Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Van Fleet, Alfred 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com October 4, 2007, 11:48 pm

Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County 

ALFRED VAN FLEET, president of the Van Fleet Manufacturing Company of Joliet,
was born near Fairview, Fulton County, Ill., January 14, 1843. He is a 
descendant of a family that emigrated from Holland in an early day and settled 
in New York and New Jersey. His grandfather, Henry Van Fleet, was born in the 
latter state, near Flemington, in 1763, and followed agricultural pursuits in 
his native locality. David Van Fleet, who was born on the family homestead in 
1813, came west about 1834 and settled in Fulton County, Ill., of which he
was among the earliest settlers. Later he removed to the vicinity of Aurora, 
where he was a pioneer farmer. For many years he served as township 
supervisor. Besides his farm he also had a blacksmith's shop. His last years 
were spent near Sandwich, Ill., where he died.

The wife of David Van Fleet was Maria, daughter of Capt. Henry Dolliver, and a 
sister of Rev. James Dolliver, whose son, Hon. Prentice Dolliver, is a 
congressman from Iowa. She was born in New Jersey and died in Kansas. Her
father, who always followed the sea, during the war of 1812 tendered the 
cotton on his vessels to General Jackson at the time of the battle of New
Orleans. Later, while on his way to New York, he was captured by the British 
and held a prisoner in Dartmore prison, England, until the close of the war,  
his papers meantime having been taken from him so that he could not prove his 
property. The family of David and Maria Van Fleet consisted of five children, 
of whom three sons and one daughter survive, namely: W. H., a machinist,  
connected with the Van Fleet Manufacturing Company; V. D., who is also a 
machinist in Joliet; Alfred; and Mrs. Cornelia Gruder, of Kansas.

Reared upon a farm in Dekalb County, the subject of this sketch received 
public-school advantages. In July, 1861, he enlisted in Company K, Eighth 
Illinois Cavalry, and was mustered in at St. Charles, Ill., and assigned to  
the army of the Potomac. He took part in all the engagements of his regiment 
during the peninsular campaign, including Antietam, Fredericksburg, 
Wilderness, Gettysburg, Spottsylvania and the siege of Petersburg. During the 
battle of Frederick City he was struck by a shell and slightly wounded, and at 
the same time his horse was killed. For bravery in the service he was
commissioned sergeant. After the grand review, in which he took part, he was 
ordered to Mexico, but when on the frontier the trouble subsided, and his 
regiment was mustered out in St. Louis August 22, 1865. On returning home he 
bought a farm in Dekalb County and continued to cultivate the place until 
1868. He then removed to Ames, Story County, Iowa, and bought one hundred and 
sixty acres, which he farmed for six years. Afterward he worked at the 
carpenter's trade in Kelley, the same county, and also carried on a wagon and 
blacksmith's shop, and operated a threshing machine.

During the winter of 1876-77 Mr. Van Fleet became interested in the barb wire 
business. A man in Ames made barb wire by twisting the wire and putting on the 
barbs by hand. Concluding it could be done by machine, our subject began to 
work, and succeeded in devising a machine that answered the purpose, and by 
which eight to ten spools could be made a day. This was the first machine ever 
made by which the wire could be manufactured. He patented the invention, but 
did not develop it. In 1878 he came to Joliet to engage in the manufacture of
barb wire, and for several years had charge of the Lock Stitch Company. Later 
he was superintendent under Paul Smith and also was superintendent of the 
Joliet Manufacturing Company. While in the latter position he formed the firm 
of Van Fleet & Shreffler. He improved a machine, which he patented about 1880, 
and then sold the patent to Washburn & Moen. In 1885 he resigned as  
superintendent of the Joliet Manufacturing Company and started a machine shop
on Desplaines street. When the drainage canal came through in 1898, he bought 
his present location, 50x130 feet, and put in a forty horse-power engine. At 
this place, No. 513-515 Second avenue, he has since engaged in the manufacture
of wire machinery and wire goods of all kinds. The products of the factory are 
shipped to all parts of the world. The plant is owned by him and his son, Elon 
J., jointly, he being president and his son secretary and treasurer of the 
company.

In political views Mr. Van Fleet is a Republican, and in religion is connected 
with Central Presbyterian Church. The local post of the Grand Army has his 
name enrolled among its members. While living in Aurora he married Miss Emma 
Bullock, who was born in New York state and died in Joliet in 1885. Of the 
five children born to their union, three are living, a son, Elon J., and two 
daughters, Grace, and Mrs. Mary Hunt, of South Dakota.

Additional Comments:
Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing 
Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical 
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900

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