My Genealogy Hound

MAJOR ALONZO C. PICKARD, who has received wounds and won honor on southern battle fields, is a well known member of the Chautauqua county bar, and one of the most successful business men of southwestern New York. He was born at Ellery, Chautauqua county, New York, February 17, 1842, and is the fourth son and sixth child of Major Henry and Maria (Vandework) Pickard. His paternal grandfather, John Pickard, was born and reared in Madison county, New York. When the colonies engaged in the Revolutionary struggle, he was one of the first in central New York to enlist in the Continental armies. He was captured by Indians and carried to Canada. After being held prisoner for a long time he was released and returned home. In 1816 he came to Chautauqua county, His wife was Margaret Becket and bore him eight children: Charity, Marin, Major Henry, Adam, James, John, Peter, who served in the war of 1812; and Abram. Of these children Major Henry (father) was born in Madison county, this State, July 9, 1803, and died at Busti in 1882. He was a carpenter and joiner by trade. In early life he was a democrat, then joined the Free-Soil party and afterwards became a republican. He was a man of ability, honesty and honor, and an influential citizen in the community in which he resided. He was a member of the Christian church, and served as major in the New York militia, and was twice married. His first wife was Maria Vandework, a daughter of Adam Vandework (maternal grandfather), who was a native of Madison and an early settler of Chautauqua county, in which he followed farming until his death. By this marriage he had eight children: Lucinda, widow of Henry Lacer; Laura, wife of Phineas S. Weatherby, of Crawford county, Pa.; Adam, who enlisted in the l3th Pa. Vols., in 1861, and died in December of the same year; Sylvanus, who married Laura Hazzard and died in 1865; Corporal Charles G., enlisted in Co. B, 72nd regiment, N. Y. Infantry (which was the first company to go from Chautauqua county), and served in all the battles of the Army of the Potomac until Second Bull Run, where he was killed; Alonzo C., Maria C., wife of John Burton, of Nebraska; Fannie, married to Richard Starsmeare, of Kane, Pa.; Corporal Melvin E., who served in the same company with his brother Charles G., was wounded at Gettysburg, married Laura Weatherby, and resides in Crawford county, Pa.; and Abram L., a railroad conductor, who lives in Wheeling, W. Va.

Alonzo C. Pickard received his education in Meadville academy and Allegheny college. Pa. In 1861 he left the college when ready to enter the graduating class of 1862 and enlisted as orderly sergeant in the 10th regiment of Pennsylvania Reserves, but after six months service was transferred to a Company of U. S. sharpshooters. He served until the close of the war, was promoted through the lieutenancies to a captaincy and was brevetted major for meritorious conduct. He participated in the battles of the Army of the Potomac until the Wilderness fights, in one of which he was wounded. After partially recovering from his wound he was detailed and kept on court martial duty until he was discharged. Returning home he taught school for eight years, was principal of Busti graded school for several terms, and was elected county school commissioner for a term of three years. He rendered efficient service as school commissioner, and at the end of his time engaged in the milling business at Busti which he followed for four years. While conducting his mill he took up the study of law under the tuition of Judge Cook, of Jamestown, and in 1878 was admitted to the bar. Since then he has been a resident of Jamestown and engaged in the practice of his profession. Major Pickard while an active republican is not an obtrusive zealot. From time to time he has filled various local offices with credit to himself and benefit to the public. He was town clerk and justice of the peace of Busti, where he also served in several other town offices.

On June 16, 1864, he married Rose Flagg, daughter of Madison Flagg, and their union has been blest with three children: Clara A., Ray F., and Fern.

Major Alonzo C. Pickard is a member of Post, No. 285, Grand Army of the Republic, and of the Free and Accepted Masons. He also is a member of the Phi Kappa College Fraternity and the Royal Templars of Temperance. He owns a very fine and well-improved farm, and gives some of his time to its supervision and improvement. He has great energy and talent for organizing and conducting business affairs, which have given him success in his various enterprises and a very respectable competency. He enjoys a good practice at the bar, and by his natural ability and indomitable perseverance has attained to the prominent position in life which he now occupies.