Charles S. Alexander, a progressive and enterprising farmer and stockman of Cedar county, is the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of land on section 29, Pioneer township, and has brought the place under a high state of cultivation and improvement. His birth occurred on the farm where he now resides, his natal day being May 8, 1859.
His father, J. C. Alexander, who was born in New York in 1812, was thrown upon his own resources early in life, being left an orphan at the age of seven years. When a young man he established his home in the west, being married in Linn county, Iowa, to Miss Susan Smyth, a native of Ireland, who spent the first fifteen years of her life in that country. General agricultural pursuits claimed his attention throughout his active business career and his first purchase of land made him the owner of a tract of eighty acres, which he cleared and developed. As his financial resources increased he extended the boundaries of the farm by additional purchase until it embraced one hundred and eighty-five acres of land in Linn and Cedar counties, being located on the county line. He served in the capacity of justice of the peace and also held other local offices of honor and trust. He passed away on the 9th of August, 1876, when sixty-four years of age, being long survived by his wife, who was called to her final rest on the 30th of October, 1904. Unto them were born three sons and three daughters, the record of whom is as follows: William, who was reared and married in this county, remained a successful business man of Mount Vernon until the time of his death, which occurred on the 12th of August, 1909. Robert J. is now engaged in business at Waukon, Iowa. Charles S., of this review is the next in order of birth. Jennie and Anna M. are both residents of Mount Vernon, Iowa. Martha E. is the wife of W. H. Cook, of Webster City, Iowa.
Charles S. Alexander was reared on the home farm and supplemented his early education, obtained in the common schools, by one year’s study at Cornell College. Soon after his father’s demise he took charge of the old homestead place, purchased the interest of the other heirs therein and succeeded to the ownership of the farm. He has since remodeled the house, erected a large, substantial basement barn, fenced the fields and in fact has made practically all of the improvements which now adorn the property. In connection with the tilling of the soil he devotes considerable attention to the raising and feeding of stock, fattening from one to two carloads of hogs annually. He has gained an enviable reputation as a breeder of and dealer in pure-blooded Duroc Jersey hogs and is widely recognized as one of the substantial and representative citizens of his community. In addition to his land in Pioneer township, Cedar county, he owns a half interest in a forty-acre tract adjoining, which is located in Linn county.
Mr. Alexander has been married twice. In 1890, in Linn county, he wedded Miss Nora J. Kohl, a native of Jones county, Iowa, and a daughter of D. F. Kohl, whose brother, Duane Kohl, is mentioned on another page of this work. Mrs. Nora Alexander was called to her final rest in 1905, leaving one son, Charles K. In 1907, at Mount Vernon, our subject was united in marriage to Miss Cora Cowan, a native of Linn county and a daughter of J. C. Cowan.
In politics Mr. Alexander is a stanch democrat but the honors and emoluments of office have never had any attraction for him. Having resided in Cedar county throughout his entire life--a period of fifty-one years—he is largely familiar with its annals from pioneer times to the present and has witnessed a most wonderful transformation as frontier conditions have given way before the onward march of civilization.
