McMains Documents

Alexander Family of Virginia: Bible Records

INTRODUCTION:

The Alexander family of Virginia obtained a family Bible printed by Thomas Baskett, Printers to the King's most Excellent Majesty. This copy was published in 1761, in London, England. Although the written family tree of this Bible has long since been lost, written notes within the Bible confirm it's ancestry and provide genealogical data concerning one descendant McMains line.

The Bible had been held by the Goddard family, which represents one branch family descended from Robert McMains, Jr. and Sarah Alexander McMains. Ending up for sale on Ebay, I purchased it with the kind assistance of McMains cousins (special thank you to Chuck McMains). The Bible will now be preserved as an early witness of our heritage. I have located additional information currently held by a past owner of the Bible. I hope to obtain this information as soon as possible.

Condition of the Bible

The Bible is in very poor condition. A good part of the Old Testament and most of the New Testament are gone. Books of the Apocrypha are intact. The spine and cover of the Bible are gone. The surviving pages are brittle, yellowed and very musty. Many existing pages are damaged and no longer bound. The title page of the New Testament confirms the date published as 1761.

Ownership of the Bible

The original owner of the Bible was "Grandpa Alexander", whom I believe to have been Peter Alexander, born in 1758. Peter and his wife, Jannett Steele Alexander, had at least ten children. One of them, Sarah Alexander (born 1791) married Robert McMains, Jr. (son of Robert McMains, Sr. and his wife also named Sarah). Robert, Jr. was born in 1786. Sarah Alexander McMains inherited the Bible. It was then passed down to her daughter, Mary McMains Pierson (born 1816, KY). The next owner of the Bible was Mary's son, Robert M. Pierson. I believe it is he that wrote the first handwritten note on the last page of the Apocrypha (II Maccabees). The second author (continued the note using a different color of ink) was likely either Maud Pierson Taylor (born 1873, IA) or her sister, Pearl Pierson Swan (born 1885, IA), both listed as current owners when this second note was written. This second note was most likely written in 1911 (date found on next page--title page of the New Testament). The sisters inherited the Bible from their brother Robert A. Pierson, probably due to his death (not yet confirmed). Other scribbles in the Bible represent Malissa Pierson (born 1846, IN; dated 1853) and Willis Everett Pierson (born 1814, KY) who was the husband of Mary McMains Pierson.

Genealogical Significance

Notes within the Bible establish one of the descendant lines of Robert McMains, Jr. and Sarah Alexander McMains (through their son, Robert M. Pierson). I am currently conducting further research, but thus far I have been able to confirm the information through census records.