Sacramento County
Biographies
DANIEL E. ALEXANDER
D. E. ALEXANDER.--One
of the best known lawyers who have practiced at the Sacramento bar is the
gentleman with whose name this sketch commences. He is a native of Jackson,
Mississippi, born February 7, 1845. His mother, whose maiden name was Caroline
W. Hiveley, was born in Tennessee. Benjamin Franklin Alexander, his father, was
a native of South Carolina, who afterward located in Mississippi. He was a
carpenter by trade. In 1849 he started to California via Panama, but not being
fortunate enough to secure passage on a steamer on the Pacific side, he with
others became passengers on an old sailing vessel. They became lost on the
Pacific, but reached San Francisco, eventually, in 1850, after a terrible
experience with hunger, thirst and exposure. Mr. Alexander went to the mines,
and there had a varied experience. He followed mining in Amador and Calaveras
counties, and was one of the original owners of the Woodhouse quartz-mill, at
West Point, then remote from civilization. In 1853 he came to Sacramento and
engaged at the carpenter’s trade, and followed contracting in that line until
1875. In 1883 he removed to the vicinity of Menlo Park, where he has an orchard
and vineyard. D. E. Alexander, the subject of this sketch, came to California
in 1854 (with the family) to join his father, commencing the journey by water
on the El Dorado, landing at San Francisco from the steamer California on the
20th of September, 1854, and proceeding at once to Sacramento. He
received his education in this city, and was graduated at the Sacramento high
school in the class of 1865. He commenced the study of law with Morris M.
Estee, and continued his reading with Moore & Alexander, and afterward,
with Coffroth & Spaulding. On the 5th of February 1866, he was
admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of California. He remained in
Coffroth & Spaulding’s office for several months after his admission, then
went to Nevada City, and opened an office. After four or five months, he
returned to Sacramento, and has resided here ever since, his practice being in
all State courts, and in United States land cases, and before the Interior
Department. Mr. Alexander was married at Stockton, to Miss Emma Miller, a
native of Pennsylvania. Her father died in Iowa; her mother is a resident of
Sacramento. Mr. Alexander is Past Chief Ranger of Sacramento Court, A. O. F.,
and is Past Grand Representative to the subsidiary High Court of the United
States. He is a Democrat politically, takes an active part in the party
organization, and has done his share of service on the city central committee.
Mr. Alexander is an able lawyer, and a popular man in
his profession.
Transcribed by Vicky
Walker, 11/29/07.
Source: Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated
History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 798-799.
Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.
© 2007 Vicky Walker.