Beyond our Elusive William Daniel

He was born on a Tuesday. He passed the Law Exam which would have allowed him to practice law if he had wished.

Apparently he taught school in the following places: Clear Creek School, Brown Co. Texas (Mar. 1,1906-Postcard) Mercury, Texas-1906 (postcard) Bangs - Mar. & Apr., 1907 (postcards) Dumont, Dickens County (?) (pictures), Texas (He was in Dickens Texas in May of 1908 according to a postcard addressed to him there, A postcard was addressed to him at Dumont, Dickens Co, Texas in February, 1909) (In the summer of 1908 he attended Nelson Draughon College in Fort Worth - a post card was addressed to him c/o the college - Dollie was visiting in Wortham for two months, visited Mexia and Teague, picked some cotton) Fife-1909 (He was living in Fife in 1910,1912-postcards) Brady-? (Lived in Brady when first married though he taught in Fife at the time-Postcard in 1909)

THE FOLLOWING IS A COPY OF A LETTER FROM JOE A. ALEXANDER TO HIS SON JOHN VANCE ALEXANDER Republic, Tex. Dec. 6, 1905 J. V. Alexander Brownwood, Tex. Dear Son yours of the 29" rec'd & read with Joy and gladness. & I am made to cry. Glory to God for the Salvation of my Boy. May he ever be found in the paths of duty & Rightousness is the Prayer of your Father. Never turn away from seeking his counsel in all things and he will never leave you. John I liked to have left you all yesterday. had flutterings of the heart all day & Just able to sit up a little to day. I ache from my neck down so I can hardly be up enough to write you . If I was able would write to all the children what seems to me to be my farwell letter. Oh, how I would like to see you all once more to give them My parting Blessing. for so sure as I have another spell as yesterday I will surly go Home . It has been my prayer that I might see all my children converted to the Lord before I died but then Riley what of him. how can I leave him It breaks my heart to think of it. but my Prayer is yet that God will save him. Now John I cant write any (word marked out) more I am all torn up with troubles that you know nothing of. but will find out later on May Gods Blessings ever be with you all is the prayer of your unworthy Father Amen Until soon. J. A. Alexander P. S. I filled out those questions as near correct as I know. As to your grand Parents Massey I do not know what they died of The old Lady died 15 or 20 years before the man. She was between 50 (?) and 65 (?) The old man somewhere (? ) in 80 J.A.A.

I have attempted to transcribe this letter correctly. I only had some Xerox copies to work from and they are not very clear. I have attempted to copy even spelling and punctuation errors correctly; however, I am not certain about some of these since some apparent errors could be caused by a poor copy. Joseph Alexander lived until January 4, 1915.

In 1908, there was a notice in the Star Telegram from the Brady Enterprise. It said that J. V. Alexander was visiting his uncle, T. L. Sansom. The article said that he had recently graduated in bookkeeping in Fort Worth.

The Waco Daily Times Herald, June 23, 1909, p. 2 lists a marriage license issued to J. V. Alexander and Miss Lenore Daniel. On Friday, June 27, there is an announcement of the wedding.

The following clippings were found in Lenore Williams's photo album. It is unknown in what newspaper or newspapers they were printed.

John V. Alexander, better known as "Whiskers," acted a little suspiciously the latter part of last week and Saturday he went to the depot and bought a ticket to Waco. It is not known what his object in making the visit can be, but it is noised around that he has contracted for two positions in the Rochelle school and it is thought that he has gone after an assistant in the work.

Alexander-Daniel At 8 o'clock Wednesday evening Prof. J. V. Alexander of Brady and Miss Dollie Daniel of this city were united in marriage at the home of the bride's mother, Mrs. Bettie Daniel of North Waco. Rev. J. E. Johnson, pastor of the Seventh and James Street Baptist church, officiating. Only relatives and intimate friends were present. After partaking of a collation prepared for the occasion, Professor and Mrs. Alexander left on the Houston and Texas Central for Llano, where they will visit the father of the groom J. A. Alexander. Following a few days' stay there, they will make their home at Brady. The bride is one of Waco's most winsome and attractive young women, whose charming ways and gracious personality have endeared her to many here and in other places. Professor Alexander is well known in Texas educational circles, a man of profound learning, whose ability as a teacher has often been recognized. His genial disposition and kindly manner are among his many admirable characteristics. Congratulations in abundance are tendered to Mr. and Mrs. Alexander.

The following clipping was printed in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, date unknown. At the beginning of the article there is a picture and the caption J. V. Alexander. FORT WORTH MAN TAUGHT EAKER ABCs "Ira was sort of an independent youngster but he got along with the other kids all right--they never gave him any trouble," reminisced J. V. Alexander, 3530 Crenshaw, who taught Maj.. Gen. Ira Eaker, commander of the Eighth Army Air Forces in Eng land, how to read and write in Field Creek School back about 1905. Alexander, now a postoffice mail clerk, recalled that "Ira" was an ideal pupil--was never late to class and could always be depended upon to tell the truth. He wasn't mischievous like many of the youngsters and never caused his teacher a moment's worry. His success in the military world was no surprise to Alexander who could tell from the first Ira was going places.

When Ira and his younger brother were attending the Field Creek School near Llano, Alexander visited in their home several times and would sometimes spend the night there. He remembers General Eaker's father as a husky farmer who was one of the school trustees and his mother as taking a great interest in her boys' school work. "Ira couldn't help but be a big man with the parents he had," said Alexander.

