PUFFER, Alvin Davis^{[1, 2]}

1819 - 1906  (87 years)

• Name	PUFFER, Alvin Davis
  Birth	14 Nov 1819	Bolton, MA   [1, 3, 4, 5]
  Gender	Male
  FindaGrave	FindAGrave Memorial 78631399
  Ref#	151  [1]
  Name	Erving\Ervine D. Puffer  [3, 6, 7]
  	This name appears clearly in only one record, the birth record of his daughter Carrie L. Puffer. It shows clearly that it's spelled "Erving D.". However no other records of this name appear. And since his daughter Carrie L. has the exact same date of birth as the daughter of Alvin Davis Puffer, I merged these two individuals and their respective wives.
  Residence	Medford, MA   [6]
  _COLOR	11
  Death	22 Dec 1906	Medford, MA   [8, 9]
  Burial	Medford, MA   [8]
  	Address: Oak Grove Cemetery
  Person ID	I7995	Puffers
  Last Modified	26 Jul 2023

  
  

  Father	PUFFER, Jacob,   b. 26 Oct 1784, Sudbury, MA d. 15 Apr 1826, Stow, MA (Age 41 years)
  Mother	LOVERING, Mary M.,   b. 5 Sep 1796, Stow, MA d. 14 Feb 1869, Somerville, MA (Age 72 years)
  Marriage	Abt 1814	Sudbury, MA   [10]
  Family ID	F8583	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	BALCOM, Sarah Mercer,   b. 5 Apr 1825, Sudbury, MA d. 11 Feb 1861, Somerville, MA (Age 35 years)
  Marriage	22 Aug 1847	New York, NY   [11]
  Children	1. PUFFER, Alvin Davis Jr.,   b. 14 Jul 1848, Boston, MA d. 26 Jan 1926, MA (Age 77 years)   2. PUFFER, Frances Helen,   b. 4 Jul 1850, Boston, MA d. 1924, MA (Age 73 years)   3. PUFFER, Daniel Jacob,   b. 9 Dec 1852, Medford, MA d. 22 May 1911, Medford, MA (Age 58 years)   4. PUFFER, Luther Winthrop,   b. 23 Mar 1855, Boston, MA d. 5 Nov 1927, Medford, MA (Age 72 years)   5. PUFFER, Louise Chase,   b. 23 Jun 1857, Somerville, MA d. 21 Feb 1933, Cannes, Departement des Alpes-Maritimes, France (Age 75 years)   6. PUFFER, Sara Mercer,   b. 16 Sep 1859, Somerville, MA d. 11 Feb 1945, Winter Park, FL (Age 85 years)
  Family ID	F9828	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	21 Apr 2024

  
  

  Family 2	COFFIN, Caroline Elizabeth,   b. 17 Oct 1836, Danville, NY d. 26 Nov 1911, Medford, MA (Age 75 years)
  Marriage	19 Aug 1862	Somerville, MA   [11, 12]
  Children	1. PUFFER, Ella Frances,   b. 5 May 1852, Boston, MA d. Bef 1952, Geneva, Switzerland (Age < 99 years)   2. PUFFER, Caroline Elizabeth,   b. 15 Sep 1865, Somerville, MA d. 19 Oct 1949, Los Angeles County, CA (Age 84 years)   3. PUFFER, Mary Adeline,   b. 25 Sep 1867, Somerville, MA d. 28 Jan 1946, Los Angeles County, CA (Age 78 years)   4. PUFFER, Alice May,   b. 2 May 1871, Medford, MA d. 5 Sep 1959, Nassau County, NY (Age 88 years)   5. PUFFER, Edith Lovering,   b. 16 Jul 1875, Medford, MA d. 3 May 1945, Winter Park, FL (Age 69 years)
  Family ID	F272	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	21 Apr 2024

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show	5 Photos

  
  

• Notes

  A plumber He was raised on a farm and attended the district schools, completing his education in the old Framingham academy, which he attended for two years. In his youth he spent much of his spare time in reading and study and early in life demonstrated natural ability as a mechanic and marked inventive genius. He followed the trade of blacksmith for a time and in 1842 started in the plumbing business on Water Street, Boston. Soon after he began to manufacture soda fountains. This business grew rapidly and he secured many valuable patents used in soda fountains, giving him a substantial lead over his competitors. After a few years he moved to new quarters on Portland Street, Boston. Year by year the demand for the fountains and devices manufactured by Mr. Puffer grew amazingly and his business became very large and profitable. A factory was built at Winchester but the offices remained at 44-8 Portland Street. He was granted more than a hundred patents. His three sons were associated with him in business in later years under the firm of A.D. Puffer & Sons Manufacturing Company. This firm continued until 1891, when it was consolidated with three other concerns in the same line of business under the name of the American Soda Fountain Company, of which Mr. Puffer became vice-president. During the last 15 years of his life, Mr. Puffer devoted his attention mainly to his real estate and other investments. He was fond of travel and mad many trips abroad. He was well read, broad of mind, kindly, gentle and modest, equipped with a wide knowledge of men and affairs gathered from books and experience, a veritable (en)cyclopedia of information. During his business career he employed many thousands, all of whom held him in the highest esteem and affection. He had a fine physique, good health and great energy of mind and body. In politics he was a Republican, but he took no very active part in public affairs and declined public honors. After living in Boston for a few years he made his home in Somerville for a period of fourteen years, removing thence to Medford. The section near his home is know as Puffer corner. During his last years his legal residence was at Derry, NH. He died at Medford, after an illness of a few hours. The interment was in Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford. The funeral was at his late residence, 203 High Street. His will, dated March 15, 1897, was proved at Exeter, N H. His legal residence was in West Derry, NH where he had a summer home. In his will he bequeathed to his children, to his half-brother Jonas L. Whitney, the daughters of his half-sister Abigail Hewitt and his half-sister Hannah C. Felton. The 1870 Malden, MA city directory lists him as living on High Street, Medford, MA on the corner of Purchase.

  
  

• Sources

  [S2] Descendants of George Puffer of Braintree, Massachusetts 1639-2020, Red Letter Edition, 93, 137. [S188] Massachusetts Births, 1840-1915. [S361] U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925. Birth date: 14 Nov 1819 Birth place: Stow, Massachusetts [S436] Vital Records of Stow Massachusetts To the Year 1850, page186. [S436] Vital Records of Stow Massachusetts To the Year 1850, page 65. [S361] U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925. Birth date: 14 Nov 1819 Birth place: Bolton, Massachusetts Residence date: Residence place: Medford, Massachusetts [S2] Descendants of George Puffer of Braintree, Massachusetts 1639-2020, Red Letter Edition, 137-139. [S2] Descendants of George Puffer of Braintree, Massachusetts 1639-2020, Red Letter Edition, 138. [S747] US Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704-1930. [S2] Descendants of George Puffer of Braintree, Massachusetts 1639-2020, Red Letter Edition, 92. [S2] Descendants of George Puffer of Braintree, Massachusetts 1639-2020, Red Letter Edition, 139. [S541] Massachusetts Marriage Records, 1840-1915.