J. B. Alvord

J. B. Alvord, a prominent rancher and educator of Ventura County, was born in New York, November 10, 1849. He is the son of Alvin W. Alvord, a native of Vermont, and the grandson of Julius Alvord, who was born in Massachusetts. Their ancestors were English. His great-grandfather was Seth Alvord, whose grandparents came to America in the year 1700. Mr. Alvord's mother, Electa R. (Todd) Alvord, came from Scotch ancestors. She was born in Herkimer County, New York, daughter of Mr. Bela Todd. The subject of this sketch is the only son in a family of three children. he received his early education in the public schools of New York and Ohio, and was a student at the Northwest Normal School of Pennsylvania. he began teaching at the age of nineteen years, and has been a teacher almost continuously for fifteen years.

    On coming to Ventura County, Mr. Alvord bought a small farm, but afterward sold it. In 1884, he purchased his present fine ranch of 160 acres, seventy acres of which he sold for more than the whole cost him. He remodeled the house and made many improvements, and the land is now under a high state of cultivation, his principal crops being beans and potatoes. The beans averaged a ton to the acre, and a portion of the land produced as high as 3,500 pounds per acre.

    Mr. Alvord was married, in 1879, to Miss Ida Ricker, a native of Iowa, and daughter of John G. Ricker, who was born in Maine. They have four sons, all born in Ventura County, the three eldest named respectively Hartwell, Vernon M. and David E. Mr. and Mrs. Alvord are refined and intelligent people. They are members of the Universalist church of Santa Paula. In his political views, Mr. Alvord is a Republican. For eight years he has been a member of the Board of Education of the county. As a teacher he has been very successful, but is at present devoting his attention to agricultural pursuits.

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