My Genealogy Hound

ALEXANDER HOOD. This name will be at once recognized as that of one of the leading attorneys of Randolph County, who is probably as well known as any other resident within its bounds. He resides in Chester, where he is carrying on a lucrative practice as an attorney. A native of Chester, S. C., our subject was born July 24, 1829, and is the son of John and Sarah (Burns) Hood. John Hood, the father of our subject, was the son of Alexander Hood, a native of Ireland, and during his life followed the combined occupations of carpenter and farmer. The maternal grandfather of our subject, Samuel Burns, was born in South Carolina, and was of Irish descent.

Alexander Hood, of this sketch, was the second child in the order of birth in the parental, family of ten children, eight of whom grew to mature years, and seven of whom are yet living. He spent his boyhood and youth in South Carolina, and up to the age of sixteen years attended school in that state. In 1845 he accompanied his parents on their removal to this state, where the father purchased a tract of land in Randolph County. The farm was in its primitive wildness, and young Hood proved of great assistance to his father in its clearing and cultivation. Here the father continued to reside until he died, in 1879, when in his seventy-eighth year. His good wife, who preceded him to the better land, died in 1869.

Having decided to make the practice of law his life occupation, Mr. Hood went to Ann Arbor, and was graduated from the law department of the Michigan University in 1861. Then returning to this city, he two years later opened up an office and began a general law practice, in the prosecution of which he has not only gained a handsome income, but the good will of the community at large.

May 25, 1854, Alexander Hood and Miss Eliza J. Hunter were united in marriage. The lady was born July 11, 1836, in the state of Indiana, and at her death, which occurred in 1881, left a family of six children, survivors of twelve born to them, five of whom are living at the present time: John H., residing in Litchfield, this state; Robert B., who makes his home in Indiana; William A., living in Rescue, Miss.; Belle R., of Chicago, Ill.; Lula, Mrs. C. J. Balthasar, of St. Louis, Mo.; and Qua M., at home. The present wife of our subject, to whom he was married in 1883, was Mrs. Mary J. Nixon, of Ellis Grove, this county. She is the daughter of J. H. McCarty, deceased, who was a prominent farmer of Randolph County, and was formerly Assessor of the county. Her father and mother are natives of Kentucky and Illinois, respectively. She is a native of this county.

Mr. Hood sustains a most enviable reputation for strict integrity and firmness of purpose among his professional brethren, and has served three terms as City Attorney. He has also been honored with the position of County Judge, and for six years was Master in Chancery of the county. Socially he is an Odd Fellow. He is a member of Chester Lodge No. 57, and also of Randolph Encampment No. 55. In politics he always votes the straight Democratic ticket.