David Alexander (abt. 1670 - bef. 1731)

Born about 1670 in Ulster, Ireland

Descendants

Died before 1731 before about age 61 in Topsham, York, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Biography

David Alexander the Pioneer.

Who in Dr, James McKeens notes states that the grandfather of David Alexander was killed by an Indian and that his son resisted efforts of his fathers slayer to captor him.

William Alexander called his eldest son David named after his father. This was the custom in the early days.

The place of David's burial is unknown. He was the ancestor of all those of Brunswick, Topsham Harpswell and adjoining towns.

He died probably in Lovewell's Indian War around 1721-22

David Alexander was born in Coleraine, County Londonderry, Province of Ulster, Northern Ireland about 1670. Though David was born in Northern Ireland, his family moved from Scotland to Coleraine in 1641, the province of Ulster being only about 10 miles from the Scottish border. Therefore, David was more Scottish than Irish. The reasons for the family's relocation were several including escape from Scottish iron rule, better soil for planting, and less population. This Scottish family first settled within the valley of Bann, Ireland, and later removed to Coleraine, located near the mouth of the River Bann.

David immigrated from Ulster, Ireland to the Colonies arriving in Boston Harbor on August 4, 1718. David arrived with at least two sons: William b. abt. 1706 and James b. abt. 1709. The Alexanders were 1 of 120 families, who arrived in five ships. Many of these Scottish-Irish families settled in Worcester, Massachusetts Bay. Some traveled up the coast to Casco and settled in Sawacook Plantation, now known as Topsham, Maine. This territory was occupied by Pejepscot Abnaki Indians and tensions were high with the arrival of settlers.

About 1722, David was killed by Indian gunshot when he ran to save one of his sons who had been captured. David's son was released during the event.

Sources

• Harpswell Historical Newsletterhttp://www.harpswellhistorical.org/about/news/news%202014-jan%20small.pdf

• The Alexanders of Maine pg 10 Source: S472 "FamilySearch," database, \i FamilySearch\i0 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Publication: (http://www.familysearch.org) Italicized: Y Paranthetical: Y accessed 26 Jan 2016), entry for Thomas Merryman, person ID LH2L-VBX. Certainty: 3
• Sinnett, Rev. Charles Nelson, Ancestor, David Alexander of Topsham, Maine, and His Descendants, Topsham, ME: Published by Chas N. Sinnett, 1922 (248 pp.).

• Wheeler, George Augustus, History of Brunswick, Topsham, Harpswell, Maine, Appendix I, p. 869, Ref. includes James Alexander as early settler in 1738 in Topsham.

• Alexander, De Alva Stanwood, The Alexanders of Maine, Buffalo, NY: The Peter Paul Book Co., 1898: http://rs5.loc.gov/master/gdc/scdser01/200401/books_on_film_project/loc06/200606300018al.pdf

• Virkus, Frederick A. (ed., comp). Immigrants to America before 1750. An Alphabetical List of Immigrants to the Colonies, before 1750. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1965 (220 pp.). [partial surnames alphabetical A thru Battles]. (Passenger List for David Alexander, his wife, and their two sons William and James, arrival year presented as 1719)

• Bolton, Charles Knowles. Scotch Irish Pioneers in Ulster and America. Boston: Bacon and Brown, 1910. Reprint. Heritage Books, Bowie, MD, 1989. 398 pp. [Annotation: Date and port of arrival, date and place of settlement, or date of request for emigration with intended destination; a few are date and place of mention of residence in New World. In appendices, pages 317-377, indexer assumed all names listed had immigrated.]

• Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2012.