Alvin Bancroft
Alvin Bancroft, farmer, P. O. Randolph, was born in Randolph Township, this county, May 19, 1832; son of Aralziamon and Phœbe Bancroft, natives of Granville, Mass., who came to Portage County, Ohio, remaining until 1850, at which time they moved to Marlboro, Stark Co., Ohio, where they settled and died, the father in 1872, the mother in 1881. Our subject, was united in marriage, September 28, 1861, with Sarah A. Donnell, born in Randolph Township, this county, January 16, 1844, daughter of A. P. Donnell. Mr. and Mrs. Bancroft are the parents of one child —Jennie L., wife of Henry Brockett. Our subject when twelve years of age started in life for himself with nothing. He traveled all over the West engaging in miscellaneous trade until 1860, when he became associated with his uncle in mercantile business. This he continued for five years when he closed out and engaged in other enterprises for several years, after which he resumed mercantile ventures at Marlboro with I. S. France, with whom he remained until 1878; then he opened a store in Randolph, this county, with S. B. Trescott, and with him remained until 1881, then bought him out, and sold an interest to Albert Stanbaugh, with whom he is now associated under the firm name of Bancroft & Stanbaugh Our subject owns about 200 acres of real estate, forty of which, where he and his family reside, are in Portage County, the remainder being in Iowa.
From History of Portage County, Ohio, Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885