JAMES FRANKLIN ALEXANDER, now enjoying in well-earned case an honorable retirement from labor at his pleasant home in Abilene, was born in Maury county, Tennessee, October 31, 1833. His father, James Minor Alexander, removed from Camden, South Carolina, to Tennessee in the year 1810. His mother was Margaret Carter prior to her marriage into the Alexander family. Having arrived at years of maturity James M. Alexander married a Miss Aiken, also a native of South Carolina, whose father removed to Tennessee about the same time the Alexander family was established there. Mr. and Mrs. James M. Alexander became the parents of six children, two sons and four daughters, of whom James Franklin is the only one now living.
>He was reared on the farm up to the time of his father’s death in 1857, after which he went to Spring Hill, Tennessee, and there engaged in the dry goods business with which he was connected for three years. At that time the country was involved in the throes of the Civil war and Mr. Alexander espoused the cause of the south, offering his services in its defense, enlisting on the 21st of May, 1861, as a member of Company F, Third Regiment of Volunteer Infantry, the company being known as Brown’s rifles, for the regiment was commanded by Colonel John C. Brown. He was afterward promoted to the rank of general and commanded a division. Dr. Alexander was with his command and brigade up to the time they left Bowling Green, Kentucky, and there he was detached on special duty for service in the pay master’s and quartermaster’s department. He remained with the army throughout the war and was with General Joe Johnston’s command at the time of the surrender at Greenville, North Carolina.
After being paroled he returned to Nashville, where he arrived on the 21st of May, 1865, just exactly four years from the time of his enlistment. The next important event in his life was his marriage, which was celebrated on the 28th of September, 1865, at which time Miss Elizabeth McLemore became his wife. She is a native of Maury county, Tennessee, and a daughter of Jefferson McLemore, of a representative family of that section of the country. Unto them have been born three children: James M., who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume; Bethenia J.; and R. Sydney McLemore Alexander, also a practicing physician at Abilene. The wife and mother departed this life in August, 1891.
Following his marriage Mr. Alexander turned his attention to farming near Spring Hill, where he remained until 1890. At that time he sold his farm and removed to Abilene, Texas, where he engaged in the drug business, having purchased the stock of P. H. Carter. This store he conducted for eight years with good success and then sold out to L. H. Bradfield, since which time he has lived retired save for the supervision of his invested interests, for he owns considerable property in this part of the state. He is a member of Abilene lodge, No. 562, B. P. O. E., and is a man of genuine worth, enjoying in high measure the esteem and confidence of those with whom he has been associated.
Source: B. B. Paddock, History and Biographical Record of North and West Texas (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1906), Vol. II, pp. 417-418.