Alvin F. Harlow

Alvin Fay Harlow (March 10, 1875 – November 17, 1963) was an American writer and biographer. A historian, Harlow's writing focused often on America infrastructure, including transportation and communication, and New York history. He was also biographer, serving as official biographer of Eddie Foy Sr. and Jefferson De Angelis. He also wrote hundreds of entries for the Dictionary of American Biography and Dictionary of American History. His style was described as "homespun" and "factual." Harlow's father was an express messenger for the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad.

As a child, Harlow was interested in the history of the American West, including the James–Younger Gang. As a little boy, his family moved to Kentucky, living in Covington. The family moved to North Vernon, Indiana when Harlow was 12.

Harlow shifted his writing to focus on history, documenting detailed, specialized books about various facets of American culture. In 1926, he published his first book Old Towpaths. The book explored the history of canals in the United States. His second book, Old Waybills: The Romance of the Express Companies, was published in 1934 and studied express companies – reflecting on his father's career. He also wrote books about the history of postal carrier bags, the Bowery, stamp collecting, and a children's book about the use of the telegraph in the American Civil War.

Selected works by Alvin F. Harlow

Old Bowery Days: The Chronicles of a Famous Street. New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1931. with Kennedy, Millard Fillmore. Schoolmaster of Yesterday: A Three-Generation Story, 1820-1919. New York: Whittlesey House, McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1940. Paper Chase: The Amenities of Stamp Collecting. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1940. Brass-pounders: Young Telegraphers of the Civil War. Denver: Sage Books, 1962.