J. H. Alexander was born in Kentucky, November 30, 1819, and was one of a family of nine, six boys and three girls. His father was a Virginian by birth, served.
a soldier in the War of 1812, and died at the advanced age of seventy-two years; his grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and was wounded at the battle of Brandywine; his mother was a native of Kentucky and died at the age of forty-six. Mr. Alexander was united in the marriage bonds to Miss Mary V. Reid, on the 5th of June, 1845, and the same year removed to Daviess county, Missouri, and located upon his present farm, where he has since been engaged in his chosen pursuit, agriculture. His farm is situated in the southwestern part of Jefferson township and consists of 118 acres of fertile land. Mr. and Mrs. Alexander became the parents of five children; named as follows: Ann M., born February 28, 1846; Mary E., born July 16, 1847; Martha J., born December 28, 1848; James D., born October 4, 1850; and Sarah E., born March 27, 1852. Mrs. Alex-under died March 3, 1853. Mr. Alexander was united in marriage to Miss Eliza Reed, on the 3d of June, 1853. By this union three children were born; namely, Nancy M., May 29, 1854; Daniel R, September 19, 1856; and John William, March 7, 1861.
On the 19th of April, 1875, Mr. Alexander made a visit to the homes of his brothers in California and Oregon, and while on his tour, which lasted until October 20th of the same year, he gathered a large collection of natural curiosities, consisting of fossils, quartz, crystals, ores, stalactites, stalagmites and shells. Many of these specimens are of wonderful formation and rare beauty. Besides this collection he is the possessor of a number of curious relics, among which may be mentioned a gourd which was used by his grandfather as a powder-flask during the Revolutionary War; several unique canes, upon the outer surface of which are carved varieties of birds, fishes and serpents; a laurel leaf from a shrub planted by Washington; a lump of salt from the Great Salt Lake, Utah; and a small stone from the summit of Mount Sherman, the highest telegraph station in the world. These form an interesting cabinet of curiosities of which Mr. Alexander feels justly proud.