I am enclosing the eighteen pages from a small book titled below that deals with several families in the Marrowbone area. It was privately printed ca.1924. I apologize to those who will also see it in a post by Sandi next week on the South Central Ky board. I do not have any other info on these families. I will split it into three posts. THE HISTORY OF THE ALEXANDER FAMILY From Which Is Traced The History Of THE MURPHY FAMILY And The Reprinting Of Some Interesting Documents. Printed for Mrs. Adelaide Francis Murphy Sullivan, San Francisco, California. HISTORY OF THE ALEXANDER FAMILY BY E.H. ALEXANDER, ANTIOCH Our good friend Paul Revere requested me a short time before the suspension of "The News," under its former editor, to write the history of the Alexander family for publication. As the history of this family is so closely interwoven with the histories of a great many other families of different names, who can trace their descent from John Alexander, who settled in Cumberland County in 1805, I have concluded to give the main facts as gathered by my father, C. F. Alexander, and Judge Tyler Alexander and others, and leave it to those who may be interested to trace their individual descent from the old family tree. First, we will briefly refer to the eldest members of the family who came from Scotland. It appears that the Alexanders of Scotland affiliated with Clans Wallace and Douglas, and were supporters of Robert Bruce. Their motto in heraldry was "Faithful and Grateful." To go no farther back that can be proven by family records, we find that John Alexander married a Miss Margaret Gleason of Glasgow, Scotland, in 1735, and shortly afterwards went to Ireland; and in the year 1740, he with two of his brother's sons and a niece who had married a Mr. Polk, emigrated to America and settled in Chesterlea, Pennsylvania. Soon afterwards the two brothers, with their brother-in-law, Mr. Polk, moved to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. From this source sprang the Alexanders of North Carolina and a great portion of those of Tennessee. It will be remembered by the historians that the first Declaration of Independence originated and was known as the Mecklenberg Declaration of Independence. An Alexander was chairman of the meeting and another its secretary. Five of their names were signed to this historic document. James came to America in the year 1716 and settled in New York. His son, Wiliam, married a daughter of Philip Livingston, and was known as "Lord Sterling." >From that source sprang the Alexanders of America. The John Alexander referred to, a short time after his nephew went to North Carolina moved to Cumberland County, Tennessee, and afterwards to Berkly County, Virginia, where he spent the rest of his days on a farm which he had purchased there. His son, Robert, married Bertha Martin and settled in Cumberland County, Virginia. They had four children - John, Biddie, Bettie, and Susan. Biddie married a Smith, Bettie married a Sampson and Susan married a Spears. John was born December, 1741. He married Lucy Nunn and settled in Henry County, Virginia. He was a soldier of the Revolution and rose to the rank of captain in the Brigade of Light Horse Harry Lee. He moved to Cumberland County, Ky., in 1805, and settled on a large tract of land lying on Marrowbone Creek and built the home in which Guy Davis now lives. Here he spent the remaining days of his life. He died October 17, 1836, and his wife, Lucy, died July 15th, 1815. The children of John and Lucy were Thomas, Martin, Ingram, Robert, Reubin, Joseph, Phillip, Sollie, Biddy, Betsey and Susan. Thomas first married Mollie Rancy and afterward Nancy Wisdom. Martin married Winnie Jones; Ingram married Botsey Nunn; Robert married Polly Miller; Reuben married Eliza Miller; Joseph first married Nancy Bouldin of Hart County and afterwards Sally Bouldin of Virginia; Philip married Susan Bouldin, a sister of Sallie; Biddy married Peter Gearhart; Betsey married Thomas Smith; Susan married Michael Hall and afterwards a Mr. Porter. As foresaid, those who are interested may trace their particular line back to the Alexanders of Scotland. Among the families of other names who are descendants of John Alexander are the Munroes, Whites, Gee, Paces, Davis, Richey, Allen, Baker, Jones, Smith, Beck, Norris, Nunn, Harvey, Taylor, Strange, Stockwell, Murphy and a host of others that I do not recall and have not space to mention. Among those of the name who are living on the place previously occupied by John Alexander, Sr., are E. G., John O. and Herschel Alexander, of Waterview, John R. Alexander of Marrowbone. Will E. Davis and Guy Davis, who are living on the old home place, are direct descendants, being great-great grandsons on their mother's side. As farmers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and merchants they have been prominent, not only in the society in which they live, but in the wider field they have been a part and parcel of the warp and woof of national existence. It was the thunder of Alexander's Battery that signaled the charge of Gettsburg, when the flower of the Army of Virginia was hurled like a restless wave on Cemetery Hill. These were some of the same stock who stood in the solid wall that rolled back the wave in shattered fragments and sounded the knell of the Confederacy. In more peaceful times we find the names of Tyler Alexander, Herschel Baker and Wallace Jones, who have served their people with ability and honor as judges of our circuit courts. Senator Frank White and Hon. James Harvey and others have served in the councils of State. Edwin Norris, who was born and reared in the old home place, was the popular Governor of Montana. In athletics Grover Alexander has shone as a star of the first magnitude in the firmanent of our national game. As an educator James R. Alexander is known throughout the State. But why be personal? There are hundreds who might be named. The ladies of the family should not be forgotten. I have often heard the old-time darkies speak of the grace and beauties of our maternal ancestors - especially of "Miss Lucy" and "Miss Liza." According to reports, Miss Lucy was small and fairy-like but exceedingly pretty and vivacious. It is said all of her sons were over six feet tall and stalwart and that their mother could easily walk under their extended arms. Often in their sport they would seize their mother and carry her about the room as though she were a little child. One old colored man who was brought from Virginia and who was known as "Richmond Jim," often boasted to me of the "quality of his family." An event he was very fond of relating was that young Miss Eliza Miller was selected, on account of her beauty, to deposit a gold coin in the cornerstone of the capitol. If "Uncle Jim" was anything like a fair judge, she was also a very skillful performer on the "forte piano." Reubin Alexander married Eliza Miller. Among the many young lady descendants of those old-time beauties who were belles in their youth, perhaps none were more popular than the Misses Nannie Alexander of Burkesville and Lina Duerson of Marrowbone. Grace and beauty are still characteristics of the descendants. From Willow Shade to Burkesville, including the whole of Marrowbone Valley, they are to be found in abundance. Go to the old homestead, which for generations has given of its substance to brawn of its sons and bloom to its daughters, and there on the ground made sacred by the footsteps of those who have gone before, you will find that the blood that painted the roses in the cheeks of our great grandmothers still courses through the veins of their daughters, and the bewitching beauty of Miss Nellie is no less charming than were theirs. A short time ago I had the pleasure of stopping over night at the home place and enjoying the hospitality of Will, Ed and Guy Davis and their charming families. It was with the keenest feeling of delight that I was again permitted to ramble about the old place in the early morning and watch the fogs of the valley roll away among the purple hills, and as the rosy fingers of the dawn drew aside the curtains of the night and fashioned the shining garments of the new-born day, I was again a little child, dreaming the dreams of innocence and enjoying the beauties of life without a thought of its shadows. As I have perhaps already trespassed too far on your space, I will say in conclusion that I hope the hundreds of your readers who are in some way connected with the old families referred to may have some pleasure in tracing their line back to the heather hilds of old Scotland. (The End.) In last week's issue of "The News," our compositor made the following mistakes, which we wish to correct: John Alexander came from Ireland to Chesterlea, Pennsylvania, instead of Tennessee. Also he married Maryart Gleason, instead of Margaret, as was stated last week.-----------