A. L. TRAIL, attorney at law, was born in Livingston County near the village of Hampton, January 23, 1849, and is a son of G. A. and Calister (Williams) Trail, the father a native of Boone County, Ky., and the mother of Clark County. Subject's paternal ancestor, William T. Trail, was a Marylander, and his grandmother was a Kentuckian, his grandfather William T. moving from that State in a very early day, and settling, on the present site of the city of Covington, Ky., a part of the original plat of which was owned by him. He came to Livingston County about 1837, locating near the present village of Hampton, where he lived until his death, which occurred February 27, 1862. George C. Williams, subject's maternal grandfather, was a native of Virginia. He came to Kentucky in 1840, locating at Smithland, where he followed the profession of teaching in graded schools, in which he achieved considerable eminence. He died in 1839, and is buried in the Smithland Cemetery. G. A. Trail, subject's father, was born in Boone County, and came to Livingston about 1837. He is still living in this county, about ten miles north of Smithland. The mother is also living. Mr. and Mrs. Trail are the parents of ten children, four of whom are living, viz.: Alvin L., Lucien W., Isadora and Sydney A. The names of the deceased members are: Henry, Elzy, Thomas R., George L., Lynn and an infant not named. Alvin L. Trail was reared on a farm. At the age of twenty-one he became a student of the Southern Normal School at Carbondale, Ill., which he attended one year. In 1872, he entered the Evansville Commercial College, from which he graduated the same year, after which he engaged in teaching in Kentucky, following that profession for ten years, reading law in the meantime under the instruction of Capt. John W. Bush and J. K. Hendrick, of Smithland, Ky. In 1880 Mr. Trail was admitted to the bar, since which time he has been practicing his profession in Livingston and other counties, and is now one of the law firm of Bush & Trail. As an attorney he has achieved flattering success. He is regarded, by all who know him, as an honest, upright, faithful friend, and will do more to accommodate a fellowman, than any man in the county. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and a stanch supporter of the Democratic party. November 23, 1873, he married Miss Nancy Bennett, daughter of John and Lucinda Bennett, of Livingston County. To this union have been born three children: Eldred E. who was born October 22, 1874; Ora O. who was born September 15, 1877; Blanche, who was born February 23, 1878; all of whom are now living.
Source: J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin, & G. C. Kniffin. Kentucky. A History of the State. Louisville, KY, Chicago, IL: Battey, 1885. Pages 836-837.