Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Alexander, George 1837 - 
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 6, 2007, 3:00 pm

Author: Portrait & Bios Album, 1890

GEORGE ALEXANDER, who ably represents the township of Channahon, on the County 
Board of Supervisors, and whose portrait will be noticed on the opposite page, 
the oldest native-born citizen now living here. He is well known throughout 
this part of Illinois as one of its keenest and most sagacious business men, 
and one who has been variously identified with its interests for many years; 
by his energetic and resolute force of character and talent for affairs he has 
given a great impetus to the growth of this section of country, and is still 
actively forwarding various schemes for its advancement in important 
directions. He is one of the foremost farmers and raisers of stock, and owns 
one of the largest and finest farms in this part of the State. Mr. Alexander 
was born on the Reed place, in the east part of this county, October 27, 1837. 
He comes of an old pioneer family, his parents, John and Elizabeth (Turner) 
Alexander, coming here in the early days of the settlement of the country, and 
moving on the farm where our subject now resides, when he was a year old. They 
lived there until death, the mother dying in 1853, and the father in 1856, he 
being killed by a kick from a horse. He was a native of Scotland but was 
reared in England, and was there married and in 1836 came to this country with 
his wife, and located here permanently. He crossed the Atlantic five times, 
and in 1835 first set foot in Chicago, which was then but an insignificant 
hamlet. Our subject is the third in a family of six children, and was reared 
amid pioneer scenes to a stalwart manhood, bred to agricultural pursuits. His 
father was a well-educated man, and taught school in the early days of the 
settlement of this county, and our subject besides attending the local school 
received the benefit of instruction from his father, and thus obtained a 
liberal education. He started in business for himself with thirty-five acres 
of land, and has met with more than ordinary success, being now the possessor 
of seven hundred and fifty-five acres, all of which lies within five miles of 
his home. His homestead is on section 15, Channahon Township, lying on the 
banks of the Desplaines River. The Chicago & Alton and Santa Fe Railroads run 
through the farm near his house, and a station has been located about a mile 
from there. He early gave his attention to the grain and cattle interests, and 
also to raising horses, having made a specialty of the stock business, 
shipping to Chicago, Buffalo, and even to Albany, and has been thirteen days 
on the road with his cattle. The isle followed a long time, being in 
partnership with C. C. Smith for nineteen years; they also opened a butter 
factory in the village of Channahon, which they managed together for several 
years, handling as many as sixteen thousand pounds of milk per day, making 
butter and cheese. Our subject has by no means confined himself to 
agricultural pursuits, but has been engaged in other directions. He was 
connected with James Bruce in quarrying and shipping stone, furnishing the 
fluxing stone to the rolling mills, he having a specially fine stone on his 
place adapted to that purpose. At different times he contracted with the State 
to furnish the prison with meat, in company with C. C. Smith. February 14, 
1860, Mr. Alexander was united in marriage with Miss Emeline, daughter of 
Nelson Bedford, of New Jersey. They have had seven children, five of whom 
survive, namely: Nettie, Hattie, Mary, John and Ruth, the latter a child 
living with her parents. Nettie, the eldest keeps house for her brother John, 
who is now managing one of his father's farms in Wilmington Township; Hattie 
is the wife of William Jennings, formerly of Will County, now residing in 
Crawford County, Kan., and they have three children—Emma, George and Blanche; 
Mary is the wife of Allison Tryon, of Channahon, and they have two children—
George and Louis. Mr. Alexander is a man of fine physical and mental 
endowments and his honorable, conscientious course as a business man, his far-
seeing qualities, tact and enterprise make him an invaluable citizen of his 
native county, and it is to the influence of such men of fertile brain and 
liberal spirit that Will County is indebted for its high standing and 
prosperity. He is generous, frank and kind, genial and courteous in his 
intercourse with others and occupies a warm place in the hearts of his many 
friends. He is a leader among the Democrats of this section, takes a prominent 
part in public affairs and was elected Supervisor on that ticket, a position 
for which he is peculiarly well fitted. He is identified with Channahon Lodge, 
No. 262, A. F. & A. M.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page 
Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens 
of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890

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