Alfred Laurent Shackford was son of John Laurent Shackford and Mary Jane Rollins. Based on his death record, he was born March 26, 1866 in Franklin, New Hampshire but are not sure this calculation is correct as he was listed as Fred, age 8 in the 1870 census taken on June 17, 1870 which would place his birth as 1863. In 1880 he was listed as age 17 in Andover, Massachusetts where he was working as a laborer and boarding at Grant family home. This would also place him with a birth date closer to 1863. We've already described the 1890 article about Alfred's quality work as a florist in Concord, New Hampshire and find him there in 1891.
PROOF THAT ALFRED CHANGED HIS NAME:
1. Alfred's marriage record to Elizabeth Pope n Worcester, Massachusetts lists parents John L and Mary J Rollins. Note: This document does not list his father's last name as SHACKFORD. His occupation has changed from florist to painter.
2. In the 1900 census Alfred Lawrence is living with his wife Elizabeth, son Harold Lawrence and mother Mary J Shackford born Dec 26, 1831. A calculation of Mary J's birth date from her death record places it at Dec 21, 1831.
3. In Sept 1903, Alfred Lawrence is the administrator of the estate of Charles W Moore who we believe is the same Charles W Moore who married Alice M Shackford, Alfred's sister.
4. The key proof is Alfred Lawrence's 6 Jun 1953 death record which lists his parents as John L Shackford born in New Market NH and mother Mary J. Rollins born in Lowell, MA.
5. Additionally the Fitchburg Daily Sentinel Obituary for Alfred Lawrence published on 8 Jun 1953 mentions that he left a wife, Mrs Elizabeth F (Pope) Lawrence, a daughter Mrs Clarissa E Barnet, a son Harold S. Lawrence, a sister Mrs Ida L. Dunn of Portland and a brother John Shackford of Lowell.
We believe that this constitutes proof that Alfred changed his name. If this change was made officially, we hope that someday we a formal court document recording the change.
In honor of Alfred, we wish to mention the March 3, 1948 Fitchburg Daily Sentinel article that describes the 50th Wedding Anniversary of Alfred and his wife Elizabeth (Pope) Shackford.
LEOMINSTER, March 3--Mr. and
Mrs. Alfred Lawrence, of 759 Main
street, yesterday observed their 50th
wedding anniversary. They were
married in Worcester by Rev. M. H.
Harris.
Mrs. Lawrence is the former Miss
Elizabeth S. Pope. She was born
in Oxford and is 70 years .old. Mr.
Lawrence is a native of Franklin,
N. H, and is 84 years old. They
lived in West Upton for 20 years
and operated a farm in that town.
They have been residents of this city
for the past year.
They have two children, Harold
of West Upton, and Mrs. George
Barnett, with whom they make their
home, of this city, and four grand-
children.
A family dinner in observance of
the occasion will be held at the
home of Mrs. Barnett on Sunday,
which will be followed by open
house from 3 to 7 o'clock.
Why did Alfred change his name? We've recently heard from one of Alfred's descendants who has stated that he changed his name after arguments with his father.
SOURCES:
1870 United States Federal Census, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, population schedule, Concord, Page No 57-58, dwelling 440, family 542, John L Shackford; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 May 2015).
1880 United States Federal Census, Essex County, Massachusetts, population schedule, Andover, enumeration district (ED) Enumeration District No 154, Page No 13, dwelling 131, faily 125, Alfred Shackford boarder in Grant home; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 23 May 2015).
1900 United States Federal Census, Worcester County, Massachusetts, population schedule, Worcester, enumeration district (ED) Enumeration District No 1714, Sheet No 1, 63 First St, dwelling 1, family 1, Alfred Lawrence [Shackford]; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 June 2015).
"Alfred Lawrence," Fitchburg Daily Sentinel (Fitchburg, Massachusetts), 8 June 1953; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 July 2015).
Bacon Geo. F, The Leading Business Men of Concord and Vicinity (Boston: Mercantile Publishing Company, 1890), page 57; digital image, Google Books (https://books.google.com : accessed 2 June 2013
Boardman Samuel Lane, 1836-1914, Family memorial: records of the Boreman, Bordman and Boardman families of New Hampshire and Maine (Augusta, Maine: no date given, before 1876), page 69; digital image, Archive.org (https://archive.org : accessed 12 May 2015
"Couple Observe Golden Wedding," Fitchburg Daily Sentinel (Fitchburg, Massachusetts), 3 March 1948; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 June 2015).
"INQUEST ENDED Last Witness One of the Most Important," Lowell Sun (Lowell Massachusetts), 11 September 1903; digital images, Newspaper Archives (http://access.newspaperarchives.com : accessed 4 August 2015).
Massachusetts, Massachusetts, Marriage Records, 1840-1915, , Alfred Lawrence m Elizabeth Pope, 7 March 1898; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 March 2014).
Massachusetts, Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, , Alfred Lawrence, 6 June 1953; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 May 2015); Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records.
New Hampshire, New Hampshire, Death Records, 1654-1947, , Mary J Shackford d., 2 April 1901; digital images, FamilySearch, New Hampshire, Death Records, 1654-1947 (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 24 March 2014).