Edgar Co. Il Biographies - Milton K. Alexander

Surname: Alexander, King, Shields
Sumbitter: Tracy Smith
EMAIL: tjpblshr@phnx.uswest.net
DATE: Jun 26 2000

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From the book, "History of Edgar County, Illinois, 1879":


MILTON K. ALEXANDER, deceased, Paris, whose portrait has a place in this
work, was born in Elbert Co., Ga., Jan. 23, 1796, and was the third son of a
family of twelve children. His father, John Brown Alexander, was a native of
Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N. C., and his mother, Barbara (King) Alexander,
of Scotland; his ancestors came from the north of Ireland, and, during the
Revolution, the Alexander family were quite numerous about Charlotte, some
six of them having in 1775, signed the Mecklenburg declaration of
Independence; in 1804, his father and family emmigrated to Williamson Co.,
Tenn., and, in 1811, to the border county of Lincoln, in the same State;
schools at that time were of the most primitive kind, consequently the early
educational advantages of the subject of this sketch were quite limited;
with, however, his love of knowledge and his active mind and retentive
memory, he in after life acquired a fund of information rarely surpassed by
those enjoying the most favorable opportunities in early life. During the war 
of 1812, still a boy, he undertook the sternest duties of a man, those of a 
soldier; he was out with the Tennessee Mounted Volunteers, under Gen. Jackson, 
against the warlike Southern savages, and was chosen First Lieutenant by his 
comrades; from the time he entered the service up to the taking of Pensacola, 
Nov. 6, 1814, remained under the immediate command of Gen. Jackson; soon after, 
Gen. Jackson with the principal part of his forces went to New Orleans; much
against his wishes, it fell to the lot of Lieut. Alexander to remain in
Florida with that portion of the army, who was left the less glorious,
though not less arduous duty of chastising the war-like Seminoles; the
privations of this campaign brought on disease, from which he never fully
recovered. After the war, he returned to Lincoln Co., Tenn., and on Dec. 16,
1819, was married to Miss Mary Shields, of Giles Co., Tenn., in which county
he resided until he emigrated to Illinois. In 1823, he came to Edgar Co., and 
soon afterward engaged in merchantile and agricultural pursuits at Paris; on 
the establishment of mail facilities in the embryo city of Paris, he became 
Postmaster, a position which he held for twenty-five years; in February, 1826, 
he was appointed Clerk of the County Commissioners' Court, which position he held
till September, 1837; and in the same year, having been elected thereto, was
commissioned Colonel of the 19th Regiment Illinois Militia, by Gov. Edward
Coles; in December, 1830, he was appointed Aide de-Camp to Gov. John
Reynolds, and, on account of Indian troubles on the frontier, was, in 1831,
required to accompany the Governor to Rock Island, in 1832, he was elected
and commissioned Brigadier General of the 2d Brigade of Illinois Volunteers,
and was in active service in the field till the close of the Black Hawk war.
In 1837, he was elected by the joint vote of the General Assembly of
Illinois, a member of the Board of Commissioners of Public Works, an office of 
great trust and responsibility; at the first meeting of the Commissioners, he was 
chosen President of the Board, which he retained until the whole system of internal
improvements was abandoned by the State. In December, 1830, he became a
member of the Presbyterian Church in Paris, and continued so up to the day
of his death. Gen. Alexander was a man of cool, clear judgment, great
self-control and fine practical business ability; he was public-spirited and
hospitable, and in all his business relation prompt and honorable; the
varied and responsible duties imposed on him by the partiality of his
fellow-citizens were faithfully and ably discharged, and he maintained
through life a name unsullied by a single stain. After suffering patiently
and cheerfully for ten years as an invalid, he departed this life July 7,
1856, respected and esteemed by all who knew him, and sincerely mourned by a
numerous circle of friends and relatives.