BIO: Francis ALEXANDER, Centre County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including the 
Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing 
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. 
Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898.
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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD, page 123

FRANCIS ALEXANDER (deceased) was a worthy representative of an honored 
pioneer family of Penn's Valley, which was founded in Centre county by his 
father, James Alexander, who located in what is now Potter township, in 1795, 
becoming a tenant of one of the Potter farms, a short distance east of the 
"Old Fort," where he and his family lived for many years. The grandfather, 
Joseph Alexander, died in Potter township, in 1818, to which he had removed 
at a later date than his sons, James and Henry. After remaining for a short 
time in Penn's Valley, the latter removed to Venango county, Penn. To the 
grandparents of our subject, Josiah and Elizabeth Alexander, were born seven 
children: James, Mrs. Nancy Boozer, Mrs. Abigail Evans, Mrs. Nettie Palmer, 
Henry, Mrs. Jane Jackson and Mrs. Margaret McCalmont. The mother of this 
family departed this life in 1825.
  James Alexander was a native of Cecil county, Md., and was a farmer by 
occupation. While he never accumulated any property, he reared an excellent 
family, and lived an upright, honorable life, respected by all who knew him. 
He was called to his final rest in July, 1830, and left six children, all 
born of his first marriage, namely: Josiah died in Potter township; Francis; 
Amos died March 1, 1881, in Millheim, Centre county, where he had been a 
merchant for several years; James died in Potter township; Elizabeth married 
John Sweetwood, and died May 30, 1841, in Potter township; and Rachel, wife 
of J. H. Keller, died April 6, 1878, in Potter township.
  The birth of Francis Alexander occurred in July, 1806, on the old Potter 
farm in Potter township, where his father had located on coming to the 
county. There he spent the days of his boyhood and youth, and obtained such 
an education as the schools of the locality afforded.

124  COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

In the same township he was married to Miss Letitia McElroy, a native of 
Huntingdon county, Penn., born in 1804, and a daughter of John and Elizabeth 
(Gardner) McElroy. Seven children blessed their union, as follows: Margaret, 
who died in infancy; John, who died in Potter township at the age of thirty 
years; Emily, a resident of Centre Hall; James, who is also living in Centre 
Hall; Isaac, who died in Potter township at the age of twenty-three; Mary, 
widow of John P. Ross, and a resident of Centre Hall; and Lucy, wife of Hon. 
W. A. Murray, of Boalsburg, Centre county.
  Mr. and Mrs. Alexander began housekeeping upon the farm where he was born, 
which he rented, but in 1847 removed to the first farm west of the "Old 
Fort," which he purchased of James and John Potter. There he made his home 
until his removal to Centre Hall, where he bought a pleasant residence and 
gave up active business life. He died in that village in February, 1874, and 
two years later his wife was laid by his side in the cemetery of Centre Hill, 
having died in April, 1876. Both were earnest, conscientious Christians, 
faithful members of the Presbyterian Church, and were held in the highest 
regard by all who knew them.
  Mr. Alexander was a thorough and skillful farmer, whose success came as the 
just reward of honest labor, perseverance and enterprise, and at his death he 
left his family in comfortable circumstances. He gave liberally to the 
support of public enterprises, and in every way was a worthy citizen. 
Politically, he was a Democrat, and took an active interest in the success of 
his party, but had no inclination for public office, though he acceptably 
served as overseer of the poor, school director and supervisor in his 
township.