From Farm to Battlefield

By Abby Walker and Charles Lowell

Fred R. Alvord

December 12, 1888 – September 13, 1969

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Fred R. Alvord was born December 12, 1888, in Lyon, Kansas to parents Edson and Mary Alvord, with two siblings named Erma and Alta.[1] Fred’s paternal grandmother was from English-Canada, while his maternal grandparents were from French-Canada. Fred grew up on a farm, and by the time he was 21 years old, he moved to Weskan, KS to work on Bert C Swizegord’s farm[2]. In 1917, under the Selective Service Act, which required men between 21 and 30 years of age to register for military service, Fred registered for military service for the First World War at age 29.[3] At this time, Fred was self-employed in farming and stock raising on his parents’ farm, but both of his parents were listed as dependents. Fred described himself as medium height and build with brown eyes and light brown hair. There are limited records of Fred’s service in the First World War; however, “PVT CAMP UTIL DET OMC”9 is inscribed on his gravestone. This classification means that Fred served as a Private in Camp Utility Detail in the Quartermaster Corps, which meant that he had certain responsibilities, most of which revolved around the maintenance, allotment, and movement of certain equipment and utilities for various services, such as clothing, food, medical supplies, and tools for repairs of roads.[4] Fred likely worked for the 2nd Infantry Division in logistics for the war.[5] This is an incredible feat as the 2nd Infantry Division, formed on September 22, 1917 and still operating today, is one of the oldest and most prominent divisions in the United States Army.[6] In the First World War, Fred would have worked with this regiment as they embarked through France to halt the German advance. Working in the logistics regiment, Fred would have assisted in the movement of supplies for the regiment and ensured their safe travel from one battle to the next.

By 1925, Fred was back at the farm in Kansas, but only with his mother as his father had passed away.[7] By 1940, Fred was still living with his mother, now aged 74, and is working in industry farming, which entails a 60 hours per week workload for 52 weeks per year.[8] Under the Selective Training and Service Act, which required all men between ages of 18 and 64 to register for the draft of the Second World War, Fred registered at age 53 in 1942; however, given his age and experience, Fred did not serve in the Second World War, like many men his age. The next record that could be found of Fred is sixteen years later in 1958 and Fred, now aged 61, and his mother, aged 91, are still living on the family farm in Weskan, Kansas. Fred’s mother, Mary, passed away in 1967 at 102 years of age, and was buried with her late husband in Weskan Cemetery. No records could be found of Fred or his mother from 1958 to Mary’s death in 1967, and it is not clear where Fred was living at the time of her death. Fred was issued a Social Security card in 1954 in Kansas, and through the Social Security Death index, we learn that Fred’s last known residence before his death at age 81 September 13, 1969, was Golden, Colorado.[9] It is not known why and when Fred moved to Colorado, what his cause of death was, or the whereabouts of any living family.

Footnotes ↓

[1] Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/277938/fred-r-alvord : accessed 02 June 2021), memorial page for Fred R Alvord

[2] “Fred R. Alvord,” 1910 United States Federal Census, ancestry.com

[3] “U.S., World War I Draft Registration Card for Fred R. Alvord,” (College Park, Maryland, n.d.).

[4] “Chapter VIII Supplies and Utilities,” Office of Medical History (U.S. Army Medical Department), accessed August 24, 2021, https://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/wwi/militaryhospitalsintheus/chapter8.htm.

[5] 1930 Enrollment World War Veterans; Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, Kansas; Volume Number: 38. https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=2955&h=3764&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=1002

[6] “Second Infantry Division Timeline,” Second Infantry Division Timeline (World War I Centennial), accessed August 24, 2021, https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/11-history/2949-second-infantry-division-timeline.html.

[7] “Fred R. Alvord,” 1925 Kansas Territory Census, ancestry.com

[8] “Fred R. Alvord,” 1940 United States Federal Census, ancestry.com

[9] Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration; Washington D.C., USA; https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=3693&h=973547&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=1088

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