Born in New York 26 Mar 1795, Alvin was one of ten children of Chrissey and Luthena Dutton, who were early settlers of Stamford, Fairfield Coutny, CT. The surname CRISSEY has various spellings, with Crissey and Cressey used interchangeably. The correct pronunciation is “CRESSEY.”
On 16 Feb 1813 he enlisted as a private in Captain Charles Edward Tobey’s Company. While with the 21st Infantry he served in the Battle of York (1813), the Battle of Plattsburgh (1813-14), the Battle of Crysler’s Farm (Nov 1813), the Battle of Chippewa (Jul 1814), and the Battle of Fort Erie (Nov 1814). His discharge certificate confirms he also served with the 5th Infantry of Captain John Jamieson’s Company.
Alvin married Clarissa Grosvenor on 8 Feb 1825 in Stockton, Chautauqua County, New York. The Grosvenor and Crissey families had migrated together to Chautauqua County in the early 1800s. The history of Stockton records his purchase of land in Township 4 Range 12.
The Crisseys relocated to Minnesota in 1856, a year or so after their son had settled in Chatfield Township. In the summer of 1855 the couple’s only child, Judson, had built a steam-generated saw mill on Simeon Critteden’s land. Operating for several years as “Crissey’s Mill” it was converted to a water mill and later altered to a woolen mill run as “Griswold & Crissey.” Judson died in 1870 of consumption at the age of forty-two. In 1880 Nathanial Marsden purchased the Crissey family business. The mill’spower from the Root River was delivered by a 25-horse power turbine wheel.
Suffering from a mild form of insanity supposedly caused by sunstroke, Alvin was unable to work at any regular vocation. He was widowed in March of 1874 when his wife died after falling through a trap door into a cellar. Four years later he broke a hip, which required him to remain indoors for the remainder of his life. He received a military pension of $8.00 per month.
Alvin died at the residence of Nehemiah Marsden in West Chatfield on 10 Dec 1888 at the age of 93 years. His marble military gravestone at Chatfield Cemetery with its carved shield identifies him as a War of 1812 veteran.