to Deerfield (now Covert) in 1867. They had one son, Ernest, born April 2, 1870. Laura died April 10, 1870, eight days after giving birth and the son Ernest died four months later August 23, 1870. This would be the only child of Alfred during his lifetime. The following year, Alfred returned briefly to Ohio to marry his second wife, Mary E. Burnham (age 25) on June 22, 1871.
“Until 1877 he was in business with his father and brother in Covert, but in the fall of that year a division was made, Mr. Packard taking what is known as the “upper mill” property. He now [1880] owns and operates that, also one at South Haven, and has a horse-railway from the former to a pier on the lake-shore, four miles distant. He is at present [1880] the owner of two thousand five hundred acres of land, from which he is clearing the timber. Mr. Packard is a Republican in politics, and both himself and wife are members of the Congregational Church.” His second wife Mary died April 25, 1881 {age 34}, the year after that was written, and was buried back in Ohio.
The following year, on May 2, 1882, Alfred (age 47) married his third and final wife, Clara Atkinson (age 32) in her hometown of Raisinville, Monroe County, Michigan. The wedding ceremony was performed by Clara’s brother Rev. George Atkinson. Clara had been teaching in Covert for one year, following her 1881 graduation from Olivet College. On two hundred acres of cleared and well improved land northeast of Covert village near the North Mill, Alfred built them a home and named it “Claravista”. After the timber was played out, Alfred converted the cleared land to peach orchards and his death certificate lists his occupation as “Peach Farmer”. Alfred and Clara lived at Claravista until his death in 1902 (age 68).
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