Bio: Alexander Weil, Claiborne Parish, LA
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890
Submitted for the LAGenWeb Archives by: Gwen Moran-Hernandez, Jan. 2000


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Alexander Weil has an extended acquaintance throughout this section of the country, 
for he has been a worthy resident of Claiborne Parish since 1850, but at the present 
time is a resident of the city of New Orleans.  He was born in Albersweiler, Rheinish 
Bavaria, Germany, November 5, 1830, being the sixth of a family of seven children-four 
sons and three daughters-born to Hirsh Weil and Charlotte (Levy) Weil, the former born 
in Germany, and the latter in Alsace, France (now Germany).  The father was a wine 
merchant, and for six years was a soldier in Spain under Napoleon Bonaparte.  He and 
his wife are now deceased, both having been intelligent and well educated people.  
Their children are as follows: Ester (died at the age of sixty years, wife of L. Levy, 
a grain dealer), Aaron (who is a wine merchant of Germany), Yetta (deceased), Sameul 
(of New Orleans), Michael (deceased), Alexander and Caroline (residing in Germany).  
The early educational training of Alexander was received in the public schools of Germany, 
and at the age of twelve years he entered college where he remained two and a half years, 
taking a full course of general instruction which has admirably fitted him for the practical 
life he has led.  He came direct from his native land to Homer march 19, 1850, via New 
Orleans, and commenced life in America as a merchant, a calling he followed until the 
opening of the war, and during this time proved himself a successful business man.  He 
was married in Carlsrue, Baden, on February 7, 1867, by the United States Consul to Miss 
Henrietta Wolf, a native of Alsace, but who was reared in Rheinish, Bavaria.  She was born 
in 1846, and received a finished education in Germany.  To her union with Mr. Weil five 
daughters have been born: Carrie S., Lillie (deceased), Camille, Omega and Blanche.  At 
the opening of the Rebellion Mr. Weil enlisted in the Claiborne Guards and was assigned 
to the Second Louisiana Infantry Volunteers, which were ordered to Virginia at once, under 
Gen. McGruder, and he afterward took part in the battles of Bethel Church, Dam No. 1, 
seven days' fight around Richmond and Malvern Hill, where there was a terrible slaughter 
of men.  Here Mr. Weil was compelled to use six different guns and his clothing was riddles 
with bullets, but notwithstanding this fact, he came out of the battle unharmed.  He was 
also at the second battle of Manassas, Antietam, being wounded in the right leg in the last 
named battle while attempting to take the flag from a comrade who had fallen.  He was sent 
to the hospital at Richmond, from which place he was furloughed home, where he remained 
until his wound healed, when he at once went to the front again, joining his regiment near 
Fredericksburg, Va.  The next engagement in which he took part was the Wilderness, after 
which he went up to Shenandoah Valley, and took part in the engagement at Harper's Ferry, 
being afterward at Gettysburg, where he was again severely wounded, this time on the left 
side of his head.  This wound was pronounced fatal, but his wonderful nerve and indomitable 
will brought him through, and he now carried in his watch a charm of a large piece of the 
ball which was the means of almost terminating his life.  Six pieces were taken from his 
head.  He was so severely wounded that he was taken prisoner and was kept at David's Island, 
where he remained two months.  He was then paroled, returned home, and once more turned his 
attention to mercantile pursuits, but during the twenty-four subsequent months he was much 
troubled with his wound which remained open.  He has always been a stanch Democrat, and his 
first presidential vote was cast for James Buchanan, the "bachelor President."  He has been 
chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee of Claiborne Parish for many years, and at 
one time was a formidable candidate in the race for representative of his parish, and as he 
was in the political arena as a candidate only one week, his opponent defeated him by only 
a small majority.  He has been one of the prominent councilmen of his town for several years, 
and socially in a member of Homer Lodge No. 152, of the A. F. & A. M., and he also belongs 
to the A. L of H., a very prosperous organization in Claiborne Parish and in the State of 
Louisiana.  He is a valued and honored member of the well known Jewish order of I. O. B. B.  
He also belongs to the order known as the Army of Northern Virginia.  He and his family 
belong to the Hebrew Church of New Orleans, and are well known in social circles both in 
that city and in Homer.  As a business man his success has been almost phenomenal, and he 
is now well to do.  He is special agent of the well known and honored life insurance 
company, the Manhattan Company, of New York City, and has the full confidence of his 
employers.  For some time after the close of the war his health was so poor that he 
decided to take a tour to Europe, and while there much of his time was spent at the famous 
watering places: Weisbaden and Baden Baden.  He remained in the old country one year, and 
when he returned to the land of his adoption he brought his bride with him.

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