Francis Alexander |
| Relationship to the Speculation Lands: |
| Francis Alexander was the Chief Surveyor for Rutherford County from late 1796 to mid 1846. He was employed by Jacob Hyatt in June 1825, to accompany him on his travels and to conduct new surveys as needed for the Speculation Land Company. It is Alexander's artful script that appears on most of the small individual surveys in the collection. His signature is generally accompanied by flourishes and occasionally penmanship practice. Alexander's daughter, Jane, married Francis Sydney Coxe, the son of Tench Coxe of Philadelphia, when the two met in Rutherford County, North Carolina, while the younger Coxe was managing his father's speculation lands. |
| Biography: |
| Francis Alexander, born 03/10/1772, was one of eleven children of Agnes and Elias Alexander II, a colonel in the Revolutionary War. His brother, Elias III, was a North Carolina State Senator representing Rutherford County, North Carolina. In 1797, Francis was elected surveyor for Rutherford County and served in this position until 1845. He died 01/19/1853. Gene Robbins notes that "On the back of many of these surveys he practiced various iterations of his name, the names and titles of documents, and also wrote drafts of various personal musings. His sense of humor is also evident in the draft of a letter to a friend, which he also wrote on the back of a survey, and which is in response to his friend complaining that he never received a series of letters that Francis Alexander had sent to him. He tells his friend that he doesn't understand why he never received his letters, it must be 'that the Postmaster is possessed by the devil.' Alexander also responded in another letter that '...you know I was always a man of strong passions..' " |
| On-Site Links: |
|
0477 - Philosophical musings of Elvira A. Alexander (daughter of Frances Alexander), also contains a survey of 100 acres. 0510 - Draft of a letter dated July 7, 1830 written by Francis Alexander informing friends of the death of his daughter Elvira. 0519 - Survey field notes signed by F. Alexander and draft of a letter, probably written by Francis Alexander. Many of the individual surveys and warrants are signed by and were undertaken under the supervision of Francis Alexander. |
| Bibliography: |
| Griffin, Clarence W. History of Old Tryon and
Rutherford Counties, North Carolina 1730-1936. The Reprint Company, Spartanburg, South Carolina. 1977. National Society of Colonial Dames. Patton, Sadie Smathers. Buncombe to Mecklenburg Speculation Lands. The Western North Carolina Historical Association, Forest City, North Carolina. 1955. Roundtree, Lynn. The Robbins Collection of Speculation Land
Company Records.
Armadilo Books: Chapel Hill: NC, 2002. |