The heritage of the Alexander family is not too well known, except that they came from the British Isles via Holland and settled in the Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania. Three sons of John Alexander; James, Andrew, and Frank E., grew to manhood in Pennsylvania but feeling the urge to go west, came to Iowa about 1870. James and Andrew settled on farms in the Chariton, Iowa, area. Frank, who was a photographer, settled in Albia.
James Alexander was married to Aleda Culbertson in Chariton, Iowa December 24, 1868. On October 20, 1869, a son William Edwin was born.
William grew to manhood in Chariton, but came to Antelope County, Nebraska along with his family in 1884. He and his brothers, Ralph and Harry purchased a horse-powered threshing machine and serviced the community for several years. In 1890, when the new village of Orchard was started, James and his sons built several of the new buildings.
William married Della Retta West on November 11, 1895. She was born in McArthur, Ohio on February 14, 1867. They farmed until 1901 when William became Postmaster.
On February 13, 1906, son Charles Edwin was born. The family moved to Norfolk in 1917 but returned to Orchard in 1923. Charles finished high school in 1925 and the family left for California. William died at Chico, California in 1941. Della died there in 1933. Charles finished college and taught for 31 years. He was in the Navy from 1942-45. When he gave up teaching he returned to Orchard.
Source Unknown: Originally submitted for this website in June 2007