My Genealogy Hound

Judge Joseph H. Alexander is a native of Hickman County, Tenn., but has been a resident of Hot Spring County since 1850. He was the son of J. M. and Susan (Sloan) Alexander, both natives of North Carolina. When seven years of age, his mother died, his father surviving her twenty-two years. When about fourteen years old Joseph left home and went to New Orleans, where he shipped as cabin boy on the Winfield Scott, a packet running between Cincinnati and New Orleans, which life he followed for eight years, serving in various capacities, being at the end of that time mate of the vessel. In 1849 he came to Hot Springs, Ark., but remained only a short time, then going to Texas. The following year he returned to this county, engaged in buying and shipping horses and mules to the Southern market, and later went into the employ of the Hanger & Alif Stage Company, in the capacity of agent, where he remained until the breaking out of the war. Then he enlisted in the Third Arkansas Infantry, known as Albert Russ regiment, and served until 1864, when he received his discharge. He participated in the battles of Atlanta, Sharpsburg, in the seven days’ fight in front of Richmond, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, and in the three days’ battle of the Wilderness. In the second day’s fight of the last named battle, Mr. Alexander was wounded in the arm by a minie ball, which necessitated amputation. He was retired in November, 1864, as orderly sergeant, then returned home and rented a farm, which he ran until 1869, then purchasing a farm of eighty-seven acres on the Ouachita River, on the old military crossing. He lived there until 1881, when he sold out, and in the following January moved to Malvern. In 1880 he was elected county judge, and served three terms. He was again elected to that office in 1888, a position the duties of which he still discharges in an efficient and painstaking manner. From 1872 until 1880 he held the office of deputy sheriff. Judge Alexander and wife are members of the Methodist Church, South, in which he holds the position of trustee and district steward, also being class leader. He was married in 1858 to Maggie Sivley, a native of Alabama. They are the parents of three children: William D. (lives at home, and is engaged in railroading), Garden P. (also an employee of the railroad company), and Genevia. Judge Alexander is a self-made man, and has risen to a high position in society. He has taken an active part in public affairs since the war, and is one of the pioneers of the county, having seen it develop from a wilderness into its present state of prosperity. His daughter is a student at the Galaway Methodist Episcopal College at Searcy, Ark.