RELATED RESEARCH AND SOURCES:
DR. EBENEZER “EBEN” ALEXANDER (1851-1910):
During my Alexander family research in 2008 and 2009, I was able to obtain copies of genealogical research conducted by Dr. Ebenezer “Eben” Alexander in the 1880’s.
Dr. Ebenezer “Eben” Alexander (1851-1910) was the son of Ebenezer Alexander (1805-1857), a Tennessee lawyer and judge, and Margaret White McClung Alexander. Ebenezer Alexander (1805-1857), son of Adam Rankin Alexander (1781-1848), son of Oliver Alexander. He graduated from Yale in 1873, and served at the University of Tennessee, first as professor of ancient languages and later as chairman of the faculty. In 1874, he married Marion Howard-Smith. They had four children: Eben Jr., who became a physician in Knoxville, Tenn.; John Howard who died in 1899; Eleanor Spurrier who married Andrew H. Patterson; and Margaret McClung who married Paul Schenck. In 1886, Alexander accepted the chair of Greek at the University of North Carolina, which he occupied until his death. After appointment by President Cleveland in 1893, Alexander served as minister to Greece, Serbia, and Rumania until 1897. While minister he was a leader in the revival of the Olympic games. He returned to the University of North Carolina in 1897 and in 1900, he became dean of the faculty. At UNC, he established courses in modern Greek and was influential in the movement to rehabilitate the library.
Ebenezer Alexander (1805-1857) was a very prominent and popular Judge in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Adam Rankin Alexander (1781-1848) was a United States Congressman from west Tennessee. In his bid for re-election, he lost to Davy Crockett. There’s lots of information about him on the web.
Dr. Eben Alexander (1851-1910) was only six years old when his father died. Around 1880, he began to conduct research into his family history, as he must not have had much knowledge of his Alexander ancestry. From reading his letters, I learned that he visited a lot of his relatives, and corresponded with some by mail. Three of the people he corresponded with were Dr. Joseph M. Alexander (1802-1884) of Atlanta, Georgia, Oliver Alexander (1812-1888), of Haywood County, Tennessee, and Robert M. Hooke (1807-1883) of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Dr. Joseph M. Alexander (1802-1884) was the son of Joseph Alexander and Elizabeth McReynolds. Dr. Eben Alexander said that Joseph was the son of James Alexander, twin brother of Oliver. He gave the birth date of Oliver and James as September 26, 1740. I believe he obtained it from either Dr. Joseph M Alexander or Oliver Alexander.
Oliver Alexander (1812-1888) was the son of Benjamin Grayson Alexander (1779-1843), son of Oliver Alexander. Oliver was an elected State Representative in west Tennessee. He prepared and published a history of Haywood County, Tennessee. He was very knowledgeable of his Alexander family history.
Robert M. Hooke (1807-1883) was the son of Abigail Alexander (1774-bef 1824) and Robert Hooke. Abigail was the daughter of Oliver Alexander. Robert M. Hooke was a very wealthy businessman in Chattanooga. He was involved with the railroad industry.
It appears Dr. Eben Alexander developed a very close relationship with these cousins, especially Dr. Joseph M. Alexander and Oliver Alexander and obtained a lot of information from them. I definitely consider the information Dr. Eben Alexander obtained from these men as very reliable.
The following very important information was noted in Dr. Eben Alexander’s research:
1. The father of Oliver Alexander may have been named John Alexander who came from Scotland to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. (NOTE: York and Adams counties were formed from Lancaster County. (NOTE: Although John may not have been born in Scotland, the family’s origin was probably Scotch Irish.)
(NOTE: Eben was incorrect concerning John Alexander having been the father of Oliver Alexander and James Alexander. John stayed in Cecil County, Maryland, and died there in 1802. The father of Oliver and James was definitely John's brother, Joseph Alexander.)
2. James and Oliver Alexander were twins and were born on September 26, 1740.
3. James and Oliver had two half brothers named John and Jeremiah. There were other brothers. He didn’t know their names.
4. Oliver had a daughter named Susan Alexander, who married James McGinley in 1787 in east Tennessee. There was also a connection between the Alexander and McGinley families back in Pennsylvania.
5. Oliver’s wife was named Margaret Paul. She had two half brother’s named David and John Craig.
AUGUSTA COUNTY, VIRGINIA RECORDS:
On November 18, 1768, Joseph Alexander purchased 265 acres of land in Augusta County, Virginia from Francis Beaty.
