Biographical sketch extracted from:

Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1887. pp. 708-709.

JAMES ALEXANDER, an active and enterprising agriculturist of Jackson Township, residing on section 27, was born in Logan County, Ohio, August 22, 1827, a son of Robert and Mary (Wilkinson) Alexander. The father was a native of Pennsylvania, born in Mifflin County February 19, 1793, of Irish parentage. He was reared on a farm in his native State, and when a young man went to Champaign County, Ohio, where he was married February 26, 1822, to Miss Mary Wilkinson, a native of Virginia, born October 11, 1793, who came with her parents to Ohio when about sixteen years of age. After living a few years in Champaign County, they removed to Logan County, and in May, 1837, the father came with his family to Elkhart County, Indiana, making the journey by team. That county was then quite new, but settlers were beginning to locate there. They remained in Elkhart County until February, 1838, coming thence to Wells County, where the father had entered 120 acres of wild land in Jackson Township the previous fall. Not a tree had been cut on the place when they came here, and while the father was building his cabin the family lived in a log cabin about three quarters of a mile away which was already occupied by two other families. Edward Alexander and family, a brother of Robert, came with the family and lived with them in their log cabin for a time. The cabin had but one opening for a door, and this was made high from the ground so that their hogs could be kept out. When their cabin was put up there were eight or ten inches of snow on the ground, and when they built a fire the snow melted, and it was only by covering the floor with clapboards left from the roof that they could keep out of the mud. Deer and other wild animals were numerous, and these furnished the family with meat when brought down by the trusty rifle of the old pioneer. The mother of our subject died October 31, 1868, and the father April 4, 1872. They were well known throughout the community and highly respected citizens. In politics he was formerly an old-line Whig, and later a Republican. For a number of years in the early history of the county he served as one of the trustees of Jackson Township. James Alexander, whose name heads this sketch, was in his eleventh year when he came with his father’s family to Wells County, and here he was reared amid the scenes attending the clearing up of a new country, and his youth was spent in assisting his father clear their heavily timbered farm. He remembers that during the first year of their settlement their horses ran away, and the crop had to be tended with oxen hitched up and broken into the work. October 14, 1852, he was married to Miss Mary McKee, who was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, May 3, 1833, a daughter of Peter and Rhoda (Peters) McKee, natives of Ohio and Virginia respectively. The parents of Mrs. Alexander came to Indiana and located in Blackford County in 1843, and there the father died about 1871. The mother is still a resident of Washington Township, Blackford County. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Alexander, of whom three are yet living — William Edward, engaged in teaching in Somerset, Wabash County; Julia and Jennie. Robert Peter is deceased. In politics Mr. Alexander is a Republican, and has held local offices. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Protestant church, and he is one of the advisory committee of Salamonie circuit. For nearly half a century he has lived in Jackson Township and has witnessed the many wonderful changes that have taken place, transforming the wilderness into well cultivated farms and prosperous villages. The first sermon preached in Jackson Township was at his father’s house, by Rev. George W. Bowers of the Methodist Episcopal church, on Christmas eve, 1838, and the first religions organization was formed at his father’s cabin with eleven members. His father was a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal church, and was licensed to preach in 1840, and held meetings all over the county. Mr. Alexander is one of the prosperous farmers of Jackson Township. His farm contains 240 acres, 90 of which are under a good state of cultivation. His house is one of the many fine ones in the neighborhood, surrounded with shade and ornamental trees. He is engaged in general farming. Mr. Alexander enlisted in the war for the Union, October 14, 1864, and was discharged July 9, 1865. He was assigned to Company H, Fifty-third Indiana Infantry. He was sent to his regiment in Georgia, and at Dalton was sick with measles, and on his recovery was placed on extra duty as nurse in the hospital at Louisville, Kentucky, remaining there until his final discharge at Louisville, after which he returned to his home in Jackson Township, where he has since lived.