WABASHA COUNTY, MINNESOTA
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Biography transcribed & donated to Wabasha County, MN Bios by
Barbara Koska Timm.  For more information, please check
out her site "Biographies and Historical Sketches of Wabasha County,
Minnesota" at <http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio>.
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			HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY


            TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL MATTER, STATISTICS, ETC.
                   GATHERED FROM MATTER FURNISHED BY 
                       INTERVIEWS WITH OLD SETTLERS,
        COUNTY, TOWNSHIP AND OTHER RECORDS, AND EXTRACTS FROM 
                FILES OF PAPERS, PAMPHLETS, AND SUCH OTHER 
                     SOURCES AS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE. 

                                   ALSO A 

                        HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY

                                  CHICAGO:
                      H. H. HILL & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS.
                                     1884






Alexander, Ewin, carpenter and builder, Lake City, was born in Richmond, Maine, August 25, 1835. 
 His parents, Ewin Alexander and Sarah Melcher, were born in Brunswick, same state. The early life 
 of this subject was passed on the farm, and his education was supplied by the common school. At 
 eighteen he began carpentrywork and has followed it nearly ever since. Many fine buildings in this 
 county, including the county-house and the new Lake City schoolhouse, are of his construction. He 
 became a resident of Lake City in 1856. Two years were subsequently spent in Mississippi and he 
 returned in 1860. September 18, 1861, he entered the 1st Minn. regt. Vols., Co. I, and served in the 
 army of the Potomac. He was a participant in the battles of Ball's Bluff, the Peninsula campaign, 
 West Point, Fair Oaks, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill and Antietam. He was 
 discharged in 1863, and soon went on board the merchant vessel General Grant as ship's carpenter. 
 After sailing from Boston to San Francisco, he then went on the Seaman's Bride to Baker's Island 
 where the vessel was wrecked in the spring of 1865, and the crew was left for fifty-five days on this 
 barren coral island until picked up by the packet schooner Odd Fellow. Arriving at San Francisco Mr. 
 Alexander set out for Boston in the Wild Hunter, which was out one hundred and forty-four days on 
 the voyage around Cape Horn to Boston. In the fall of 1866 our subject returned to Lake City, which 
 has been his home since. December 7, 1870, he espoused in marriage Miss Frances C., eldest 
 daughter of F. G. Slocum, of this city. Their children are bright and promising, christened Helen, Kate, 
 Sarah and Anna. Mr. Alexander is a member of the Masonic order and of the A.O.U.W. His religion 
 is "Peace on earth, good will to man," and his voting has always been with the republican party.