Edward M. Alfriend(1837-1901)
- Writer
Prior to the outbreak of American Civil War, Edward Morrison Alfriend
was working as an insurance underwriter at his father's firm in
Richmond, Virginian. On 10 June, 1861 he was commissioned a 1st
lieutenant in Company E of the 44th Virginia Infantry Division. Less
than a year later, on 1 May, 1862, he was promoted to full captain.
Alfriend distinguished himself in one battle when he came to the aid of
Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston after Johnston had become
separated from his command and was in peril of being killed or captured
by Union soldiers. Some time after the war ended Alfriend began his
writing career while working as a partner in his father's insurance
business in Richmond. After achieving some success he decided to
relocate to New York City in the late 1880s. There he was described by
one of his Northern associates as "a portly Southern gentleman with a
walrus mustache". Some of Alfriend's more popular plays were "A Woman's
Ordeal" (1877), "The Louisianan" (1892), "Across the Potomac" (1894)
written with Augustus Pitou "The Diplomat" (1894), "The Great Diamond
Robbery" (1895) written with A.C. Wheeler
and "His Double Life" (1896). He also contributed articles to many of
the popular periodicals of his day. Alfriend once interviewed Edwin
Booth for an article he was writing about the acting career of John
Wilkes Booth. In 1891 he wrote a Civil War era piece for Cosmopolitan
titled "Social Life in Richmond during the War." Edward M. Alfriend had
at least two brothers, Frank Heath Alfriend (1841-1887), an author,
newspaper reporter, teacher and at the time of his death, assistant
librarian for the US Senate. Frank Alfriend is primarily remembered as
a friend and biographer of Jefferson Davis. "The life of Jefferson
Davis" by Frank H. Alfriend is still available in bookstores today, 140
years after it was first published. Thomas Lee Alfriend (1843-1901) was
a sergeant in the Virginia Infantry during the war and later became one
of the more successful insurance executives in Virginia. Transcripts of
letters Thomas wrote his brother Frank during the Civil War are kept in
a special collection at the College of William and Mary Swem Library in
Williamsburg, Virginia. Edward Morrison Alfriend passed away in New
York City just six months after his brother Thomas had died in
Virginia. Both Edward and Thomas' remains are interned at the Hollywood
Cemetery in Richmond.