Mahlon Dickerson Canfield was born on November 26, 1798, the son of Mary (Dickerson) and David Sealy Canfield. Canfield studied medicine with Dr. Samuel S. Seward of Florida, New York. He then practiced medicine in Bargaintown, May's Landing and Succasunna, New Jersey. In 1853, he stopped practicing medicine and became a scientific farmer. Canfield served as Collector of the Port of May's Landing and a New Jersey council member. Canfield married first, Louisa Cornelia Seward, the daughter of Samuel S. and Mary Jennings Seward, on April 18, 1827, with whom he had five children. He married second, Penelope Sever Lincoln on May 24, 1843, with whom he had one daughter. Canfield died on January 5, 1865, in Ferromonte, New Jersey.