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:

  1. William Alexander (ca 1646 - ca 1707) m. Ann Liston
  2. Andrew Alexander (ca 1648 - ca 1692/1700) m. Jane McKnitt
  3. James Alexander 'weaver' (ca 1652 - 1735) m. Mary Steele
  4. John Alexander (ca 1652 - ca 1718) m. Mary Barbary
  5. Francis Alexander (ca 1654 - bef 1701) m. Rebecca Unknown
  6. Samuel Alexander (ca 1657 - 1733) m. Mary Taylor
  7. Joseph Alexander 'tanner' (ca 1660 - 1730) m. Abigail McKnitt
Their "two sisters" have been identified as:
  1. Elizabeth Alexander (ca 1650 - ca 1692) m. Matthew Wallace
  2. 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. 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.

Members of this DNA project, all of whom match each other closely, descend from James Sr's son James Jr, his son Matthew, and probably his son William. Another participant matches this group closely and is a likely descendant of James, Sr, or possibly of an unknown brother or cousin of James, Sr. The descendants of James Jr and Matthew have paper trails to these sons, while the probable descendant of William has no paper trail to him but can rely on family tales on both sides of kinship to Matthew's family. The other participant with matching DNA found his kinship through the DNA project.

The grouping of The Lancaster, VA, Limb is a result of DNA testing. Two early members of this family group are John Alexander, b. 1612, d. 1677, 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 John. 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.

One member traces his descent back to the immigrant John Alexander for whose family Alexandria, VA, was named. They were a prominent family and have left a trail of letters, wills, and other legal documents.

Another 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.