Early Life and Education

Frederick Francis Alexandre—also known as François Alexandre—was born on August 5, 1809, in Saint Helier, on the Island of Jersey in the Channel Islands. He was the son of a farmer and was raised in modest circumstances. When his father died, he renounced the family estate—his inheritance under English primogeniture laws—in favor of his sisters, an early sign of the independence and self-reliance that would mark his later life.

With an inclination for the sea, he went to sea “before the mast” at a young age and spent his early years acquiring an education wherever he could—attending schools while in port and reading during his spare time aboard ship. At the age of twenty-one, he took command of the Nina on a voyage from Liverpool to Rio de Janeiro, establishing himself as a capable and enterprising mariner.

Career and the Alexandre Line

Around 1838, Alexandre settled in New York City, where he married Marie Civilise Cipriant, a French Catholic. Although he remained Episcopalian, he regularly accompanied his wife to church. That same year, he opened a small chandler’s shop on Washington Street, paying an annual rent of only $25. His diligence and acumen soon allowed him to expand into shipping and commerce.

In 1842 he established a line of sailing vessels between New York and Honduras, later extending the service to Vera Cruz and other South American ports. By the 1860s he owned as many as fourteen ships and founded what became known as the Alexandre Line, which carried both freight and mail. In 1867, he replaced his sailing ships with steamers, securing a United States government contract to carry mail between New York, Havana, and Mexico—a partnership that lasted for nearly two decades.

Character and Reputation

According to his obituary, Alexandre “left his Channel Islands home with sixpence in his pocket and died a millionaire.” His career exemplified the classic nineteenth-century American success story: enterprise, perseverance, and integrity rewarded by prosperity. His dealings were described as honorable, and his ships were known for their reliability.

Religious and Personal Life

Though raised in the Church of England, Alexandre’s marriage brought him into close association with the Catholic faith. He never converted but was described as attending Mass regularly with his wife. Their household blended French and English traditions and formed the foundation of the Alexandre family’s later prominence in New York’s mercantile and social world.

Death

Frederick Francis Alexandre died in New York City on June 8, 1889. His obituary noted that he had been “a merchant, born in Jersey… who by energy, honesty, and ability, raised himself from humble beginnings to a commanding position in American commerce.” He was buried in the family plot in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn.