James Needham Alexander

James Needham Alexander was born 24 October 1833 in Mecklenburg County, NC. He was the son of Catharine H. Thomason and James C. Alexander who married 24 February 1831 in Mecklenburg County, NC. James N’s father was deceased by July 1836, Catharine Alexander and David T. Thomason (Catharine’s brother) were appointed guardians of the three children who were minors: Stanhope W., Martha E., and James N.

     James Needham Alexander married Mary Morrison Caldwell 4 March 1858 in Mecklenburg County, NC and began his family. Mary was the daughter of Robert Caldwell, Jr. and wife, Serena Houston.

     On 1 February 1862, at the age of 28, James N. enlisted for the War Between The States and mustered in as a Private. As a soldier in Company A, 11^th Regiment of NC Troops, he spent considerable time in the Lenoir County, NC area. He was wounded (slight flesh wound on the left elbow and was shot in the right forefinger causing a broken bone in the finger) at Gettysburg, PA in July 1863. He was promoted to Corporal in July-August 1864. He was wounded (shot through the left thigh) at Petersburg, VA between September-October 1864 and rejoined Company A between January-February 1865. He was paroled at Appomattox Court House, VA on 9 April 1865.

     After the war, James N. brought his family (wife and children) to live in Kinston, Lenoir County, NC where he farmed. His children were:

1.      Dallas Caldwell Alexander (1859-1926) who married Martha Lou (Ludie) Dail

2.      Robert William Alexander (1860-1923) who married Sally A. Johnson

3.      Jefferson Davis Alexander (1861-1929) who married Lydia Ann Sutton

4.      Laura Elizabeth Alexander (1865-1933) who married Allen Greene Roberts

5.      James Henry Alexander (Abt 1866-1937) who married Nina L. Hardy

6.      Sarah (Sally) Alexander (1869-1930) who married Horace T. Roberts

7.      Richard Baxter Alexander (1873-1944) who married Essie Evelyn Lanier

8.      McAmy Houston Alexander (1876-Abt 1940) who married Lillian Cavanugh

The first four children were born in Mecklenburg County, NC and the last four were born in Lenoir County, NC. The first seven children were married in Lenoir County, NC but unknown where the eighth child was married.

     James N’s wife Mary died in Lenoir County, NC on 9 October 1902 and is buried in the Alexander Family Cemetery just off of 3305 Carey Road, Kinston, NC. In the 1910 Lenoir County Census, James N. was boarding in Kinston and occupation was listed as “fish pedler”.

     On 28 June 1909, he applied for soldier’s pension and was approved. In October 1917, he applied for admission to the Home For Disabled Ex-Confederate Soldiers in Raleigh, NC and was admitted 27 November 1917. He died in Raleigh on 14 January 1918 of “Acute Uraemia” due to chronic nephritis. He was buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh, NC in the Confederate Soldiers’ section.

     There are several errors on James Needham Alexander’s death certificate: It states he was born in Lenoir County instead of Mecklenburg County, states that his mother’s maiden name was Thompson instead of Thomason, and has his middle initial as “W” instead of “N”. The gravestone also has the error of “W” as his middle initial.

Sources:

1.        James C. Alexander estate papers

2.        Guardianship papers for minor children of James C. Alexander

3.        NC Census Records: 1840, 1850, 1860 Mecklenburg County and 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910 Lenoir County

4.        Book “Marriages of Mecklenburg Co, NC 1783-1868”

5.        Civil War Records

6.        Death Certificates

7.        Lenoir County Marriage Records

8.        Application for pension for James N. Alexander

9.        Application for admission to the Old Soldiers’ Home in Raleigh, NC for James N. Alexander

10.     Information from several descendants

11.    Photo of Gravestone by Walter Moore