Person Page - 7

     Chauncey F. Currier There is a Social Security record for Chauncy CURRIER b 6 Jan 1897 d Mar 1985, OH, localities at death: Oberlin, Lorain, OH ZIP 44074. Chauncey was born on 6 January 1897.³ He married Helen A. Fairchild on 26 August 1916.⁴ Chauncey F. Currier died on 29 March 1985 at age 88.⁵

     Oscar was born. He married Grace Helen Currier on 19 June 1930.^3,4 Oscar F. Zurcher died on 19 June 1990.⁵

     Thomas E Alexander Arlien Sifleet's notes, p 14-:

"oldest brother Thos. Alexander, Cabinet Maker in Eng. & then moved to Solon, Ohio (farm)"

His death record verifies his birth in England.

Also, p 30-:

"Thos. -
m. 1 in Eng -
Oliver - d. in Cleveland shiftless one -
Walter died in Malmesbury
11 o12 children
Emma (queer) d. in Solon -
2. Hannah Radway from around Cleveland
Middle [?]
1. Albert - buried at Solon
2. Sarah - teacher in Cleveland
never married - in Cleveland
3 Ella
m. Alexander Miller of Solon dead.
4 Rhoda - children Edna m. Schiltz
[b child]
b. Apr. 6 - 1860
m. Edgar [Robbius] of Chagrin Falls
5. Mary never married -
6 Hattie.
m. Will. Wellemhurst." He married (?) (?) at England. He married Hannah Radway. Thomas was born at England circa 1819. Death at age 82.² Thomas died on 12 January 1901 at Residence, Cuyahoga, Ohio, USA.² His body was interred at Solon, Cuyahoga, Ohio, USA, at Solon Cemetery.²

     John H Alexander One of John D Rockefeller's most depised competitors, whom he put out of business in the Cleveland Massacre of 1872. See the Rockefeller evidence below.

Arlien Sifleets notes:

With Scofield, Teagle and Alexander Oil Co. in Cleveland. He had no issue with either wife. Adopted a boy Harry. The two wives were apparently sisters.

Arlien Sifleet's notes have him with Scofield, Teagle & Alexander Oil Co. of Cleveland and then with Standard Oil. Perhaps this is a confusion of the two companies (see Rockefeller evidence) Alexander, Scofield and Company and the later Scofield, Shurmer and Teagle. That he would join Standard Oil seems surprising, from reading the Rockefeller evidence, but that is apparently what happened.

From the Rockefeller evidence:

p 130: "Rampant speculation had so overbuilt the industry that total refining capacity in 1870 was triple the amount of crude oil being pumped. By then, Rockefeller estimated, 90 percent of all refineries were operating in the red. At this bleak impasse, a leading Cleveland rival, John H. Alexander, offered to sell his interest to William Rockefeller at ten cents on the dollar, as the entire industry faced ruin."

pp 142-143: "... Rockefeller engineered his most important coup: the swift, relentless consolidation of Cleveland's refineries, which gave him irresistible momentum. ... Between February 17 and March 28, 1872 - ... - Rockefeller swallowed up twenty-two of his twenty-six Cleveland competitors. During one forth-eight-hour period alone in early March, he bought six refineries. As one refiner, John H. Alexander, recalled:

'There was a pressure brought to bear upon my mind, and upon almost all citizens of Cleveland engaged in the oil business, to the effect that unless we went into the South Improvement Company we were virtually killed as refiners; that if we did not sell out we should be crushed out .... It was said that they had a contract with railroads by which they could run us into the ground if they pleased.' "

pp 146-147: "During the Cleveland Massacre, Rockefeller savored a feeling of sweet revenge against some of the older men who had patronized him when he started in business. This was especially true of his negotiations with Alexander, Scofield and Company, whose partners included his original boss, Isaac L. Hewitt. After Hewitt came to Rockefeller's Euclid Avenue home to plead for mercy, they strolled down Euclid Avenue together, and Rockefeller told him his firm would never survive if it didn't sell out to Standard Oil. He made a cryptic statement to Hewitt that entered into Rockefeller folklore: 'I have ways of making money you know nothing about.' Disconcerted by such assertions, Hewitt and his partners finally sold out for $65,000, though they believed their business was worth $150,000. Rockefeller felt merciful toward Hewitt and loaned him money to buy Standard stock, but he despised Hewitt's partner, John H. Alexander, who still viewed him, he thought, as Hewitt's former clerk. As Rockefeller put it, 'How could this conceited Englishman ever conceive it possible that a young man who had been a bookkeeper, and especially at a time when he had been employed in an oil refinery, be qualified to lead in a movement of this kind?' "

p 195: "Frank [Rockefeller] entered oil refining as a competitor to Standard Oil after he married the tall, handsome Helen E. Scofield in 1870. The Scofields were a relatively old Cleveland family, and Helen's father, William Scofield, was a partner in Alexander, Scofield and Company, one of the major refiners that John absorbed during the 1872 Cleveland Massacre. That Frank married the daughter of one of John's chief competitors could only have been interpreted by John as a provocation.
...
"...Frank testified before a congressional committee ... and charged John with heavy-handed tactics in buying out Alexander, Scofield. ... Frank electrified reporters with John's warning, 'We have a combination with the railroads. We are going to buy out all the refiners in Cleveland. We will give every one a chance to come in. We will give you a chance. Those who refuse will be crushed. If you don't sell your property to us it will be valueless.' According to Frank the experience of Alexander, Scofield wasn't unique. 'There are some twenty men in Cleveland who sold out under the fright, and almost any of them would tell you that story.' "

p. 196: "...Rockefeller ... did bear a special grudge against Scofield. When Standard Oil bought out Alexander, Scofield in 1872, the selling partners pledged to steer clear of refining. Nevertheless, a year later - in what Rockefeller considered an unforgivable breach of faith - Scofield organized a new refining company, Scofield, Shurmer and Teagle."

From his Death Notice:

"June 23, 1910
Alexander-John
Alexander-John, age 86 years, 5 months, formerly of this City, died June 21, at Malmesbury, England." He became Henry Edward "Harry" Alexander's adoptive father.^4,1,5 John was born circa 21 January 1824.³ He married Sebella Ellen before 1879.⁴ He married Hepzibah [Hephzibah] Ellen after 1883.¹ John died on 21 June 1910 at Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England.³

     She married Joseph Davies.

     She married Thomas E Alexander at England.

     She married Thomas E Alexander.

     Emma was born. Emma died at Solon, Cuyahoga, Ohio, USA.²

     Walter was born. Walter died at Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England.²

     Oliver was born. Oliver died at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, USA.²

     She married William Wellemhurst.²

     She married Edgar Robbins.¹ Rhoda was born on 6 April 1860.²

     She married Alexander Miller.²

     His body was interred at Solon, Cuyahoga, Ohio, USA.² Albert was born.

     He married Hattie Alexander.¹

     He married Rhoda Alexander.²

     He married Ella Alexander.² Alexander died. He Of Solon, Ohio. Alexander was born.

     She married (?) Schiltz.²

     Sebella was born. She From Sebella's will:

"This is the last Will and Testament of me Sebella Alexander the wife of John Alexander of the City of Cleveland in the State of Ohio in the United States of America now reciding at Malmesbury in the County of Wilts in England ... then unto my said husband the said John Alexander for his own absolute use and benefit But in case my said husband shall die in my lifetime then unto my friend William Walker of Malmesbury aforesaid and my husband's Nephew Thomas Emery of the City of Cleveland aforesaid their heirs ... for the benefit of my adopted son Henry Edward Alexander ... subscribed my hand ... at Malmesbury in the County of Wilts in the Kingdom of England this twenty ninth day of April one thousand eight hundred and seventy nine ..."

From her Death Notice:

"Leader, June 8, 1883
Alexander-Sobella
Alexander- June 6, 1883, Malmesbury, Wilts, England, Sobella, wife of John Alexander, late of Cleveland." She became Henry Edward "Harry" Alexander's adoptive mother.^2,1,4 She married John H Alexander before 1879.² She made a will at Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England, on 29 April 1879.² Sebella died on 6 June 1883 at Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England.^2,3 Sebella's will was probated at Cuyahoga, Ohio, USA, on 25 March 1884.²

     She married John H Alexander after 1883.¹

      Henry was adopted.^1,2,3 He From Sebella Alexander's probate papers:

"Harry Alexander, adopted son (now deceased)". Document dated 24 Aug 1906 and signed by Sarah J Alexander, whose kinship is unknown.

From granddaughter Pam Humphreys:

"He died when he was 29 so my mother who was only 6 at the time could barely remember him. The family story that I was told that he was born in Richmond Va. the son of a starving artist named Gates and was adopted by a rich American (John Alexander) This family was supposed to be in some way connected to General Horation Gates - one of Washington's Generals."³ Henry was born circa 1863.³ He married Amy Ellen Farrow in 1885 at Malmesbury Abbey, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England.³ Henry died on 6 June 1892.^1,4 He was buried after 6 June 1892 at Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England.⁵

     He married (?) Alexander.

     He married Laura Burgess.