Capt. Alexander Voorhees, dealer in grain, livestock and coal, was born in Seneca County, N. Y., from which place his parents moved to Chemung County, N. Y., when he was six years old. At the latter place he resided nearly twenty years. He was married, March 7, 1845, to Miss Maria Chamberlain, a native of Sharon, Litchfield Co., Conn. They have two children–Charles C., now a successful farmer of this (Boone) county, and John C., who is interested in quartz mining in Colorado, where he resides. In 1850, the subject of this sketch moved to Horicon, Wis., where he engaged in farming and grain dealing until 1859, when he removed to Hopkinton, Delaware Co., Iowa, and engaged in farming. In 1861, he responded to his country’s call by raising a company of volunteers, Company K, Twenty-first Iowa Infantry, and was commissioned its Captain, serving in that capacity until the close of the war. He served in the Department of the West, and participated in the battles of Port Gibson, Champion Hills, Vicksburg, New Orleans, Mobile and many other engagements in the Southwest. From Mobile his command was sent to Grand de Core, La., where for a time he was in command of his regiment. He was mustered out in August 1865, and returned to his home, where he engaged in mercantile business for two years, then again in grain shipping for two years. Soon after the close of the war he was commissioned a Colonel on the staff of Gov. Merrill, of Iowa, which position he held for four years. In the fall of 1870, he came to Nebraska and located in Boone County, in what has since been known as Voorhees Valley. His family followed him the next spring. He was one of the pioneers of this section, his farm being the first taken in Boone County. He resided on his farm until 1880, when he moved to St. Edward, and again engaged in dealing in grain, live stock, coal and agricultural implements. In 1881, he handled 134 carloads of grain and hogs and forty carloads of coal. Capt. Voorhees is a stanch Republican, and takes a prominent part in political affairs. He is a member of Albion Lodge, No. 78, A., F. & A. M., at Albion. His original farm consists of 160 acres, and is located in a beautiful valley opening into Beaver Valley, a few miles above St. Edward. To this, he and his son Charles, who manages the whole, have added two adjoining quarter sections, making a farm of 480 acres, nearly 200 acres of which are in cultivation.
