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Alexander family papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS0030

Scope and Contents

About 90 items, largely about Hezekiah Alexander (1728-1801), member of a large and influential family that settled in Mecklenburg County in the 1760s. Includes transcriptions and photocopies of his will, estate inventory, and survey map of his property; material relating to the preservation of his home, built in 1774 and the oldest surviving building in Mecklenburg County; and genealogical information.

Dates

  • Creation: 1778 - 1969
  • Creation: 1778 - 1806

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.

Biographical / Historical

Hezekiah Alexander was born around 1728 in Cecil county, Maryland to James and Margaret McKnitt Alexander. He learned the blacksmith trade in his early years and moved to Cumberland county, Pennsylvania as a young man, where he married his wife, Mary Sample, in 1752. Hezekiah and his wife fled Pennsylvania during the French and Indian War and by 1764 had settled near the Catawba River in the Piedmont of North Carolina.

Alexander quickly rose to prominence in the newly created Mecklenburg county, where Gov. Tryon appointed him county magistrate in 1768 and he served as an elder at Sugar Creek Presbyterian Church. He also played a part in the creation of Queens College in 1771, the first college chartered south of Virginia. As tensions with Britain heated up, Alexander joined Meckleburg's Committee of Public Safety and took part in the adoption of the Mecklenburg Resolves, which declared all British laws null and void. During the Revolutionary War, Alexander served on the local Committee of Safety and Council and helped raise and finance the Patriot forces. He also helped determine civilian and military policy in the province. Hezekiah attended the Halifax congress in 1776 and played a major role in drafting the North Carolina Constitution and Bill of Rights.

After the war, Alexander continued to farm at his plantation and served as county magistrate until 1794. He died on July 16, 1801 and was buried in the Sugar Creek Presbyterian Church cemetery.

Source: https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/alexander-hezekiah

Extent

0.25 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Primarily material about Hezekiah Alexander (1728-1801), member of a large and influential family that settled in Mecklenburg County in the 1760s. Includes transcriptions and photocopies of his will, estate inventory, and survey map of his property; material relating to the preservation of his home, built in 1774 and the oldest surviving building in Mecklenburg County; and genealogical information. Also includes a photograph of John Graham's diploma (1778) from Liberty Hall Academy.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Mrs. Hugh Houser

Related Materials

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission Reports (UNCC Manuscript 77): Hezekiah Alexander House.

Title
Alexander family papers
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Manuscript Collections, J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, UNC Charlotte Repository

Contact:
Atkins Library, UNC Charlotte
9201 University City Blvd
Charlotte NC 28223 United States

About this Site

Finding aids are guides to archival collections, including manuscripts, university records, and oral history collections. These guides help you find physical collections which can be viewed in the Dalton Reading Room on the 10th floor of Atkins Library. A small number of finding aids link to digital content online. Please contact us to learn more or to schedule an appointment:


Special Collections and University Archives
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