Robert Alexander papers, 1774-1849
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Robert Alexander papers, 1774-1849
- Creator
- Alexander, Robert, 1767-1841.
- Extent
- 3 reels microfilm
- Subjects
- Bache, Benjamin Franklin, 1769-1798.
- Agriculture--Kentucky.
- Woodford County (Ky.)--History.
- Legislative bodies--Kentucky--History.
- Banks and banking--Kentucky.
- Bourbon County (Ky.)--History.
- Kentucky--Boundaries--Tennessee.
- Deeds--Kentucky.
- Wills--Kentucky.
- Surveys--Kentucky.
- Farmers--Kentucky.
- Politicians--United States.
- Soldiers--United States.
- Woodford County (Ky.)--History.
- Bourbon County (Ky.)--History
- Arrangement
- Arranged chronologically: Reel #1, 1780-1813. Arranged chronologically: Reel #2, 1814-1827. Arranged chronologically: Reel #3, 1828-1849.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Farmer, politician, banker Robert Alexander, born in Scotland in 1767, came to Kentucky in the late eighteenth century, acquired a tract of more than 2000 acres of land in Woodford Couny and developed it into one of the outstanding agricultural and stockbreeding enterprises in the country. His descendents still retain most of the original tract. In addition to his agricultural pursuits he served as the first president of the Bank of Kentucky, was a member of the state senate, a captain of the militia, had interests in the Kentucky River Navigation Company and in mines in Western Kentucky, conducted a survey to determine the boundaries of Kentucky and Tennessee and in his youth served as private secretary to Benjamin Franklin in France. He died in Frankfort in 1841, from injuries received in a fall.
- John Savary, whose papers are also represented, was a native of France who came to America in 1783 and acquired large tracts of land in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and Kentucky. He settled in Millersburg, Kentucky, early in the nineteenth century, represented Bourbon County in the state legislature during the years 1808-1809, and wrote many political essays, some of which are among these papers. At his death in 1814, he left his estate to Robert Alexander, naming Louis Vimont, another Frenchman from Millersburg who had been associated with him in business, as his executor.
- Scope and Content
- The collection is comprised of the papers and related materials of Alexander, a prominent early Kentucky settler in Woodford County. The papers also contain correspondence, deeds, wills, surveys, notes, receipts and accounts from the estate of John Savary, a native of France. Most of the correspondence relating to Savary is in French. Six letters of Benjamin Franklin Bache, grandson of Benjamin Franklin, written from France and Philadelphia, 1785-87, are of particular interest. A small group of papers concerns the estate of George Madison, soldier of the revolution and for a brief time in 1816, Governor of Kentucky. Among the miscellaneous papers are letters from Buckner Thruston, 1764-1845, Kentucky Senator and federal judge, who wrote from Washington on politics of the day.
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Table of Contents
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UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
