Biographical Sketch of Capt. Alexander H. INGRAM (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsylvania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Philadelphia, PA, 1893, pp. 741-2. "CAPT. ALEXANDER H. INGRAM, who has had an extended army experience and is now a highly respected and useful citizen of Oxford, is the sixth child and second son of Richard and Anna (Irwin) Ingram, and was born in County Donegal, province of Ulster, Ireland, November 1, 1841. Richard Ingram (father) was a native of the same county, but leaving the Emerald Isle in 1856, he emigrated to America and settled at Oxford, Chester county, Pennsylvania, where he died in April, 1887, at the advanced age of seventy-six years. He was a farmer all his life, a republican in politics, and in religion a strict member of the Presbyterian church. In 1828 he married Anna Irwin, also a native of Ireland, by whom he had two sons and five daughters, all born in Ireland: Ellen, de- ceased; Elizabeth, married Richard Scott, and now resides in the city of Phil- adelphia; Thomas, a resident of Parkersburg, West Virginia, and employed as an engineer on the Ohio River railroad; Jane, married Thomas Settle, a dyer by occupation, living at Frankford, Philadelphia county; Mary, married Charles Adams, a gardener residing in the city of Philadelphia; Alexander H., the sub- ject of this sketch; and Margaret, deceased. Four of these children - Eliza- beth, Alexander H., Thomas and Jane - preceded their parents to this country, and Mary came in 1856. "Capt. Alexander H. Ingram was reared principally in Ireland and received his education in the schools of that country. After coming to this country he worked on a farm for six months, and then went to Philadelphia, where he secured a position in the office of C. Gillou, and remained some eighteen months. He afterward worked for a time on a farm in Sussex county, Delaware, and then returned to Philadelphia, where he remained only a short time before coming to this county. There he learned the painting trade with William M. Smith, and followed that occupation continuously until 1857, when he enlisted in the United States army, and the following year took in the Mormon war. He served during the entire civil war, being a member of that time of Co., D, 3d United States infantry, and participated in the battle of Ft. Craig, New Mexico, and in the siege of Port Hudson, and also the siege and capture of Mobile. Near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he was captured by the Confederates, and spent ten months in the military prisons of Cohoba, Alabama, and Andersonville, Savannah and Millen, Georgia. While a prisoner of war he escaped three times, but was as often recaptured. After the civil war closed he accompanied General Merritt's command into western Texas, marching from Shreveport, Louisi- ana, to San Antonio, Texas, as one of the army of observation, watching the movements of Maximillian, who was endeavoring to found a Mexican empire. "After the close of his army service Captain Ingram returned to Oxford, this county, and once more engaged in the painting business, working one year for William M. Smith, and then setting up for himself. He conducted this business until 1880, owning a neat paint and wall-paper store, and then moved to his farm one mile and a half from Oxford. He has had charge of painting for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company since 1880. "In politics Captain Ingram is a republican, and in religious faith a Presby- terian, being a member of the First Presbyterian church of Oxford. He is also a member of the Oxford Lodge, No. 353, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is past master and chairman of its board of trustees; Oxford Chapter, No. 223, Royal Arch Masons, of which he is past high priest and treasurer; and of Thompson Post, No. 132, Grand Army of the Republic, being now (1893) its post commander. On December 6, 1866, Captain Ingram was united in marriage with Anna Clark, who was a daughter of James Clark, of Lower Oxford township, and a native of this county."