Born: Abt. 1640  Scotland

Married: Abt. 1665 to Unknown Blanchville

Married: Abt. 1685 to Unknown

Died: 3 Mar 1701 Dublin, Ireland

FATHER

John Alexander

CHILDREN with unknown Blanchville

1. Sarah Alexander
    b. Abt. 1666
    m. Abt. 1685 to Richard Fenner
    d. Bef. 1699

2. Susannah Alexander
    b. Abt. 1670
    m. 10 Jan 1692 James Agar

3. Edmond Alexander
    d. Bef. 27 Jun 1716

CHILDREN with Unknown

1. Hannah Alexander
    b. Abt. 1684
    m. Bef. 9 Apr 1706 John M'Clelan

2. Richard James Alexander
    b. Abt. 1686
    placed under guardianship of John M'Clelan in 1706
    d. Bef. 2 Feb 1726

3. John Alexander
    b. Abt. 1687
    placed under guardianship of John M'Clelan in 1706
    d. Aft. 2 Feb 1726

James Alexander
by Chase Brooke
Apr 2021

James Alexander was probably born in Scotland.  He was supposedly an attorney in Dublin as early as 1665. (1) It is assumed he married about that time to an unnamed daughter of Peter Blanchville.(1)  His daughter, Sarah Alexander, was born by 1666. We know this because her seven children were all under age when her brother, Edmund Alexander, wrote his will on 13 May 1706, making her married by 1685 and thus born about 1666. (3)
James Alexander was an active member of the Presbyterian Church. (1) He was also involved in several court cases. (1) (5) He had three children from his first marriage: Sarah, Susannah and Edmund.  His wife must have died since he remarried around 1685 to a wife whose name remains unknown.  He had three more children with this wife: Hannah, Richard James and John.  These three children were all under age when he wrote his will on 25 Dec 1699.  James Alexander died about a year later on 3 Mar 1701. His youngest children were placed under the guardianship of his son, Edmond Alexander, and James Alexander's son-in-law, Richard Fenner.  Later there was a dispute over the will and guardianship of the three children.  His daughter Hannah Alexander must have married John M'Clelan around 1706 and he brought suit against Edmond Alexander and Richard Fenner.  John M'Clelan was named guardian of the youngest two sons on 9 Apr 1706. (1) His wife, Hannah Alexander, was named administrator of the estate of James Alexander on 20 Sep 1707. (4)

Sources

(1)   Memorials of the Earl of Stirling and of the House of Alexander, Volume 2

pg 138

In the reign of Charles I, Robert Alexander, son of John Alexander the elder, of Candren, Paisley, settled in Dublin.  In the Subsidy Roll of that city, dated 1 Feb 1637/8, are named in "St Nicholas parish without the walls, Robert Groecocke and Robert Alexander."------Two nephews of Robert Alexander, John and James, son of his elder brother John, of Candren, Paisley, proceeded from Scotland to Dublin, and there settled.

James Alexander settled in Dublin as an attorney.  His name first occurs in the Public Records of Dublin in 1665.----

In 1680 and 1681, James Alexander appeared as attorney for Francis, Earl of Longford, Ambrose Aungier, John Gordon, James Hartley of Dublin, ironmonger, and Michael Gaynor of Black Castle, in a suit raised against them by Humphrey Perrott.

James Alexander held for ten years subsequent to 1672, the office of deputy-clerk of the Pells, in the Exchequer Court (Revenue Account).---

A zealous promoter of the Presbyterian Church, James Alexander received on the 7th November 1698, a mandate authorising him to draw the quarter's payment of £1200, granted to the Church as an annual boon by William III.

James Alexander married as his first wife, a daughter of Peter Blanchville of Blanchvilletown, in the county of Kilkenny.  Sometime prior to 1676, Peter Blanchville was succeeded in his estates by his son Edmund, for on the 11th June of that year, James Alexandeer received from the said Edmund, on a payment of £500, a bond on "the castles, towns and lands of Blanchvilletown, Blanchvilleskil, Blanchvillespart, Smithstown, Bennett's Bridge, Carlin, Severstown, Madogstown, and Church Claragh, in the barony of Gowran, and county of Kilkenny."  The load had not been redeemed when Edmund Blanchville was, on the 13th February 1688, forfeited for high treason.  After certain proceedings, James Alexander, on the 10th August 1700, presented to the Trustees of the Court of Claims, a statement of claims against the forfeited lands.

