Our Early Alexander Ancestors
CAVEAT: These family sketches are guidelines, not primary source material. Although the authors have attempted to be accurate,
the content represents their opinions or best guesses and should be independently verified by serious researchers.
Seven Brothers, Two Sisters: Ireland to MD
Most researchers of this large group of Alexanders who settled in early Somerset County and the New Munster area of Cecil County, MD have
believed that they were
seven brothers and two sisters who emigrated from County Donegal, Ireland, to
Maryland, with a possible stop in VA or elsewhere, starting about 1685.
The "seven brothers" have been identified as:
William Alexander (ca 1646 - ca 1707) m. Ann Liston
Andrew Alexander (ca 1648 - ca 1692/1700) m. Jane McKnitt
James Alexander 'weaver' (ca 1652 - 1735) m. Mary Steele
John Alexander (ca 1652 - ca 1718) m. Mary Barbary
Francis Alexander (ca 1654 - bef 1701) m. Rebecca Unknown
Samuel Alexander (ca 1657 - 1733) m. Mary Taylor
Joseph Alexander 'tanner' (ca 1660 - 1730) m. Abigail McKnitt
Their "two sisters" have been identified as:
Elizabeth Alexander (ca 1650 - ca 1692) m. Matthew Wallace
Jane Alexander (ca 1665 - 1693) m. John McKnitt Sr.
Over the years, many researchers have attempted to identify the father of the Seven Brothers, Two Sisters, but none of the commonly
mentioned candidates have been shown to be connected through primary source documentation. Before the American Revolution, descendants
of the Seven Brothers, Two Sisters migrated to different parts of Maryland and into nearby Pennsylvania. Large branches also migrated
to North Carolina in the same time period.
Participants in the ADNA Project have paper trails to Andrew, James, Joseph, and Samuel. These participants match each other closely
in their YDNA profiles and also match a few others who apparently descend from these brothers or close cousins also but have no paper
trails to them. These participants found roots through this project.
The Spartanburg Confused Bunch was long said to descend from James Alexander (known as the weaver);
however, DNA evidence appears to rule this out. (See
Seven Brothers, Two Sisters: Ireland to MD.) However,
they have been connected to another James, James Alexander, Sr, who was b. about 1730, place unknown, and died probably after 1810 in
either Spartanburg County, SC, or Blount or Roane County of eastern TN. James and wife, apparently named Mary, lived in Rowan County, NC,
in the 1750s and were in Spartanburg County, SC, by the time of the American Revolution, either by their move or by a move of the colony boundary.
Most members of this DNA project, all of whom match each other closely, descend from James Sr's son James Jr, his son Matthew, and apparently
his son William; however, a few participants who are certainly members of this group and match the others very closely may descend an unknown
brother or cousin of James Sr instead of one of his sons. The descendants of James Jr and Matthew have paper trails to James Sr, while the
probable descendant of William has no paper trail to him but can rely on family tales in his family and Matthew's family claiming kinship between the two groups. The other participants with matching DNA found their kinship through the DNA project; however, their earliest know ancestors lived near James Sr's home county in SC a few years after he was known to live there.
The grouping of
The Lancaster, VA, Limb is a result of DNA testing. Two early members of this family group are James Alexander, b. in VA about 1732, d. in VA about 1778, and Anguish Alexander, who died in VA, probably 1742, (will written 28 Feb 1742, recorded 8 Feb 1743); however, it's currently unknown exactly how Anguish relates to James. From information posted by Donna Suzawith:
Abstracts Lancaster County, Virginia Wills 1653-1800, W.B. #13, p.321; the Anguish Alexander will mentions: wife Mary, sons James, Jesse, John, Robert, and William; dau. Hannah. Extrx, Wife. Wits. Jno Rogers and Jas. Monro.
The will of James Alexander, b. 1732, was probated 13 July 1778 in St. Stephens Parish, Northumberland, VA. Two members descend from him through his
son William, who served in the Revolutionary War.
One member descends from Jesse Alexander, probably the Jesse mentioned in Anguish Alexander's will. Now that the DNA project has brought them together, it is hoped that they can combine family knowledge to help each other.
