Alexandre Family

Origins and Early History

The Alexandre family originated in the Channel Islands, where they were prosperous farmers. Although their names were French, they were Anglicans by religion—typical of Channel Islanders whose culture blended English and Norman elements. Descendants are often surprised to discover that they have a substantial share of Scandinavian genes. The family’s rise to prominence began with Frederick Francis Alexandre (1809–1889), who became the first member to emigrate to North America.

Frederick Francis Alexandre went to sea as a young man and became a ship’s captain by the age of twenty-one. After settling in New York, he founded a commission house that prospered and later established the Alexandre Line, a successful shipping company. The firm gained distinction when it secured a U.S. government contract to carry mail to Mexico. This connection with government service provided both credibility and financial stability, forming the foundation of the family’s wealth.

As was true of several mercantile families of the nineteenth century, the Alexandre fortune was built in part through such government contracts—not through favoritism, but through competence and reliability. The prestige of official association often led other firms to seek out the Alexandre company as a trusted business partner, thereby compounding its success.

Social Position and Alliances

A defining cultural shift occurred when Frederick Francis married a French Catholic; while he remained Anglican, his descendants were raised in the Catholic faith. This distinguished them as a leading family within New York's "Catholic Aristocracy," allowing them to form alliances with other prominent Catholic mercantile families while maintaining the French pronunciation of their surname as a mark of distinction.

The Alexandres were part of a transitional generation in New York society: they followed the early Dutch mercantile families such as the Roosevelts, yet they preceded the later industrial “Gilded Age” dynasties. By the late nineteenth century, they were regarded as part of the established “Old Money” elite. Their marriages reflected this position; they tended to ally themselves with French Catholic merchant families and maintained the French pronunciation of their surname as a sign of distinction.

The Sporting Life

As the family moved from making money to spending it, their culture became synonymous with high-end sports. They were avid yachtsmen and leaders in the American equestrian world. Family members were fixtures at the Coaching Club, the National Steeplechase, and Jerome Park. Later generations, particularly the descendants of James Henry Alexandre, were central to the North Shore, Long Island, sporting set, known for their participation in polo, drag hunting, and competitive shooting.

Decline and Transition

By the turn of the twentieth century, the Alexandre Line had been sold, and the family capital began to dissipate through division among heirs and the maintenance of lavish estates such as Shore Acres (Staten Island), Nirvana (Stamford), and Spring Lawn (Lenox) (see Houses and Estates Appendix). The family trajectory followed a classic pattern: the first generation built the fortune, the second and third consolidated social status through leisure and alliances.

The alliance between the Alexandre and Lawrence families was established when James Henry Alexandre (1848–1912), son of Frederick Francis Alexandre, married Elizabeth Boyce Lawrence (1862–1906). She raised his children by his earlier marriage to Gertrude Jerome, linking the Alexandres with one of New York’s historic Quaker-descended families, and perpetuating the family’s social prominence into the next generation.

The fourth and fifth generations transitioned into the professional class, serving primarily as stockbrokers, lawyers, and corporate executives.

Notable Characteristics

The "Impulsive" Streak: While the founders were noted for steadiness, later branches (particularly the line of Jerome Alexandre) were noted in the press for impulsiveness, romantic elopements, and occasional tragedy.

Philanthropy: The women of the family, such as Anna Remsen Alexandre and Marie Civilise Alexandre, were noted for their distinct service to French and British war relief efforts, reflecting their enduring trans-Atlantic consciousness.