James Alexander died on the 3d March 1701.  The following document, purporting to be his will with a codicil attached, was on the 23d August 1701, proved in the Prerogative Court of Dublin, by Richard Fenner, his son-in-law, "without prejudice to Edmund Alexander," the testator's son and a co-executor.---

Susannah, elder daughter of James Alexander by his first wife, married 10th January 1692, James Agar of Gowran Castle, in the county of Kilkenny, whose mother, Ellis Blanchville, was her mother's sister.  She had a son James, and two other sons, who all died in infancy.  She died prior to the 25th December 1699, the date of her father's will.

Sarah, daughter of James Alexander by his first wife, espoused Richard Fenner of the city of Dublin, whom she predeceased.--

Edmond, only son of James Alexander by his first wife, died unmarried in 1716.  His will, proved in the Prerogative Court of Dubin by his nephew, James Fenner, on the 29th March 1716.

pg 148
Richard James Alexander, elder son of James Alexander of Dublin by his second marriage, acquired the small estate of Mawdlins, near Trim, in the county of Meath.  He married Margaret Hughes, and had issue.----His will, dated 13th July 1725, was proved by his brother, John, on the 2d February 1726.

Hannah Alexander, only daughter of James Alexander by his second marriage, married John M'Clelan, of the city of Dublin.

By his father's will, John Alexander was, as a minor, placed, with his brother, Richard James, under the care of their half-brother, Edmond, and brother-in-law, Richard Fenner.  When the will was set aside, John M'Clelan, husband of Hannah Alexander, obtained, on the 9th April 1706, legal guardianship of his brothers,

(2) Will of James Alexander written 25 Dec 1699
Memorials of the Earl of Stirling and of the house of Alexander, pg 142

"and do desire that all my worldly substance may be equally divided amongst my four children--viz., my sons Edmond, Richard, & John, and my daughter Hannah, and if any of them dye before they be fitt to receive their portions, I desire that the portion of such child or children that shall so dye may be divided amongst those of them that shall survive, & because I am at an uncertainty about my son-in-law, Richard Fenner, whose portion I designed to be paid him out of the debt due to my upon the estate of Edmond Blanchville, of the county of Kilkenny, Esq., the same seeming to be in hazard if the said Blanchvill be not restored, and if so, I desire that he may come in for a share as the rest of my children, besides one hundred sterling, with the interest thereof, that I left with the said Richard Fenner when I went out of this kingdom, beginning of the late warr, and which he lent out and took bond to Audley Mervin, Esq, and I do hereby appoint the said Richard Fenner, and my son Edmond Alexander, to be executors of this my last Will, praying & enjoyning that they take special care that my three younger children by my second wife, be well secured their portions till they come to age to make use thereof themselves."

(3) Will of Edmund Alexander written 13 May 1706  proved 27 Jun 1716
Memorials of the Earl of Stirling and of the house of Alexander, pg 146
also Will of Edmond Alexander on Ancestry.com

Item, I give & bequeath to my sister, Hannah Alexander, alias M'Clelan, the sum of five shillings and five pence, to buy her husband a glass eye, and this with the consent of her three counselors, Elizabeth, Richard & Jenny Jones. Item, I give and bequeath to my brother, Richard Alexander, the sum of five shillings, to purchase his guardian a Rattle.  Item, I give and bequeath to my brother, John Alexander, the sum of five shillings; I intended him ye best share of what I had, but as he has turned me from being his guardian, so I now do him with this give shillings to buy him more understanding in the future.  Item, I leave Mrs. Jones my pardon for her perjury about my Father's will, & hope she may heartily repent and make her peace with God.

"Item, I will that all my substance be equally divided amongst my dearest sister, Fenner's children; yt is, to James, Alexander, Edmond, William Fenner, & to Elizabeth Fenner, alias Parry, Susanna, and Mary Fenner, to be paid them at the age of one-and-twenty, & if any of them dye before they arrive at that age, ye share of such child or children to be equally divided amongst the raining children of my sister Fenner.

I do appoint Richard Fenner and his son James Fenner to be executors of this my last will. 

(4) Administrations, Dublin Ireland fhl film 596141 image 50

Alexander, James, Dublin Gent.
To Hannah MClenan alias Alexander (wife of John MC-- of Dub. Gent. A daughter
Admon granted the 20 day of September 1707

(5) Chancery Court Cases

Chancery Court Case 29 Nov 1693 Griffith Bowen and Elinor his wife vs. James Alexander

Chancery Court Case 27 Oct 1697 James Alexander and Anthony Luxbury vs. Francis Edgeworth and Mary his wife