Nathaniel Alford born in 1807, the same year as Abner Dunton, Jr., was the son of early Warren settler Lore Alford, originally of Hartford, Conn. He was the youngest of nine children. In 1828 he bought the former Nathan Miles homestead near Alford Lake from the Bowleys. Two of Nathaniel's sisters were already living in Hope, Betsey the wife of Boyce Crane, also originally of Warren, and Charlotte, the wife of Jesse Metcalf, Jr. Nathaniel's first wife was Deborah Cushman of Warren and his second wife, Betsey Harwood of Hope Corner.234 Nathaniel was a farmer and the development of better farming practices his special interest. When the North Knox Fair Association was organized after the Civil War, he served as president of that Association for the first ten years from 1869 - 1879.235 He was also an active participant in town affairs, serving several terms as a selectman, a representative to the Maine Legislature in 1840, and later as a Knox County commissioner.

Nathaniel Alford of Hope served as County Commissioner in 1864,1865 and 1866. Micah Hobbs, grandson of early settler Micah Hobbs, was elected to the Maine Legislature in 1864 to represent Hope, Appleton and Washington, after service in the Civil War. In 1867 Simon A. Fish, another war hero, son of Church Fish, was elected to serve the same towns and was the youngest member of the House at the time.

The first president of the Fair Association was Nathaniel Alford of Hope who served for the entire decade from 1869 through 1878. Each of the five towns was represented on the board by vice presidents.