Joshua W. Alexander

JOSHUA W. ALEXANDER,

MAN of splendid mental stature and the highest nobility of character is Joshna W.

r\ Alexander, of Gallatin, Missoitri. An evidence of superior mental and moral qualifications is a man's ability to rise superior to adverse circumstances and conditions. Measured by such a test Mr. Alexander has much to be proud of, for he is the creator of his own fortunes. He was a poor boy, with the necessity of raising himself by his own efforts, but with a noble and self-sacrificing mother to assist. Her son has always remained deeply sensible of her devotion to him and takes pride in the fact that he has struggled throughout life to attain the purposes she set before him. That he has succeeded, the fact that he is to-day one of the leaders in thought and action in his part of the State, is a lawyer of splendid reputation, and has been the recipient of high tokens of honor at the hands of the people, most plainly show.

Joshua W. Alexander was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, January 22, 1852. In 1857, when their son was five years old, his parents removed from the metropolis of Ohio to Anoka County, Minnesota, and settled on a farm. There the father, Thomas W. Alexander, died in 1859, and there lies buried. He was a native of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. His widow, who survived him, was a native of England, her name being prior to her marriage, Jane Robinson. She was a woman of the noblest Christian virtue, and of great strength of mind and purpose. Her nobility of character made a profound impress on the life of her only child, on whom she concentrated the entire strength of her affection and effort to shape his life to high and useful ends. The loss of its head entirely changed the plans of the little family. The year after the death of the husband and father (1860), the mother and son removed to Canton, Missouri, and that place and Gallatin have since been the scenes of the latter's life work and success.

It was through the efforts of his mother that he was given a good education. During the confusion of the Civil War, they returned to their old home, Cincinnati, and there the lad attended school for a term of three years. Iater he entered Christian University at Canton, and there completed his literary education and graduated in June, 1872, with the degree of A. B. His mother encouraged his ambition to become a lawyer, and, therefore, shortly subsequent to leaving college he began reading law in the office of A. D. lycwis, at Canton. He later continued and completed his studies in the office of Judge Samuel A. Richardson, at Gallatin, and was admitted to the bar in 1874.

Karly in his professional career the public extended to him a substantial recognition of his talents by electing him, in 1876, Public Administrator of Daviess County, and since then public and official honors have followed in an almost unbroken series. In 1882, in the middle of his second term as Public Administrator, he was elected to represent his county in the State IvCgislature. He was a member of that body during the session of 1883, was elected as his own successor and bore a conspicuous part in the proceedings of the session of 1885, and was then sent back once more to participate in the session of 1887. His Legislative career reflected honor on the people he represented and established his reputation as a painstaking legislator and a man of extensive intellectual powers. The esteem in which he was held by the Legislature was shown by the session of 1887 elevating him to the position of greatest power, making him its Speaker. He daily demonstrated the wisdom of the House in its selection by presiding over its deliberations with fairness and impartiality, and displayed a decision and strength of character that greatly facilitated its work. His knowledge of parliamentary procedure is extensive. He is possessed of that discriminating judicial mind gifted with seeing the merits of any case at once and weighing them fairly, and he has that natural force of character which made of him the ideal presiding officer.

Mr. Alexander has always been a friend to the cause of education and has done invaluable work as a leading and active member of the Gallatin Board of Education for fifteen years. He was elected to the Board in 1882, and the people have ever since demanded that he serve them in that field. At this time he is at the beginning of another three years' term. He has served as Mayor of Gallatin two terms, the last term having expired but recently, and has also acted as City Attorney one term. In 1894 he was appointed by Governor Stone a member of the Board of Managers of State Insane Asylum No. 2, located at St. Joe, Missouri, and is one of the members who held over under Governor Stephens' administration.

Mr. Alexander has always held his citizenship as an office involving certain duties, and his town values highly his efforts in its behalf. At this time he is President of the Gallatin Savings Bank. He is very active in church and Sunday School work, is a member of the

As printed in The history of the bench and bar of Missouri : With reminiscences of the prominent lawyers of the past, and a record of the law's leaders of the present (1898). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.