Alfred Vandivier, a farmer and stock-raiser of Nineveh Township, was born May 1, 1838, a son of Strather and Lucy (Utterback) Vandivier, both natives of Kentucky, of German descent. Our subject was reared on a farm in Johnson County. At the age of twenty-one years he began the battle of life for himself as a farmer. He received a good common school education. On October 9, 1862, he was united in marriage with Laura A. Branigin, a daughter of Thomas and Perlina (Park) Branigin. The father was a native of Kentucky, of Irish descent, and the mother a native of Indiana. This union was blessed with the following children: Ira E., born December 1, 1863; John H., November 1, 1865; Artie B., March 7, 1867, deceased; Thomas E., August 21, 1871; Whitelaw R., October 20, 1879, and Perlina M., September 1, 1884. The mother of these children was born July 15, 1844. She is a member of the Christian Church, and her husband is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. In politics, he was formerly a democrat, casting his first presidential vote for Douglas, but during the war he became a republican, and has been identified with that party since that time. He now owns 193 acres of fine farming land in Nineveh Township, which is under a good state of cultivation.