Submitted by
Tim Carman

Biography of Alpheus Carman, (1832-1904)

Alpheus Carman was born in Brockville, Ontario, Canada on 12/18/1832 to John Joshua and Mary Fisher Carman. Brockville was established after the American Revolution as a Loyalist refuge city.  John and Mary were both New Jersey natives. Alpheus had 11 siblings: John Jr., William W., Henry (died in infancy), Mary Ann, Chauncey C., Henry F., Elizabeth (died at age 9), George W., Philip J., Elizabeth, and Sarah.

Alpheus moved with his family to an 80 acre plot in Cherry Valley, Illinois in the late spring of 1840.  In 1858, Alpheus, possibly accompanied by his brother Henry, moved to Floyd County Iowa. In the 1860 census he was residing in a hotel in the town of Floyd, Iowa, and was listed as being a brick mason.

On Christmas Day, 1861, Alpheus married Henrietta Ready at the Charles City courthouse, Judge Wilsey officiating. The Civil War was in progress at the time and on 8/14/1862, Alpheus enlisted as a three-year volunteer in the 27th Iowa Volunteer Regiment, Company G, Union Army.

During the war, Alpheus' regiment traveled throughout the South and participated in several battles such as Pleasant Hill, Louisiana (the largest Civil War battle west of the Mississippi River), Fort DeRussey, Old Oaks, Tupelo, and Old Town Creek. There is no record that he was ever wounded, but suffered from many physical ailments throughout the rest of his life as a result of the war. Alpheus was discharged with the rest of his regiment at Clinton, Iowa on 8/8/1865.

After the war, Alpheus and his wife began to have children: Minnie in 1868, George in 1872, Hattie in 1874, John in 1875, Rosetta in 1878, and Sarah in 1879.

There is record that Alpheus sold 10 acres of ground near Floyd Station, Iowa to a Thomas Martin on 2/6/1867 for $150. Sometime before 1875, Alpheus obtained 160 acres of land just to the north of Rockford, Iowa in Floyd County.

It is not known why, but Alpheus and his family do not show up in the 1870 census for Floyd County. His father died in 1870 and his mother died in 1878, so it's possible that Alpheus and family briefly moved back to Illinois to attend to his parent affairs. In the 1880 census, Alpheus and family are once again listed as residing in Floyd County, Rockford Township.

In the 1880's, it is known that Alpheus ran a plastering and brick laying business with a partner by the name of "I. T. Tucker." Alpheus wife, Henrietta, died on 1/27/1886. With his health failing, Alpheus apparently disposed of the 160 acres of land north of town and bought a lot on the southeast corner of Block 35 in the town of Rockford.

Alpheus applied for a military pension in 1891, and finally had his pension approved in 1898. He died on 1/23/1904 leaving no possessions except the lot the he had purchased in Rockford in 1889.  He was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Rockford. His grave stone, placed by the "Grand Army of the Republic" organization at the time of his burial, is marked simply, "A. L. Carman, 27th IA INF."  The grave lot number is 04-36, g1.