Alpheus Spring Packard, Sr. was born 23 December 1798 in Brunswick, Cumberland County, Maine to Hezekiah Packard (1761-1849) and Mary Spring (1773-1829) and died 13 July 1884 Squirrel Island, Southport, Lincoln County, Maine of unspecified causes. He married Elizabeth Frances Appleton (1804-1839) 1 June 1827 in Amherst, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. He married Caroline Bartels (1814-1893) 23 September 1844 in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine.
Biography
Alpheus Spring Packard (December 23, 1798 – July 13, 1884) was an American who may be the longest serving faculty member to any American college through his 65 years of dedication to Bowdoin College, "in this particular I acknowledge, without reserve, my allegiance to Brunswick, Maine." (History of Bowdoin College). Trained as a minister, educator, librarian, acting President of Bowdoin College for the year 1883-4 until his death (between the Chamberlain and Hyde administration).
Professor Packard was also a key figure in the Maine Historical Society from its founding in 1822 until his death in 1884. He was also a prominent member of the Peucinian Society tradition.
Alpheus Spring Packard, Sr. had a long-standing relationship with Bowdoin College. He graduated from the college in 1816. He remained there for the remainder of his life, firstly as a tutor (1819–24), and Professor Ancient Language and Classical Literature (1824–65). During the last two years of his life he was acting president of the college. The Bowdoin College George Mitchell Special Collections department lists thirteen publications. Among them, he edited and was joint author (with Nehemiah Cleaveland) of The History of Bowdoin College, with Biographical Sketches of its Graduates (1882); He also edited Works of the Rev. Jesse Appleton, with a memoir (1836–37); and Xenophon's Memorabilia of Socrates, with English Notes (1839; third edition, 1843).
To commemorate Alpheus Spring Packard Srs. 65 years of service to Bowdoin College, the Alpheus Spring Packard Gateway, stands on the parthway of College Avenue as one passed from Coles Tower towards the main quad.
Marriage and Family
The father of four sons and one daughter by his first wife: Alpheus Spring Packard, Jr. (1839-1905), Bowdoin class of 1861, Civil War surgeon, Entomologist who corresponded with Darwin and a Professor at Brown University with 25 publications, and William Alfred Packard (1830-1909), Bowdoin class of 1851, Charles A. Packard, Bowdoin class of 1848, a 4th son George as well as a daughter, Frances Appleton.
Professor Packard was also the son-in-law of Bowdoin College's second President, the Reverend Jesse Appleton (1772-1819) through his first marriage to Frances Appleton (1804-1839). Alpheus Spring Packard married Mrs. C.W. McLellan after his wife's death and produced a fifth son, Robert L. Packard, who graduated from Bowdoin in 1868.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Charles Appleton Packard (1828-1909) | |||
| William Alfred Packard (1830-1909) | 26 August 1830 Brunswick, Cumberland County, Maine | 2 December 1909 Princeton, New Jersey | Susan Breese Gallagher (1832-1886) |
| George Lawrence Packard (1834-1916) | |||
| Frances Appleton Packard (1836-1902) | |||
| Alpheus Spring Packard (1839-1905) | 19 February 1839 Brunswick, Cumberland County, Maine | 14 February 1905 Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island | Elizabeth Derby Walcott (1842-1929) |
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Caroline Bartells Packard (1844-) | |||
| Robert Lawrence Packard (1848-1913) | |||
Siblings
References
- A.S. Packard Sr - wikipedia