My Genealogy Hound

JOHN S. ALEXANDER. Among the portraits* of representative and prominent citizens of Greene County, we are pleased to direct the attention of the reader to one of Mr. Alexander, which appears on the opposite page. It perpetuates the lineaments of one who, a native born citizen of the county, has worked by dint of untiring industry and unflagging persistence from poverty to a position of comfort. His farm and the old homestead of his father lie about three-quarters of a mile apart and the former is three and one-half miles from the city limits. A Democrat in politics, Mr. Alexander, while keeping himself well posted upon the leading topics of the day, has never sought political honors and, with the exception of representing his township in the County Board of Supervisors, has lived the quiet life of a citizen.

Coming of worthy lineage, the subject of this notice is the son of John Alexander, whose name can by no means properly be omitted from the list of pioneer settlers of Greene County, he having come to this region as early as 1806. He is a veteran of the War of 1812 and fought the Indians in the northern part of Ohio. His father purchased land in Xenia Township, Greene County. John Alexander was a carpenter and a cabinet-maker and manufactured coffins, besides other articles in that line. He died at his homestead in Xenia Township, January 30, 1865.

The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Rebecca Hook. She was a native of Virginia and the sister of Charles Hook, who was one of the early pioneers of this county and who for many years prosecuted farming in Xenia Township. The parental family included eight children, five sons and three daughters: Mathew, the eldest born, is still a resident of this county; Mary, now Mrs. S. M. Drake, lives in California; James is a resident of Iowa; John, Isabella and George are residents of this county; Charles served in the Union Army during the Civil War and died in Nashville, Tenn.; Josephine is living with her brother, Mathew, in this county. Mrs. Rebecca (Hook) Alexander departed this life at the homestead in 1866. Both she and her husband was connected with the United Presbyterian Church and the father, politically, was a stanch Democrat.

In Greene County, this State, January 6, 1831, John S. Alexander was born and spent his early years under the parental roof, becoming familiar with farming. He attended the district school three months in the year and the balance of the time worked for his father on the farm until twenty-one years old. In 1873 he purchased his present farm then consisting of one hundred and two acres. Later he added sixty-six acres and now has a fine property, the accumulation of hard labor and close economy. Besides this, he has one hundred and sixty acres in Henry County, Ohio, that also being choice farming land. He has substantial modern improvements, including a stock scale house, put up in 1885, since which time he has made a specialty of Short-horn cattle, sheep and mixed Poland-China and Chester-White swine. He is able to exhibit some fine specimens of Norman and thorough-bred horses of the Tom Ross stock, and is numbered among the prominent and successful breeders of fine stock in the county.

A steadfast adherent of the improvement of the county, a faithful worker in developing its resources, he has conscientiously performed every known duty as an honest man and a citizen, with the solitary exception that he still remains a bachelor. He has many warm friends, who recognize in him qualities which contribute to stalwart manhood, while his insight into men and things, his comprehensive views of business matters, and his keen judgment, have caused his advice to be sought for and followed by his fellow-men.

*A portrait was included in the original printed volume.