http://owslfl.tripod.com/williamalexander/ancestry-of-william-alexander.html
James Alexander “The Carpenter” was born in 1685 and died around 1717/18. In his will, he referred to himself as James Alexander “the carpenter” and named three sons, Joseph, John, and Francis. Francis was referred to as the youngest. Also named in the will was his wife, Mary, father-in-law, John Steel “yeoman,” and brother, Francis Alexander “weaver.” By 1724, Mary Steele Alexander was married to her second husband, Adam Rankin. According to Rankin genealogy, the name of Adam Rankin’s second wife was Mary Steele.
In 1722, Adam Rankin resided in Cecil County, Maryland. He was one of several signers of the “Petitioners of New Munster Circa 1722 to Lord Baltimore.” In the petition, they stated their belief that Maryland was their proper place of residence, not Pennsylvania. In a resurvey (dated September 28, 1724), of the land James Alexander left to his heirs, it was noted that his widow, Mary, was now married to Adam Ranken (Rankin).
Most Rankin family researchers have Adam Rankin and his second wife, Mary Steele, as the parents of four children: James Rankin, William Rankin, Jeremiah Rankin, and Esther Rankin. As noted earlier, two grandsons of Mary Steele Alexander Rankin were Oliver Alexander and Jeremiah Alexander. It would appear that Jeremiah Alexander was named after his half uncle, Jeremiah Rankin. Also, it is known that the youngest son of Oliver Alexander was named Adam Rankin Alexander. Adam Rankin Alexander (1781-1848) resided in west Tennessee and was twice elected to the United States Congress, before being defeated by Davy Crockett.
