Who's that Ancestor?

At the reunion, we'll have a fun QUIZ game about our ancestors. You'll want to check in on this site every week or so, to learn about a different ancestor. This year we're focusing on our ALEXANDER branch of the family. Here's your first Alexander ancestor story:

Reverend James Alexander:

James' brother Andrew along with his wife Mary Maxwell and their 9 children were about to escape Ireland and the persecution that their Puritan religion had brought down on them. Along with other Puritan families, they pooled their resources to charter a ship to take them to the wilds of the American Frontier. It is thought that Mary indentured her grandchildren to local Lords in order to acquire the needed funds for their share. The day before the departure she either paid off their indenture ship or kidnapped her grandchildren. The Congregation requested that Rev. James would travel from their home church in Scotland to see them off. He traveled over the Irish Sea to Baptise the children and pray for the blessing of their trip. Upon their anchoring away and departing, (in the late 1680's) James remained on his knees on the dock. As the family waived and shouted their goodbyes to him, they were horrified to witness English soldiers arrest him and take him to the garrison jail. Mary Maxwell, ordered her sons to turn the ship back in order to rescue him. Of course the company on board objected, but Mary stood firm. According to a family journal, "she stood wide and with her fists on her hips, she ordered her sons, in only a manner that a mother can command, and demanded that they return to rescue James." The ship returned in the night and the Alexander men rescued Rev. James from the English garrison jail. It is likely that English soldiers were injured. There was no choice but to bring the hapless Rev. James to America with them. He later returned to Sheppard his flock in Scotland, unafraid of the English persecution and the warrant for his arrest. He has a long marriage and church service and left no heirs.