HARRELL OVEAD “H.O.” ALFORD

AAFA #0445

1921–1996

THE ADVOCATE

Baton Rouge, LA—Friday, 30 August 1996

Published in AAFA ACTION, Spring 1999

            Alford, Harrell Ovead—A retired minister of United Pentecostal Church, International, he died Wednesday, Aug. 28, 1996, at 2:15 p.m. at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center, Jackson, Miss. He was a U.S. Army medical technician and veteran of World War II. Visiting at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home, Pearl, Miss., 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday. Visiting at the funeral home 8:30 a.m. until the Homecoming Service at First Pentecostal Church, 3425 Robinson St., Jackson, Miss., Services at the church at 10 a.m. Saturday.... Graveside services at Floral Hills Memorial Cemetery, Pearl.

            Survived by wife, Annie L. Alford, Pelahatchie, Miss.; five sons, Ovead Alford, Jr., Sumter, S.C., the Rev. Sidney Alford, Cleveland, Ohio, Fred Alford, Jackson, Miss., Garry Paul Alford, Murfreesboro, Tenn., and David Alford, Galvez; six daughters, Gwendolyn A. Nickens, Galvez, Marita Phillips, Thaxton, Miss., Deborah Jones, Pelahatchie, Miss., Rhoda Spence, Galvez, Angela May, El Dorado, Kan,. and Joyce Laverne Neal, Morton, Miss.; his children’s spouses, A.J. Nickens, Arthur Phillips, Charlotte Alford, Donna Alford, Liz Alford, Cynthia Alford, Seth Jones, Alan Spence, Randy May, Denise Alford and David Neal; 28 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren; a brother, Hosea Alvie Alford, Troy, Ill.

            Preceded in death by parents, Fred and Viola Alford, Ferriday; three brothers L.V. Alford, Ferriday, Earl and Carl Dyer; two sisters, Agnes Grangier and Bertis Deshotels, Oakdale; and a granddaughter, Adina Gayle Alford.

            He was a pastor emeritus and member of First Apostolic Church of Pelahatchie which he founded and pastored some years ago. He was a minister of the Gospel for 57 years, pastoring four churches, Galvez Pentecostal Church, Galvez, Polkville Pentecostal Church, Polkville, First Apostolic Church, Pelahatchie, and Thaxton Pentecostal Church, Thaxton, Miss. He was founder of First Apostolic Church of Pelahatchie and Thaxton Pentecostal Church.

In another article:

THE CLARION-LEDGER

Jackson, Hinds Co., MS—Friday, 30 August 1996

PELAHATCHIE [Rankin Co.]—The Rev. Harrell O. Alford, 75, a retired minister, died Wednesday at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson from complications of a stroke....

            The Rev. Alford was a Louisiana native and a member of First Apostolic Church, where he formerly served as minister and pastor emeritus. In his 57 years of ministry, he ministered four churches: Galvez Pentecostal Church in Galvez, La.; Polkville Pentecostal Church in Polkville; First Apostolic Church in Pelahatchie; and Thaxton Pentecostal Church, from which he retired. He moved to Pelahatchie in 1962 from Polkville. He returned to Pelahatchie in 1992. He founded First Apostolic Church in Pelahatchie and Thaxton Pentecostal Church. He was a World War II Army veteran, serving as a medical technician.

            Survivors include: wife, Annie; daughters, Marita Phillips of Thaxton, Deborah Jones of Pelahatchie, Joyce Laverne Neal of Morton, Gwendolyn Nickens and Rhoda Annette Spence, both of Galvez, La., and Angela May of Eldorado, Kan.; sons, Fred Alford of Jackson, Ovead Alford Jr. of Sumter, S.C., Sidney Alford of Cleveland, Ohio, Garry Paul Alford of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and David Alford of Galvez; brother, Hosea Alvis Alford of Troy, Ill.; and 27 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

AAFA NOTES: SSDI records show that Harrell O. Alford (SS #433-20-6178 issued in LA) was born 31 May 1921. His wife was Annie Whatley.

            See the obituary of his granddaughter Adina in this compilation. We published the obituary his granddaughter Adina in the summer 1994 issue and the Mississippi Obituaries compilation, and of his first cousin Tilmon Alford in Summer 1998 and the Louisiana Obituaries compilation.

            Fred Harrell Alford (1889–1953) and his son Luther V. Alford (1923–1973) are buried in Natchez City Cemetery, Adams Co., MS.

            Fred and Viola Alford’s family is listed on the 1930 census in Police Jury Ward 4 (E.D. 5), Catahoula Parish, LA, dwelling #47: Fred Alford, log woods labor age 33 b. MS; his wife Viola 45 LA; and sons, all b. LA: Harold 8, Luther 6, and Alva 3-6/12. Fred was age 21 and Viola was 33 at first marriage. Fred served in WWI.

            Although Fred reports his age as 33 on the 1930 census, AAFA’s records from his son H.O. Alford say his father was Fred Harrell Alford, born 29 Jan 1889 and died 3 June 1956. His wife was Viola Bayham.

            On the WWI Draft Registration Card for Fred Alford [Ancestry.com], he is age 27, a single civil engineer helper living in Oakdale, Allen Parish., LA. He says he was b. 28 Jan 1889 in Osyka, MS.

            Fred’s parents were Abraham and Rufina P. Alford. On the 1900 census Freddie H., age 11 b. Jan 1889 in MS, is listed with them and his siblings in Washington Parish, LA.

            Abraham was the son of _____ Alford and Matilda _____. AAFA’s most current information on this family is in the Spring 2004 issue, “Known Descendants of Matilda and her Unknown Alford Husband” under “Louisiana Alford Genealogies.”

            Matilda was born about 1811 in SC. She was enumerated in 1850 and 1860 Pike County, MS. In 1850, apparently not long after the loss of her husband, she was living about three houses from Edwin B. Alford. It is thought that Matilda may have been the widow of one of Edwin Alford’s brothers. Early tabulations of the family listed sons Jacob, Moses, and Warren, and we have never been able to prove such a connection on any of them.

            Below is the front of a booklet that H.O. sent to AAFA, showing his family tree:

            H.O.’s probable Alford lineage: Harrell Ovead 1921 LA¹, Fred Harrell 1889 MS², Abraham 1844 MS³, ____ (husband of Matilda 1811 SC)⁴.