Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/75

ALEXANDERALEXANDER Alexander; grandson of Campbell and Margaret (Stanwood) Alexander, and a descendant on his mother's side of George Brown, who came from England to Plymouth in 1635. He served as a private in the Union army, 1862-'65, was prepared for college at the Edward Little institute in Auburn, Maine, and was graduated from Bowdoin college in 1870. He settled in Indianapolis, Ind.; studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1877, practising in partnership with the Hon. Stanton J. Peele until 1881, when he was appointed fifth auditor of the treasury department, serving until 1885. He removed to Buffalo, N.Y., in 1885, and formed a law partnership with the Hon. James A. Roberts, and was United States attorney for the northern district of New York, 1889-'93. He was a Republican representative from the 33d New York district in the 55th, 56th and 57th congresses, 1897-1903. ALEXANDER, Eben, diplomat, was born in Knoxville, Tenn., March 9, 1851, son of Ebenezer and Margaret White (McClurg) Alexander. He was graduated at Yale in 1873; was instructor and professor of ancient languages in Tennessee University 1873-'86; chairman of the faculty 1885-'86, and president of the State Teachers' association in 1886. He was professor of Greek in the University of North Carolina 1886-'93, and from 1897, and U. S. minister to Greece, Roumania and Servia, 1893-'97. He married, Oct. 15, 1874, Marion Howard-Smith. He received the degree of Ph. D. from Maryville college in 1886, and that of LL.D. from the University of North Carolina in 1893, and was an instructor in the Summer school of the South in June and July, 1902. ALEXANDER, Edmund Brooke, soldier, was born in Prince William county, Va., Oct. 2, 1802. He was graduated at West Point in 1823. He served in the army on the frontier and on garrison duty for twenty years. In the Mexican war he won distinction for bravery at Cerro Gordo, Contreras, and Churubusco, and was brevetted major and lieutenant-colonel. He was afterwards major of the 8th infantry from Nov. 10, 1857, and colonel of the 10th infantry from March 3, 1855. He commanded the Utah expedition of 1857-'58 until relieved by Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston. In the civil war he was detailed as provost marshal of St. Louis, and was chief disbursing officer for the state of Missouri, and superintendent of the volunteer recruiting service with headquarters at St. Louis during the war. He was brevetted brigadier-general March 14, 1865, and with his regiment commanded Fort Snelling, Minn., until Feb. 22, 1869, when he was placed on the retired list after fifty years' service. He removed to Washington, D.C., where he died Jan. 3, 1888. ALEXANDER, Edward Porter, soldier, was born at Washington, Wilkes county, Ga., May 26, 1835. After graduating at West Point in 1857 he was appointed assistant professor of engineering in the academy, and served in that capacity until he was detailed to engineering service in the Utah and Washington territory expeditions. In 1861 he resigned and entered the Confederate army as chief of ordnance and signal officer in the army of Northern Virginia. In 1862 he was made colonel, and he was with Longstreet at the battle of Gettysburg. He was promoted to be brigadier-general of artillery in 1864, and at the close of the civil war he was appointed professor of mathematics and engineering in the university of South Carolina, and retained the chair until 1870. He was general manager and president of several railroads 1871-92, capitol commissioner of Georgia 1883-'88; a government director of the Union Pacific Railroad Co., 1885-'87, and a member of the boards on the navigation of the Columbian river, Oregon, and on the ship canal between Chesapeake and Delaware bays, 1892-'94. He became an engineer arbitrator of the boundary survey between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, and a rice planter on South Island, S.C. He married, in 1860, Bettie Mason, of King George county, Va., He is the author of "Railway Practice," (1887). ALEXANDER, George, clergyman was born at West Charlton, N.Y., Oct. 12, 1843; son of Alexander F. and Margaret (Bunyan) Alexander, and grandson of George and Jean (Ferguson) Alexander. He prepared for college at Charlton academy and graduated from Union in 1866, and from Princeton theological seminary in 1870. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Albany, May 11, 1869, ordained by the Presbytery of Albany, Jan. 20, 1870, and was pastor over the East Avenue Presbyterian church at Schenectady, N.Y., 1870-'83; professor of rhetoric and English literature at Union college, 1877-'84, and became pastor of the University Place Presbyterian church, New York city, in 1884. He was elected a director of Princeton theological seminary in 1884; a trustee of Union college in 1888; a trustee of Sao Paulo college, Brazil, in 1891; president of the New York college of dentistry in 1896, and vice-president of the University of the city of New York in 1898. He was elected a member of the Presbyterian board of foreign missions in 1884. He received the honorary degree of D.D. from Union college in 1884. ALEXANDER, James Waddel, clergyman, was born in Louisa county, Va., March 13, 1804, son of Archibald and Janetta Waddel Alexander, and maternal grandson of James Waddel, the blind preacher, made famous by William Wirt. He entered Princeton college, and was graduated in 1820, followed with a four years' course at the theological seminary. In 1824 he was tutor in that institution, and was licensed to preach by