Puffer Genealogy

PUFFER, Capt. Alfred Ferdinand[1, 2]

Male 1837 - 1875  (38 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All

  • Name PUFFER, Alfred Ferdinand 
    Prefix Capt. 
    Birth 26 Feb 1837  Sudbury, MA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Gender Male 
    _COLOR
    Death 1 Jul 1875  New York, NY Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3, 4
    Person ID I34131  Puffers
    Last Modified 4 Jul 2020 

    Father PUFFER, Aaron,   b. 26 Nov 1788, Sudbury, MA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 18 Mar 1865, Cambridge, MA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years) 
    Mother PRAY, Theodora,   b. 30 Jul 1797, Quincy, MA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1 Sep 1874, Cambridge, MA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 77 years) 
    Marriage 24 Aug 1823  Quincy, MA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F8463  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 BUTTRICK, Ella,   b. Jun 1851, New York, NY Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 8 Nov 1934, Monaroneck, NY Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years) 
    Marriage 6 Sep 1870  New York, NY Find all individuals with events at this location  [3, 5
    Children 
     1. PUFFER, Frederick Collamore,   b. 9 Oct 1872, New York, NY Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Jul 1900, Manhattan, NY Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 27 years)
     2. PUFFER, Theodora Pray,   b. 30 Aug 1874, NY Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Sep 1957, Pelham Manor, NY Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years)
     3. PUFFER, Flora,   b. CA 1875, NY Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
    Family ID F9837  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 17 Mar 2024 

    Family 2 BUTTRICK, Ella,   b. Jun 1851, New York, NY Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 Jul 1938, Brooklyn, NY Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 87 years) 
    Marriage 31 Aug 1870  Manhattan, NY Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Married 6 Sep 1870  New York, NY Find all individuals with events at this location  [3, 5
    Children 
     1. PUFFER, Frederick Collamore,   b. 9 Oct 1872, New York, NY Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Jul 1900, Manhattan, NY Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 27 years)
     2. PUFFER, Theodora Pray,   b. 30 Aug 1874, NY Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Sep 1957, Pelham Manor, NY Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years)
    Family ID F35272  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 17 Mar 2024 

  • Notes 
    • The following account of his life was read at a special communication of Prince of Orange Lodge, No. 16, F. & A.M. in the Masonic Temple, NYC, July 9 1875 by the Wor. Bro. Stephen M. Wright:

      "Brother Puffer was born in Boston, MA, February 26, 1837, where he received a liberal education at the High School, and at an early age developed a love for literary pursuits.
      "In 1856, at the age of nineteen, he came to New York, where he soon engaged in mercantile life, traveling extensively through the Southern States as a representative of the dry goods and silk trade of this city; during this time he found opportunities to indulge in his literary labors, contributing articles of interest to many popular periodicals, those to the Atlantic Monthly being the most frequent.
      "In the early part of 1862 he received an appointment from the New York Herald as War Correspondent, and was assigned to accompany General Butler's expedition to New Orleans. His abilities and gentlemanly deportment so attracted the attention of the General that he invited him to accept a position on his personal staff, first with the rank of Lieutenant, and afterwards as Captain, and thus he continued with the General till the close of the war, occupying many positions of confidence and trust. He then engaged in business at Mobile, but the commercial interests of that city not reviving as he had anticipated his venture proved unsuccessful. Returning to New York, he was appointed Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue for the 32 District, which position he held until 1870, when he received an appointment as entry clerk in the Custom House, and in October, 1873, he was selected by Collector Chester A. Arthur as one of his deputies.
      "Brother Puffer connected himself with the Masonic Fraternity in 1867, being initiated March 7, passed June 7, and raised June 20 of that year, in this lodge. His abilities were soon recognized; he was elected Senior Deacon in 1869, and Junior Warden in 1870. In 1872 and the two succeeding years he was elected Secretary, he declined a re-election this year as his public duties were of such a character as to prevent his accepting the position for another term. The Lodge records for those years are referred to with satisfaction as elegant in style and complete in character.
      "In conclusion, I desire to add my tribute to his worth, and I know that I feebly reflect your own thoughts in saying that I cannot but feel that his record was pure and untarnished; that he was a courteous gentle man, ever affable and genial, noble minded, generous and forgiving -- a lways faithful to life's duties; he was an honest man, a good Mason, and as such we deplore his loss, not only to our Lodge and the Fraternity, the business and social community in which he moved."
      The lodge adopted the following:
      "Resolved, That in his death this Lodge has lost one of its foremost and most valued members, whose skill and untiring energies were devoted to its welfare and prosperity, and whose deportment and character gave dignity to our professions and marked a "perfect ashlar" in our Masonic edifice."

      He left military service in 1865 to work for the Internal Revenue. At the time of his death he worked at the New York Custom House. In that capacity he corresponded with Susan B. Anthony over a small amount of tax she owed on the sale of pamphlets of suffrage she printed. She paid the tax under protest and scolded Mr. Puffer and the IRS for taxing her without the benefit of her being represented in Congress.

      He left a widow and two children.

  • Sources 
    1. [S2] Descendants of George Puffer of Braintree, Massachusetts 1639-2020, Red Letter Edition, 156-157.

    2. [S2] Descendants of George Puffer of Braintree, Massachusetts 1639-2020, Red Letter Edition, 156.

    3. [S549] Italian Genealogical Group.

    4. [S740] _Newspaper Announcement, New York Daily Herald, NY, NY, 26 May 1872, page 11.

    5. [S446] New York Marriages, 1686-1980.

    6. [S960] New York, Episcopal Diocese of New York Church Records, 1767 - 1970.