Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/68

46 rian," in Philadelphia. He was professor of rhetoric and belles lettres in Princeton college from 1833 till 1844, when he assumed charge of the Duane st. church in New York city. Prom 1844 to 1851 he was professor of ecclesiastical history and church government in Princeton theological seminary, and in 1851 he was called to the pastorate of the Fifth ave. Presbyterian church, where he remained until his death. Among his published works are "Consolation"; "Thoughts on Family Worship"; "Plain Words to a Young Communicant"; a series of essays entitled "The American Mechanic and Workingman"; "Discourses on Christian Faith and Practice" (New York, 1858); "Gift to the Afflicted"; a biography of Dr. Archibald Alexander (New York, 1854); and more than thirty volumes for the American Sunday-school union. He was also a frequent contributor to the "Princeton Review" and the "Biblical Repository." "Forty Years' Familiar Letters of James W. Alexander," was published by the surviving correspondent, the Rev. John Hall, D. D., of Trenton, N. J. (2 vols.. New York, 1880).—His son, William Cowper, lawyer, b. in Virginia in 1806; d. in New York city, 23 Aug., 1874, was graduated at Princeton in 1824. He was admitted to the bar in 1827, and soon gained a reputation for legal knowledge and eloquence and took part in political affairs. For several years he was president of the New Jersey state senate. He was nominated for governor, and lacked but a few votes of election. After being a member of the peace congress of 1861, over which he was frequently called to preside, he withdrew from politics and devoted himself entirely to the business of insurance, having been elected president of the Equitable Life Insurance Company when it was organized in 1859, of which he was president at the time of his death.—His son, Joseph Addison, clergyman, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 24 April, 1809; d. in Princeton, N. J., 28 Jan., 1860, was graduated at Princeton, with the first honor in his class, in 1826, and associated himself with R. B. Patton in the establishment of Edgehill seminary at Princeton. From 1830 to 1833 he was adjunct professor of ancient languages at Princeton, after which he spent some time abroad studying languages. In 1838 he was made professor of oriental literature in Princeton Theological Seminary, and in 1852 was transferred to the chair oi biblical and ecclesiastical history, which he held until his death. He was master of almost all of the modern languages of Europe, and as an orientalist had few superiors. This great linguistic knowledge is shown in his numerous exegetical works, which include "The Earlier Prophecies of Isaiah" (1846), "The Later Prophecies of Isaiah" (1847). "Isaiah illustrated and explained" (1851), "The Psalms translated and explained" (1850), "Commentary on Acts" (1857), and "Commentary on Mark" (1858). He also published a series of "Essays on the Primitive Church Offices" (1851), and numerous articles in the "Biblical Repertory " and "Princeton Review." Since his death his " Sermons " have been published (1860), and also a "Commentary on Matthew" (1861), and "Notes on New Testament Literature," prepared in conjunction with Dr. Charles Hodge (2 vols., 1861). His biography, by his nephew, Henry Carrington Alexander, was published in 1869.—His son, Samuel Davies, clergyman, b. in Princeton, N. J., 3 May, 1819; d. in New York city, 26 Oct., 1894, studied theology in Princeton seminary. He preached in various places, and in 1855 was settled over the Phillips Presbyterian Church in New York city. He had contributed numerous papers to the "Princeton Review," and published "Princeton College during the Eighteenth Century" (1872): and a "History of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland." An appreciative memorial tablet was placed in Phillips Church in May, 1895.

ALEXANDER, Barton Stone, soldier, b. in Kentucky in 1819; d. in San Francisco, Cal., 15 Dec, 1878. He was appointed to the U. S. military academy from Kentucky, was graduated in 1842, and became lieutenant in the corps of engineers. He superintended the repairs at various fortifications, and also in the erection of Minot's ledge lighthouse, at the entrance of Boston harbor. During the civil war he served as engineer in the construction of the defences of Washington, took part in the Manassas campaign of 1861, and was brevetted major for gallant and meritorious services in the battle of Bull Run. He continued with the army of the Potomac, rendering important aid at the siege of Yorktown, for which he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel in 1862. In 1864 he was consulting engineer with Gen. Sheridan's army, and in 1865 was made brevet brigadier-general for meritorious services during the war. For the next two years he had charge of the construction of most of the public works in Maine, when he became senior engineer with the rank of lieutenant-colonel and member of the Pacific board of engineers.

ALEXANDER, Caleb, clergyman, b. in Northfield, Mass., 22 Julv, 1775; d. in Onondaga, N. Y., 12 April, 1828. After graduation at Yale in 1777, he studied for the ministry and was ordained pastor of the Presbyterian church at New Marlboro, N. Y., in 1781-'82. In April, 1786, he took charge of a church at Mendon, N. Y., but left it the same year. He next became principal of an academy at Onondaga, where he remained during the rest of his life. His published works include Latin and English grammars, an "Essay on the Deity of Christ" (1796), "Grammar Elements," a literal translation of Virgil into English prose (Worcester, 1796), the "Columbian Dictionary" (1800), and "Young Ladies' and Gentleman's Instructor."

ALEXANDER, Edmund Brooke, soldier, b. in Hay Market, Prince William co., Va., 2 Oct., 1802; d. in Washington, D. C, 3 Jan., 1888. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1823. After twenty years of frontier and garrison duty he had an opportunity for service in Mexico, where he won a major's brevet at Cerro Gordo (18 April, 1847), and a lieutenant-colonel's at Contreras and Churubusco (20 Aug., 1847). He became major of the 8th infantry, IO'Nov., 1851, and colonel of the 10th infantry, a new regiment, 3 March, 1855. In 1857-’58 he commanded the Utah expedition until relieved by Gen. Johnston. During the civil war he was retained at St. Louis on provost-marshal's duty, involving delicate and responsible administration of important matters. He was also superintendent of the volunteer recruiting service, and chief mustering and disbursing officer for Missouri. He was brevetted brigadier-general, 13 March, 1865, and commanded his regiment at Fort Snelling till retirement, 22 Feb., 1869, by operation of law.

ALEXANDER, Francis, artist, b. in Connecticut in 1800. When eighteen years of age he began painting in water-color without an instructor. About 1820 he went to New York and prosecuted his art studies, as a pupil of Alexander Robertson. He worked for a few months in Providence, R. I., and subsequently opened a studio in Boston, where he gained great popularity as a portrait-painter. He went to Europe in 1831, finally taking up his residence in Florence. During the later years of his life he has not been active in his profession.