Aldrich was born in New York and moved to Hancock County, Illinois, in 1832, where he was one of the early developers of what would later become the town of Warsaw.

[1] In 1841, Smith finally relented and some of the Latter Day Saints settled as Aldrich's tenants in what would be called Warren, Illinois.

Aldrich was later accused of having directed men under his command to storm Carthage Jail where Smith and his brother were being held in June 1844.

In March 1861, Aldrich was chairman of the convention that declared Arizona's secession from the United States at the start of the American Civil War.

[6] Two different streets in San Francisco were named for him: Aldrich Alley (subsequently renamed) and Mark Lane.