Although he hasn't seen General Eaker since he taught him the alphabet, Alexander has kept up with him through the newspapers, and hopes to see his pupil again some day. In 1917 Alexander came to Fort Worth to live and since 1920 has been connected with the post office department.

The following is another clipping on the above subject. The newspaper name is unknown, but it could be the Fort Worth Press.

He Taught the General Maj. Gen. Ira Eaker, commander of the 8th Air Force in England, was once a student of J. V. Alexander, 3530 Crenshaw.

Alexander, now a postoffice clerk, taught General Eaker how to read and write in Field Creek School, near Llano, about 1905.

The following is a letter found among the belongings of Lenore Williams. It was written to J. V. Alexander and his wife Dolly in Fife, Texas one year after the death of their son Vance.

Tulia, Texas, Jan. 23, 1912 Dear Bro. and Sister Alexander I very much appreciated your Christmas letter and should have answered but have been away from home quite a bit. Yes, I well remember that sad time and how my heart went out to you both in your great sorrow. I shall keep your letter for it is the only one of the kind I ever received and I shall place it among the letters I keep. I came near repeating my experience with you all this Christmas. Just a few days after Christmas I received a call to go 30 miles North-East to conduct the funeral of a baby and it to be the little three month old babe of a young Professor. He was teaching the school out there and had sent back to East Texas for his young wife and babe and it took pneumonia and died in a week after she came. We had zero weather and I came near freezing but could not refuse them in their trouble. In the funeral I told of your letter which I had just received and it seemed to make a deep impression on all present. I hope you will have a good year and I pray Heavens blessings to rest on you both. Live close to God and keep active in His service and there you will find comfort and happiness. Faithfully your friend W. A. Knight

The family Bible pages saved by Lenore Williams say that they were married June 23, 1909 at Waco, Texas. Rev J. E. Johnson, the pastor of James St. Baptist Church officiated. On the same page as the marriage record there is a typewritten note which says "Baptized into the Baptist Church at Polytechnic by Dr. G. W. Sherman, pastor, June 26, 1921. It does not state whether it was John Vance Alexander or his wife or both who were baptized then.

There is a Report of Teacher's Examination for State Certificate issued June 2, 1917 to Mr. J. V. Alexander, Valley Spring Texas, Llano County. He made a score of 80, sufficient for a four year second grade certificate. There is a State Second Grade Certificate which was good until August 31, 1921. It was dated June 2, 1917.

Althea Bush (his niece) tells how he gave her her first and only spanking in school. She was in the first grade. John gave her an assignment to memorize a rhyme. She said she could not even read, and this was just too much! So she walked out and went home! The next day he spanked her and stood her in the corner as punishment.

There is a postcard in Dec. 1907, addressed to him in Dickens, Texas which said they had seen a notice in the paper that said he had been licensed to marry. It seems like he may have broken up with someone before he courted my grandmother.

He is said to have had a cousin, Tom Alexander who married a Harlow, parents unknown.

In 1907 he registered his teaching certificate in Dickens County. That is the same year that Dollie Daniel, his future wife, registered hers. They probably were there two years since there is a picture of Miss Mayfield, and she registered her certificate in the following year, 1908. He may have taught in Wichita School since there are pictures of the school, and Murchison and Counts families are in the pictures that his wife Dollie took.

In World War I he registered for the draft as John Vance Alexander, residing in Mercury, McCollough, TX, age 36, born Sept. 13, 1881. He was a farmer employed by T. L. Sansom in Mercury, McCullough, Texas. He was medium height and build, blue eyes, and apparently brown hair. The date of registration was Sept. 9, 1918.

In World War II he registered as John Vance Alexander, 3530 Crenshaw, Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas. His telephone number was 5-2631. He was aged 60. He was born in Robertson County, Texas on 13 Dec 1881. The person who would always know where he was was Mrs. J. F. Williams, Jr., 3530 Crenshaw, Fort Worth. His employer was H. D. Young, Postmaster, Fort Worth Post Office, Main Post Office, Lancaster & Jennings, Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas. NOTE! It appears that the month of birth was in error!

Census: 1910 McCulloch County, Texas, precinct 4, enum. dist. 193, supervisors Dist. 14, sheet 35A 69/72, Alexander, John, head, m, w, 28, m1, 0, TX, AL, MS, teacher, public school, rent, house ----, Dolly, wife, f, w, 24, m1, 0, TX, AL, LA, teacher, public school (does this mean she was actually teaching school while she was expecting their first child? or did this only refer to her normal occupation?)

1930 Fort Worth, Tarrant, block #3709, Enum. dist. 220-81 Crenshaw St. 3530, 621/741, Alexander, John, head, o, 5000, radio, no, m, w, 49, m, 29, TX, MS, AL, clerk, postal ----, Lenore, wife-H, f, w, 39, m, 24, TX, US, LA, none ----, Lenore - , daughter, f, w, 10, s, TX, TX, TX, none

1940 Fort Worth,Tarrant,Texas; Roll: T627_4189; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 257-14135, own, 1500, not a farm, Williams, James F., head, m, w, 25, m, no, H4, Texas, same place, not a farm, 44 hours, truck driver, wholesale plumbing, PW, no outside income ----, Lenore (provided information), wife, f, w, 27,m, no, C-4, Texas, same place, not a farm, working at home, no outside income Alexander, John V., father-in-law, m, w, 58, wd, 8 grade, Texas, same place, 40 hours, mail clerk, post office, OA, 52 weeks, 2100, no outside income