Sketch of William Archibald Alexander, St. Charles County, Missouri

>From "A History of the Pioneer Families of Missouri, with numerous
sketches, anecdotes, adventures, etc., relating to Early Days in 
Missouri" by William S. Bryan and Robert Rose, Published by Bryan,
Brand & Co., St. Louis Missouri, 1876.
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The Alexanders were among the early Colonial settlers.  They located
in Virginia prior to the Revolution, and John Alexander, the first of
whom we have any definite record, was an officer of the American Army
during the struggle for independence.  His son, James H., who was a
Virginia farmer, came to Missouri in the fall of 1829, and settled on
a farm in the lover part of Dardenne Prairie, where he resided until
his death, which occurred in 1836.  His wife died in 1833.  They left
four children, two sons and two daughters, the latter being the young-
er.  One of the sons, William Archibald, better known by the familiar
name of Arch, was twelve years of agen when his father died, having
been born in Rockbridge County, VA., June 15, 1824.  He was taken back
to Virginia by a family of relatives, and educated for the legal pro-
fession.  He devoted three years to study in the literary department
of Washington College, now Washington and Lee University, when he re-
turned to St. Louis and entered the law office of Spaulding & Tiffney,
as a student.  The following year he was admitted to the bar, and be-
gan the practice of his profession in the office of Hon. William M.
Campbell, where he remained until the death of the latter.  He then
returned to Virginia and spent a year in traveling through the South,
when he came back to Missouri and located in St. Charles.  There he
met with marked success, and was soon elected Public Administrator. He
was subsequently elected to the office of Commissioner of Public 
Schools, and in 1870 was chosen Mayor of the city of St. Charles, an
office which he filled with great credit to himself and to the satis-
faction of his constituents.  In 1872 he was elected Prosecuting Attor-
ney of the county, and was re-elected in 1874.  He possesses a pleasant
address, a fine flow of language, a handsome personal appearance, and
is universally popular.  He was married December 10, 1861, to Agnes
Behrens, daughter of Dr. Henry and Bertha Behrens, of St. Charles.	

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