Augusta County, Virginia deeds:
Page 237.--18th November, 1768. Francis Beaty, of Mecklinburgh County, North Carolina, deputed collector, &c.. to Joseph Alexander, £50, 265 acres, part of Borden's 92100, including the Flat Spring, where Francis Beaty formerly dwelt, corner John Ker's old place, Beverley Manor line. Teste: John Frogg, G. Madison, Luke Bowyer. Delivered: Joseph Alexander, November, 1778.
Page 78.--18th March, 1772. Joseph Alexander and Abigail ( ) to James and Oliver Alexander, £60. Teste: William Livingston, Alexander Mountgomery.
Page 83.--17th March, 1772. Francis Beaty, of Rowan County. North Carolina, public register, &c., to Joseph Alexander, tract (336 acres) purchased by Francis from John Kerr. Delivered, November 1778.
On March 18, 1772, Joseph Alexander and his wife, Abigail, sold land in Augusta County, Virginia, to James Alexander, Oliver Alexander, and Alexander Montgomery.
Augusta County, Virginia deeds:
Page 78.--18th March, 1772. Joseph Alexander and Abigail ( ) to 516 James and Oliver Alexander, £60. Teste: William Livingston, Alexander Mountgomery.
Page 81.--18th March, 1772. Same to Alexander Mountgomery. Teste: William Livingston, Oliver Alexander.
Page 105.--20th March, 1772. Oliver Alexander, teste.
Page 121.--16th March, 1773. Oliver Alexander and Margaret ( ), James Alexander and Martha ( ) to Robert Thomson, corner Francis Beatty's other tract, the great road. Teste: James ( ) Trotter, Jacob ( ) Patton. Borden's 92100.
CECIL COUNTY, MARYLAND RECORDS:
A deed from Joseph Alexander carpenter and Margaret his wife, because they are moving, to Adam Wilson, of New Castle, Del., is dated 12 Dec 1740 (Cec. 6-660). It identifies the land as being in New Munster, on the east side of the Elk River; “said tract left Joseph by the will of his father, James Alexander carpenter, who bought from Thomas Stevenson, Aug 15, 1718.”
Joseph Alexander, of Augusta County, in the Colony of Virginia, deeded David Alexander, of Cecil County, MD, two tracts of land called “Sligo” and “Alexandria”, in Cecil County. This instrument was dated Oct 12, 1769 and recorded in Book II, page 125 Cecil County. The name of Joseph Alexander is found in the court records that he removed to the Shenandoah Valley about the time he sold land in 1769. NOTE: The tracts of land called “Sligo” and “Alexandria” were previously owned by Joseph's grandfather, Samuel Alexander, and his uncle Francis Alexander "the weaver" (1693-1760).
[Source: Alexander Notebooks Compiled by Alvah M. Stafford, MD and Evelyn Alexander Stafford. January, 1951
Edited by Paul Rowland, August, 1970. Indexed by James Ballagh Moore
Charlotte, NC: Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, 1985
[Index pages 304-436]
JEREMIAH ALEXANDER REVOLUTIONARY WAS PENSION RECORDS:
In the records, John Craig of Limestone County, Alabama, said he had known Jeremiah Alexander since earliest youth. John Craig was born on May 24, 1764, in York County, Pennsylvania. Jeremiah Alexander was born on July 4, 1763. John Craig and his brother, David Craig, were half brothers of Margaret Paul, wife of Oliver Alexander.
John and David Craig were sons of James Craig, who purchased 200 acres of land in Augusta County, Virginia, on November 18, 1768. This was the same day Jeremiah's father, Joseph Alexander, purchased his 265 acres of land in Augusta County, Virginia. The land tracts purchased by Joseph Alexander and James Craig bordered each other near the boundary of Beverley Manor and Borden's Grant. It appears the Craig and Alexander families were always very close and moved together from Pennsylvania to Augusta County, Virginia, then to Washington County, Virginia. They later moved to Greene County, Tennessee, and Blount County, Tennessee. In 1785, John Craig built Fort Craig, which was located where the city of Maryville, Tennessee, is today.
Without a doubt, Jeremiah Alexander and John Craig grew up together and knew each other well.
Jeremiah Alexander Pension Application
Affidavit of John Craig - August 28, 1832
This day personally appeared in open court also John Craig of Limestone County aged seventy seven years who after being duly sworn states on oath that he has known the said Jeremiah Alexander from his earliest youth up to the present day having been raised in the same neighborhood with him and he also states on oath that he served in the tours of duty under Col. Campbell during the Revolutionary War with the said Alexander and knows the factes of his declaration above to be true.
Sworn to and subscribed in open court on the day and year first stated.
M. M. McKenzie, Clerk C. C.
Signed: John Craig