The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-08-22
For The Cecil WIFI
MUNSTER AND MECKLENBERG.

New Munster is an old name for the north
east corner of Cecil county, Md. Mecklen-
berg county is in the southwestern part of
North Carolina. These places are widely
separated in space, but closely united in
some very important events of our national
history.
Munster of Cecil sent her sons to Meek
lenberg and these did honor to Cecil.
In 1714 a colony Of Alexanders purchased
a considerable tract of New Munster lands
from James Stephenson, Gent, Of Bucks
county,. Pa. A little later others of the
same name and clan settled along the bor-
ders of Maryland and Pennsylvania from
Munster to Nottingham.
Though Immediately from the north of
Ireland they were originally from the south
Of Scotland, where the clan Alexander was
large, more than 300 years before. Like
most other Scotch Irish people, they were
generally Presbyterians, distinguished for
their love of civil and religious liberty, and
for the immoveable firmness with which
they adhered to their positions and princi-
pies.
From 1740 to 1850, many of these, and
also of other families, left their first SETTLE
ments and went northward into Pennsylva-
mia, westward into Virginia and Tennessee
and especially into Mecklenberg county,
North Carolina.
Here some of them distinguished them
selves at the opening of the Revolutionary
period, as trainers, signers and defenders
of the famous Mecklenberg Declaration of
Independence, which was publicly adopted
by convention of North Carolina patriots,
May 10th, 1775, more than thirteen months
prior to the adopting Of a similar declara-
ton by the Continental Congress, July
4th, 1776.
The resemblance of these two documents,
both in substance and phrsseology, is SO
similar as to lead reader to conclude that
the Trainer of the second must have had the
first one before him.
Thomas Jefferson judged the Mecklen-
berg document fabrication, but John
Adams considered it genuine. Jeferson's
works, vol. VII. Without entering into the
debates that have arisen on this question,
we would simply express the opinion that,
while great honor is due to Jefferson for
perfecting the instrument for adoption by
the National Congress, still greater honor
is due to the brave men of Mecklenberg
WHO produced and dared publicly to adopt
the substance of it in 1775, pledging to it's
support their elves, fortunes and most
sacred HONOR
The officers of the Mecklenberg conven
ton, were Abraham Alexander, President,
and John McKnitt Alexander, Secretary.
Wheeler's History of North Carolina,
gives the following list of delegates and
signers, viz: EphIaim Brevard, Hezekiah
]. Balch, John Phifer, James Harris, Will
liam Kennon, John Ford, Richard Barry,
Henry Downe, Ezra Alexander, William
Graham, John Queary, Hezekiah Alexan-
der, Adam Alexander, Zacheus Wilson,
Waightstill Avery, Benjamin Patton, Ma
thew Mcclure, Neill, Morrison, Robert
Irwin, John Flanagan, David Russ, John
Davidson, R. Harris and Thomas Polk.
DR.. Ephraim Brevard is the reputed author
of the Declaration.
The first Provincial Congress for North
Carolina had met the year before, at New
Berne, to prepare to cooperate with the
other States in forming Continental Con-
gress. Committees Of Safety, of the Bill
of Rights, of State Constitution, and
Military officers were then appointed
Among the names were Hezekiah Alexan-
DER Benjamin Patton, Thomas Polk, Adam
Alexander, William Sharpe, Geo. H. Alex
der and others.
The next tive meetings were at Hillsbor-
ough, August 21st, 1875, and at Halifax,
April 4th, 1776. At these were present
from Mecklenberg, Thomas Polk and John
McKnitt Alexander. Delegates were then
appointed and instructed to concur with
declaring Independence, forming foreign
relations, &c.
These men nobly redeemed their pledge
to independence in the struggles and sacri-
fees that followed, and in other services to
the State of North Carolina. When the
college, called Liberty Hall, was chartered
anew by the General Assembly of the State,
1777, and located in Charlotte, its trustees
we're Isaac Alexander, NJ. D., President,
Thomas Polk, Abraham Alexander, DR..
Ephraim Brevard, John McKnitt Alexan-
dor and others, including six Presbyterian
clergymen. Nathaniel Alexander was Gov
ernor of North Carolina from 1905 to 1907.
Some of these names have been so par
ticularly mentioned, simply for the reason
that they we're sons of Cecil county. This
fact is probably known to few, and was
accidentally discovered by the writer while
examining the old deeds, wills and mar
riage records of our county for another
purpose.
Gen. S. B. Alexander, great grandson
of John McKnitt Alexander, now living
near Charlotte, sends the following geneal-
ogy of his family:
/. James Alexander and wife Margaret.
Children-Theophilus Edith, Keziah. Hez-
ek;ah,. Ezekiel, Jemima, Amos, John
McKnitt, Margaret. By second wife Abb
gal-Elizabeth, Abigail, Margaret, Josiah,
and Ezekiel. Born from 1716 to 1856.
2. John McKnitt Alexander and Jean
Bane. William Bane, Joseph
McKnitt and five daughters.
8. Joseph McKnitt Alexander and Dovey
Winslow. Only child-Moses Winslew.
4. Moses w. Alexander and Violet
Graham. Eleven children-the eleventh,
S. B. Alexander.
Compare number 1, the record of James
Alexander's family above with the follow
ing names of James Alexander's family of
Cecil county, Md, taken from his will,
recorded 1873, in our office. Names-wife
Abigail. Children-Hezekiah, Amos, John
McKnitt, Josiah, Ezekial, Jemima Sharpe,
Elizabeth, Abigail and Margaret, and grand.