The Alexander Twins

During World War II, many companies, including cigarette manufacturers, went patriotic with advertisements showing khaki, red, white, blue, and stars and stripes. Dorothy and Grace Alexander, then very young drum majorettes in Martinsville, VA, appeared in one of those ads.

Dorothy and Grace have been unable to trace their ancestry to anyone earlier than Thomas, born in Spartanburg, SC. Their Alexander ancestry, as they know it, is below. We are hoping to find a male Alexander cousin of theirs to swab his cheek and join the YDNA project. Although they do not know of any male Alexander descendant of William Oscar, he had at least one brother, Wade Thomas Alexander, born 25 Jul 1878. The site administrators will pass along any messages to Grace and Dorothy.

3X great grandfather: Thomas Alexander, born 13 Oct 1795, Spartanburg Co, SC, married Jane Wood, born 15 Sept 1801, VA She was the daughter of John Wood and Susan Burnett, who lived in Spartanburg Co, SC.

Great-great grandfather: James Simpson Alexander, born 17 Mar 1824, died or buried 17 Feb 1865; married Frances Jane Crosby, born 28 May 1827, Walhalla, SC James Simpson Alexander died during the Civil War and buried in the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, VA.

Great grandfather: Theodore Decatur Alexander I, born 11 Nov 1849, Walhalla, SC, died 13 Dec 1928; married Margaret Elizabeth Dickson, born 1 Oct 1847

Grandfather: William Oscar Alexander, born 27 Jan 1875, Oconee Co, SC, died 18 Jan 1945, Lynchburg, VA; married, 19 Oct 1898, Louise Rebecca Dilworth, born 30 Nov 1877, died 20 Feb 1962