1822 - 1864
by Sharon Smith
Alexander Gordon was born 1822 Robertson County TN. He is the son of Robert Boaz Gordon and Milly Pitts and he came to Conway County AR with his parents in 1844 when he was 22 years of age. He began work as a farmer & miller in Point Remove township. He was very active in his community & served as a Justice of Peace, School Commissioner, Assistant Judge and Home Guard for Lick Mountain township during the Civil War.
He was first married to Nancy Ragsdale in 1846 in Conway County. She is the daughter of William & Sarah Ragsdale & was born 1825 in Robertson County TN.
Their children are:
1. Johnathan "John" born 1846 Conway County AR. He married Mary Starkey "Polly" Dec 10, 1871 Conway County AR. She was the daughter of Caleb Starkey & Sarah Huie. They did not have any children.
2. Robert Bolen born Dec 31, 1849 Conway County AR. He married Nancy Elizabeth Reed Sep 5, 1872 Conway County AR. Her parents were James Reed & Sarah Elizabeth Smith. Robert & Nancy's children were James A. "Jim", Mary Ann "Molly", William Robert "Will", John Wesley "Red", Joseph Lucian, Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie", Ira Austin & Lonnie Houston.
3. Alexander Bruce born July 4, 1855 Conway County AR. He married Melvina Reed July 5, 1874 Conway County AR, daughter of James Reed & Sarah Elizabeth Smith. Their children were Nancy Ann "Nannie", Lucian R. "Luce", Louisa Jane "Jane", Lewis, Lucinda "Cindy", Sarah, John Bruce, Emma Jeannette, Elmer Alexander, Sreathie Ethel & Allie Melvina.
4. Lucian "Luther" born Nov 28, 1858 Conway County AR. He married Ophelia A. Doty Feb 18, 1885 Conway County AR. They did not have any children.
Nancy Gordon died sometime prior to 1859.
Alexander married a second time to Elizabeth Prince in 1859 in Conway County AR. She is the daughter of Miles Prince & Charity Halbrook.
Their children are:
1. Joseph P. born July 11, 1860 Conway County AR. He married Parmelia Hogue "Amelia" Oct 7, 1879 Conway County AR. She is the daughter of Tilmon Paul Hogue & Tabitha Cato-Chance & their children were William G., John Alexander, Roxie L., Martha Elizabeth, Charity Palmer, Lucy Jane & Isabell.
2. Roxie Ann born Mar 15, 1862 Conway County AR. She married first to J. Newton Halbrook & their children were Sarah Ann, Charity Elizabeth, Joseph T., Mary Nora, George & Newton. Her husband died in 1887 & she married a second time to James Monroe Bryant "Jim" 1889 Conway County AR & their children were Myrtle J. "Mirtie", Nancy Zellar "Zellar", John Thomas "Johnnie", Lou Ella "Ellie" & Cerrena Lina "Rene".
3. William Miles born May 9, 1864 Conway County AR. He married first to Martha Barnes "Marthie" 1890 Van Buren County AR. She is the daughter of Andrew Barnes & Rebecca Williams & their daughter was Lillie. His wife died Dec 2, 1909 AR.
He married his second wife, Annie Bell Oliger-Clowers, Jun 5, 1910 Conway County AR. Their children were Archie, Olen Robert, William Elba, Ruby, Willie Mae & Charlie Raymond.
After Alexander's death, Elizabeth married to Isaac Taylor Bradley on Apr 29, 1866 in Conway County & their children were John Thomas, Charity, Mariah Jane, Isaac Newton & Jasper.
On Sep 18, 1858 Alexander purchased 80 acres of land for 75 cents per acre under "An Act to Graduate and Reduce the Price of Public Lands to Actual Settlers and Cultivators". A final certificate was issued and dated May 1, 1860 and at that time he had a dwelling house, smokehouse, corn crib & stable and 20 acres of land cleared, fenced and in cultivation.
The 1860 census shows Alexander was farming in Lick Mountain township with real estate valued at $500 & personal property valued at $520.
On Jun 10, 1861 Alexander enlisted for 1 year in Company C, 5th AR Infantry, C.S.A. as a private and on Jul 11, 1861 he was appointed a Home Guard for Lick Mountain township. He took part in the Battle of Perryville Kentucky which began on Oct 8, 1862. It was the largest battle fought in Kentucky during the Civil War. The fighting began early in the morning which consisted of a series of battles that continued all day and into the evening. After the battles ended there were 532 killed, 2641 wounded and 228 captured Confederate soldiers. Alexander was wounded & sent to a hospital in Harrodsburg KY on Oct 9, 1862 and listed as absent from that time. It's believed that he left the hospital and returned home. He died on Mar 1, 1864 two months before his last child was born & it's unknown if his death was secondary to the injuries received at the Battle of Perryville. He was buried at Grandview Cemetery.
After his death his sons from his first marriage, John, Robert Bolen, Alexander Bruce and Lucian, lived with their grandparents, William & Sarah Ragsdale.
This page was last updated:
Sunday, 09-Sep-2018 00:58:15 MDT