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Individual:
REV. James Alexander , a member of the Laggan Presbytery in Raphoe was imprisoned there in 1680, which may have induced the brothers to flee to America.
There is a well established tradition that seven Alexander brothers,Presbyterians from Scotland who had sojourned a while in the north of Ireland, probably at Raphoe.Co., Donegal, and Sligo,Co.,came to Somerset Co. Maryland before going on to Cecil Co. If we may judge from the circumstantial evidence remaining,
then along with the brothers came two sisters: one, the wife of Matthew Wallace; the other Jane,who married John McKnitt. In Somerset,at early dates, we find Wlliam, Andrew, Samuel, and John Alexander, and in Cecil County James , Francis, Joseph , and the afore-mentioned Samuel Alexander. I hazard a guess that they were sons of the Reverend James Alexander,of Raphoe, a member of Laggan Presbytery in 1680, whoes ministerial brethern then in northern Ireland included David Brown, of Urney, William Traile, of Lifford,Thomas Wilson, of Killybegs, and William Liston, of Letterkenny,to mention a few. I name these because one David Brown became an important civic-minded Presbyterian leader in Somerset: because William Traile and Thomas Wilson
soon joined Francis Makemie, "fatherof organized Presbyterianism in America", in his labor in Somerset: and because William Alexander, Sr., of Somerset, had a grandson named for William Liston. At first in Somerset and later in Cecil, we find Matthew Wallace and John McKnitt. Rev.James was born in Bughall Scotland. He went to County Donegal in(what is now) Northern Ireland, and settled (probably) in Raphaoe. He was active in the Laggan Presbytery there. His seven sons and two da ughters left Ireland for America in the ship Welcom, landed in 21 Sep1670. Rev.James and his wife are presumed to have remained in Ireland.Thier children settled in Somerset and later in Cecil County Maryland,some of them going to the New Munster Tract in the extreme northern part of
Cecil County (in fact part of New Munster was north of the present Maryland - Pennsylvania boundary) and others settling to the south,still in Cecil County, near the western terminus of the present Chesapeak and Delaware Canal. Reverand James Alexander He was a minister of the CONVOY Congregation,County Donegal Ireland,from 167 8 to his death in 1704.It is believed he was first a minister of Raphoe congregation County Donegal,
for a time between 1640 and 1678. Both congregations are in the Raphoe Presbytery. Laggan Presbytery.
Alexander family of New Munster were orginally from Scotland. About the time of James 1, they together with a large number of Presbyterians migrated to Ireland and settled in Ulster. During the late 7th century several Alexanders migrated to America and settled in Somerset Co., Md. later in Cecil Co., Md. They came to America on the good ship "Welcome" that anchored in the Delaware River in 1679. There was an Alexander family in Somerset Co. as early as 1666. Also John McKnitt settled there about the same time.
Alexander settled in 1707 in "The Woods" between the brances of the Elk River. Their 90 acre plantation " Glasgow" adjoined "Bullen"s Range" a tract laid out for Samuel Alexander called "Sligo." "High Spaiola"(Hispaniola) covering 900 acres in which John McKnitt Sr. & Jr. had an interest in Jean (John) Brevard's "Charles Camp." All were adjoining and all located within a mile of the western end of the present Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, where Back Creek flowed into what is now the canal.
Pa Genol Mag "John McKnitt maternal grandfather of John McKnitt Alexander, who was secretary of the Mecklenburg Convention of 1775, settled in Somerset Co. Md probably in 1684. He was accompanied by his first wife Jane, whom he had married in Northern Ireland a short time before sailing for America. It is uncertain whether the McKnitts landed at Philadephia or New Castle-on-Delaware. We do know they didn't remain, but located on the west siDe of the Pocomoke River on a tract called "The Strand." The Strand was in the Manokin neighborhood in which the Alexanders, Kings, Polks, Strawbridges, and the Wallaces resided.
After the accession of William and Mary to the Throne, there was circulated an Address of Loyalty, dated November 28, 1689. Among the 200 signers were John McKnitt, William Alexander Sr. & Jr., William Polk and John Steel to mention a few.
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