Grayson County TXGenWeb

Early records for Horace Alexander are scant. Some records indicate that he was born in 1840 in Ohio, but his tombstone in Texas says he was born in 1838. The 1850 census listed a Horace Alexander, age 10, living in Townsend, Huron County, Ohio, with the family of Nehemiah and Elenor Ferrand Ordway. Nehemiah, at 62, listed no profession.

At age 22, Horace enlisted in the Union army at Hannibal, Missouri, in 1863. He was an unmarried engineer. On Christmas Day of 1864, he married Elizabeth Ann "Annie" Lomax (1846–1941) in Linn County, Missouri. Two years later, they paid taxes in Brookfield, Linn County.

By 1876, the couple had moved to Denison, Texas, where they lived on the north side of Crawford Street, between Burnet and Fannin Avenues. The City Directory listed Horace as a master mechanic with the MK&T Railroad. In 1880, the Census gave his occupation as a railroad machinist. His oldest son, Frank E. Alexander, then 13, was employed as a printer. The family was living on Gandy Street.

A major change took place in the next seven years, for the 1887 City Directory listed Horace as a partner with William A. Tibbs (1833—1907) in Tibbs & Alexander, real estate, house renting and collecting agents, at 328 West Main Street. The Alexander family lived at 517 West Gandy for nearly two decades. Tibbs was a notary public living at 903 West Main, and the partnership was short-lived. In 1891, Horace's firm was called H. Alexander & Company, and he had a new partner, Samuel Tyler. The office had moved a few doors east to 316-1/2 West Main. An advertisement emphasized: "Make a specialty of renting houses and collecting rents."

Alexander continued to move his office around in downtown Denison. In 1901, he was offering "real estate, loans, notary public" at 104 North Burnett Avenue, where his youngest child, Horace Guy Alexander (1884–1946), was a clerk.

In 1903, the office was at 218 West Main. Guy now was a letter carrier. Horace and Annie had left Gandy Street to live at 818 West Bond. Shortly they moved next door to 816, then settled down across the street at 820 West Bond. The real estate office shifted to 204 West Main by 1905. Guy went to work as a bookkeeper for J. H. Gardner & Company.

By 1909, Horace Alexander was nearing age 70 and had moved to an upscale location in the Security Building at 331 West Main Street. A book published that year depicted the building with this caption: "Bank of Brooks, Bass & Johnston ... Real Estate Office of H. Alexander, Side Entrance." Presumably the outside entrance helped accommodate the stream of renters bringing their payments. The 1909 City Directory gave his office address as 302 Security Building.

Office of Horace Alexander at side entrance.
Source of photo: 331 West Main St. (Security Building). "Bank of Brooks, Bass & Johnston.
Financial Responsibility, Quarter of a Million Dollars. Real Estate Office of H [Horace] Alexander, Side Entrance."
In Robinson, Frank M., comp. Industrial Denison. [N.p.]: Means-Moore Co., [ca. 1901]. Page 92.

Following Horace's death, Annie played a key role in preserving a notable sculpture in Fairview Cemetery. Known as "The Forgotten Soldier," the statue, according to the City of Denison's website, was originally dedicated to the memory of those Union Veterans of the American Civil War who were members of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.). This organization was comprised of those who served the Federal cause during that most painful time in United States history. With the sponsorship of the Nathaniel Lyon Post #5 of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Woman's Relief Corps (the auxiliary of the G.A.R.), the monument was erected in 1906 by the A. P. Chamberlain Company. The base is manufactured from native limestone, and the statue was probably purchased from one of several manufacturers who produced such images for the G.A.R. during the late 1800s and early 1900s. [Source: http://tx-denison.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/Home/View/166

The statue is one of only three known monuments to the Union cause within the State of Texas. Many Union veterans chose to settle in Denison when railroads were built south to Texas. Moreover, in 1860, Grayson County was one of ten Texas counties voting to remain in the Union rather than join the Confederate cause.

The files of Fairview Cemetery record that the monument was ceded into perpetual care in 1923, with the fees for such being paid for by one Elizabeth Alexander, a relative of Horace Alexander. The website states, "It is surmised that Ms. Alexander was the daughter of Brother Alexander, since his wife is buried beside him and is named Anna." However, we now know that his wife was indeed named Elizabeth, as well as Anna. Perhaps, following Horace's death in 1920, she wanted to commemorate his service for the Union during the Civil War. Both he and she were recipients of a pension based on that service.

The Alexanders' youngest child, Horace Guy Alexander, had gone to work in Wichita Falls, Texas, as manager of an adjustment company. Then he moved to Highland Park in Dallas, where he gave his occupation in 1940 as "state agent" but also said he was a "wage or salary worker in private work." He had completed two years of high school. His wife's name was Effie. He died in 1946 and was buried near his parents in Denison, at Fairview Cemetery.