Alfred Conkling was born in Amagansett, New York to Benjamin Conkling of East Hampton, L.I. and Esther Hand. He graduated from Union College in 1810 and read law in 1812. He was in private practice from 1812 to 1919 in upstate New York.

During this time he married Eliza Cockburn of Montgomery County, NY. They had 5 children, Margaret, Col. Frederick A, Aurelian, Eliza and Roscoe. Aurelian Conkling studied law and served as the Clerk of Court for the Northern District of New York in Buffalo until his death in May 1860. Roscoe Conkling studied law and became a United States Senator.

From 1819 to 1821 Alfred Conkling served as District Attorney of Montgomery County. In 1821 he was elected U.S. Representative and returned from this service to private practice in the Albany area until his appointment to the United States District Court in 1825 by John Quincy Adams.

Judge Conkling sat in Albany from 1825 until 1836 when he moved to Auburn, NY. On August 25, 1852 he resigned the position of Judge in the Northern District of New York. He was appointed U.S. Minister to Mexico by President Millard Fillmore and served a one year term. Upon return from Mexico he entered private practice in Omaha, Nebraska. He attended the Nebraska State Constitution Convention and served as the Chairman of the state's Republican Committee.

He returned to New York in 1861 to pursue literary endeavours. Several of his writings are listed in the biographical directory or the United States Congress. During this period he lived in Rochester, Geneseo and Utica. Judge Conkling passed on February 5, 1874 in Utica, NY.

A photograph of Judge Conkling hangs in the courtroom at the United States District Court in Utica, New York. He is interred at the Forest Hill Cemetery in Utica.