deeds of noble daring and
lofty patriotism of our forefathers, and strive to emulate their
illustrious examples.

ORIGIN OF THE ALEXANDER FAMILIES OF MECKLENBURG COUNTY.

The name, Alexander, is of frequent mention among the nobility of
Scotland. About the year 1735 John Alexander married Margaret Gleason,
a "bonnie lassie" of Glasgow, and shortly afterward emigrated to the
town of Armagh, in Ireland. About 1740, wishing to improve more
rapidly his worldly condition, he emigrated with his rising family,
two nephews, James and Hugh Alexander, and their sister, who was
married to a Mr Polk, to America, and settled in Nottingham, Chester
county, Pa. These two nephews, and their brother-in-law, Polk, soon
afterward emigrated to Mecklenburg county, North Carolina, then
holding forth flattering inducements for settlement. These families,
of Scotch-Irish descent, there prospered in their several callings,
and early imbibed those principles of civil and religious liberty
which stamped their impress on themselves and their descendants, and
shone forth conspicuously preceding and during the American
Revolution.

About the time of this emigration of the Alexanders to North Carolina,
John Alexander moved to Carlisle, Cumberland county, Pa. While he
resided there his son James (James the first) married "Rosa Reed," of
that place. Soon after his marriage he left Carlisle, and settled on
"Spring Run," having purchased a tract of land which covered "Logan's
Springs," where the celebrated Mingo chief, Logan, then lived. After
Logan's death he moved to the Springs, which valuable property is
still owned by the Alexander heirs.

John Alexander, partaking of the roving spirit of the age, left
Carlisle, and finally settled in Berkeley county, Va., where he
purchased a large farm, and spent the remainder of his days. His son
James had twelve children, seven sons and five daughters. One of his
daughters, Rachel, married Joseph Vance, of Virginia, the ancestor of
ex-Governor Vance, of Ohio, and other descendants. He gave Vance a
farm of three hundred acres as an inducement to settle near him. Vance
accepted the gift, and soon afterward removed to the farm; but Indian
troubles breaking out at that time, he sold his possession and
returned to Virginia, selecting a location near Martinsburg.

James Alexander (James the second) had four sons and six daughters.
The eldest son (James the third) married his cousin Celia, youngest
daughter of R