James Rankin Alexander Sr (1756 - 1836)

Born 23 Nov 1756 in Cecil, Maryland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 11 Mar 1836 at age 79 in Trammel Creek, Warren, Kentucky, United States

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Biography

James Alexander Sr has Scottish Ancestors.

James Alexander Sr is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A001195.

After six Years of living on the Pennsylvania frontier, Hezekiah and Mary Alexander returned to Cecil County, Maryland. On 23 of November 1756 Mary gave birth to their second son, James Rankin Alexander. Named for Hezekiah's Father, James Alexander and Mary's Mother, Esther Rankin.^[1][2][3] Hezekiah and Mary left Pennsylvania none too soon, for that November "near Conococheague a party of Indians barbarously mangled a number of inhabitants and took many women and children captive.

Things were peaceful for nearly 20 years when the Revolutionary War commenced and James enlisted. He was a sergeant in the beginning of the war but returned to school and and completed his study of medicine, becoming a doctor, and later a surgeon, working in the Waxhaw Settlements, South Carolina, and in Charlotte, NC. In 1780 he was appointed Surgeon in Colonel William L. Davidson's North Carolina regiment, until sometime in 1781.^[4][5][6]

He married Dorcas Garrison on 26 Nov 1789.^[7] After 1800, he moved his family to Kentucky.^[3][6]

James passed away in 1836 and is buried in Allen County, Kentucky.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑

   1790 United States Federal Census

   Name	James Alexander	Home in 1790 (City, County, State)	North Millford, Cecil, Maryland
   Free White Persons	Males	Under 16	2
   		16 and over	1
   	Females		3
   Number of Household Members			6

2. ↑

   1800 United States Federal Census

   Name	James Alexander	Home in 1800 (City, County, State)	Salisbury, Mecklenburg, North Carolina
   Free White Persons	Males	Under 10	2
   		26 thru 44	1
   	Females	Under 10	2
   		Females - 26 thru 44	1
   Number of Household Members Under 16			4
   Number of Household Members Over 25			2
   Number of Household Members			6

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1}

   1820 United States Federal Census

   Enumeration Date - August 7, 1820

   Name	James Alexander	Home in 1820 (City, County, State)	Scottsville, Allen, Kentucky
   Free White Persons	Males	Under 10	1
   		10 thru 15	1
   		16 thru 18	1
   		16 thru 25	1
   		26 thru 44	1
   		45 and over	2
   	Females	10 thru 15	1
   		16 thru 25	1
   		Females - 45 and over	1
   Foreigners not Naturalized			4
   Free White Persons		Under 16	3
   		Over 25	4
   Total	Free White Persons		9
   	All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other		9

4. ↑

   Maryland Revolutionary War Records

   Name	James Alexander (the widow applied for pension)
   Birth Date	1756	Rank	Surgeon
   Establishment	Militia	Comment	N. C. Service

5. ↑

   U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900

   Name	James R Alexander	Gender	Male
   Birth Place	MD	Birth Year	1756
   Spouse Name	Dorcas Alexande Garrison	Spouse Birth Place	NC
   Spouse Birth Year	1766	Marriage Year	1789
   Marriage State	NC	Number Pages	1

6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1}

   U.S., Revolutionary War Pensioners, 1801-1815, 1818-1872

   Name	James R Alexander	Year range	1833-1848	Pension Office Place	Kentucky, USA

7. ↑

   Maryland Revolutionary War Records

   Name	James R. Alexander	Spouse Name	Dorcas Garrison
   Marriage Date	26 Nov 1789	Marriage Place	York Dist., S.C.

8. ↑ James Rankin Alexander: Find A Grave: Memorial #150088717

See also:

• U.S., The Pension Roll of 1835

Name	James R. Alexander
Rank	Private and Ser	Age	77
Birth Year	1754	Pension Enrollment Date	4 Mar 1831
Residence Place	Allen, Kentucky, USA	Service Description	Maryland militia

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/150088717/james-rankin-alexander: accessed 16 November 2023), memorial page for Capt. James Rankin Alexander Sr. (23 Nov 1756–11 Mar 1836), Find a Grave Memorial ID 150088717, citing Trammel Fork Baptist Church Cemetery, Allen County, Kentucky, USA; Maintained by Sally Sue Seay Smith (contributor 48610070).