Clifton and wife Mavie Edna Jolly Alexander raised a large family, and farmed for a living.
He and Mavie's offspring include:
- Alma Jean Alexander (b Oct 1929)
- Edna Ruth Alexander (b Dec 28, 1932 d Feb 19, 1996)
- Jessie Clifton Alexander, Jr. (b Nov 19, 1934)
- Laurie Silas Alexander (b Feb 3, 1937)
- Frances Laura "Fran" Alexander (b Mar 27, 1939)
- John Gee Alexander (b Feb 6, 1942)
- Gerald Wesley "Jerry" Alexander (b December 21, 1943)
- Jack Stanley Alexander (b Jul 15, 1946)
- Russell Dale Alexander (b Aug 11, 1949)
- Franklin Lee "Frank" Alexander (b May 24, 1951 d Apr 8, 1978 Burial: Sparrow Swamp Baptist Church.
A tribute by daughter Fran:
"It is only human nature for children to think that they know more than their parents when they are young. It takes becoming a parent yourself to really understand and appreciate your parents. It is only then that you can realize the hopes, dreams, fears and sorrows that your parents experienced.
We know that Clifton had many dreams that were never fulfilled. Because of having very little money, there was no need to worry about it. It was difficult for him to take care of his ten children but he always managed somehow. Perhaps most of them remember the hard times and can somehow love him even more for trying.
He tried hard to do his best by us. He fed and clothed us and disciplined and loved us. Times were hard but he always tried to spend the last dollar or fifty cents to make one of us happy - a candy bar, or soda or something that he knew we wanted.
In his younger years he worked on the W.P.A., and had to give it up because of a crippling spinal disease that eventually made him totally disabled. He was always a farmer, and even though he wasn't physically able to do a lot of work himself, he made sure his children did it. Oh! How we hated it when he would get us started in the field to work and then he would take off and not come back until it was nearly dark. Little did we know the pain he suffered but by now most of his children have been afflicted with the disease he had, some more severe than others and now we know a little of his suffering.
Whenever someone would come along and pay a compliment on the garden or a tobacco or cotton field, he would strut like a peacock! We suppose he was proud of what his children had done to receive such compliments.
Clifton was a great fisherman. It seems as though he always felt like fishing when he could not do anything else. As children we never knew how many BC Headache Powders or Anacin he had to take just to feel like fishing. He would always get us started digging bait, and as soon as we had enough to start he would take one of us to carry his tackle box, and he would go to the river bank leaving the rest of us behind to dig enough worms to fill the remaining cans. We always got to fish later though.
Another of his great loves was sports of any kind, but some form of ball was his favorite because he loved to watch his sons (all seven) play. This brought him much pleasure. He was proud of his children. He also loved a radio because he would stay up late at night to hear a fight or wrestling or some sports show. We believe it was in his blood.
Clifton was a very generous man. He would have given away everything we had if our mama would have let him. Her concern was for her children. There were times when he would have us load the back of our old car with turnips, collards, sweet potatoes or whatever was in season and go to town, park the car and go in the stores and tell people to go get whatever they wanted. He loved 'hog killing' days when he could have relatives, neighbors and friends come and help and when we were finished he always seemed to have given away more than we kept. We didn't know at the time but that was the Lord's way of returning our blessings - the more you give, the more you receive.
He loved to laugh. He would laugh so hard he would shake all over. Hopefully laughing covered some of his pain. Laughter comes from a merry heart and worketh like a good medicine. There were many occasions where he would laugh until tears would run down his face. One of these times came about on a hot summer day when Clifton was sitting under a Chinaberry tree and kept complaining about the heat and one of his sons-in-law decided to try to help him by cutting his pants leg off and making him some Bermudas. As he cut the pants off up above the knees, the material began to rip and before he knew it, the entire crotch had ripped out leaving him in quite a predicament. His son-in-law just walked away and left in laughing tears. There were many moments such as this.
Clifton sharecropped many years for G.K. Young, one of the finest and most honest men in the community. He always treated Clifton and his family as if we were part of his own family. We were blessed to have G.K. and his wife Mildred be such a vital part of our lives."
Obituary, probably from "Florence Morning News":
"TIMMONSVILLE - Funeral services for Jessie Clifton Alexander will be conducted Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Sparrow Swamp Baptist Church by the Rev. Freddie Yound and the Rev. Thomas Terry. Burial will be in the church cemetery, directed by Layton-Perry Funeral Home.
Mr. Alexander, 66, died Saturday in a Florence hospital after a short illness.
He was born in Darlington County, a son of the late Joseph and Fannie Hancock Alexander.
Mr. Alexander was a retired farmer, and a member of the Sparrow Swamp Baptist Church and the Woodmen of the World.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Mavie Jolly Alexander of the home; seven sons, Jerry Alexander, Laurie Alexander, and Russell Alexander, all of Timmonsville, Frank and Jack Alexander, both of Rochester, New York, John Alexander of Cassett, and Jessie C. Alexander, Jr. of U.S. Air Force, Alaska; three daughters, Mrs. James William Brown of North Augusta, Mrs. Duewell Spring of Florence, and Mrs. Bill Lovelace of Fayetteville, N.C.; five brothers, Lee Alexander, Willard Alexander, and Joe Alexander, all of Timmonsville, Belvin Alexander of Florence and Kenneth Alexander of Effingham; a sister, Mrs. Edgar Powers of Timmonsville; 20 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren."
He and Mavie's offspring include:
- Alma Jean Alexander (b Oct 1929)
- Edna Ruth Alexander (b Dec 28, 1932 d Feb 19, 1996)
- Jessie Clifton Alexander, Jr. (b Nov 19, 1934)
- Laurie Silas Alexander (b Feb 3, 1937)
- Frances Laura "Fran" Alexander (b Mar 27, 1939)
- John Gee Alexander (b Feb 6, 1942)
- Gerald Wesley "Jerry" Alexander (b December 21, 1943)
- Jack Stanley Alexander (b Jul 15, 1946)
- Russell Dale Alexander (b Aug 11, 1949)
- Franklin Lee "Frank" Alexander (b May 24, 1951 d Apr 8, 1978 Burial: Sparrow Swamp Baptist Church.
A tribute by daughter Fran:
"It is only human nature for children to think that they know more than their parents when they are young. It takes becoming a parent yourself to really understand and appreciate your parents. It is only then that you can realize the hopes, dreams, fears and sorrows that your parents experienced.
We know that Clifton had many dreams that were never fulfilled. Because of having very little money, there was no need to worry about it. It was difficult for him to take care of his ten children but he always managed somehow. Perhaps most of them remember the hard times and can somehow love him even more for trying.
He tried hard to do his best by us. He fed and clothed us and disciplined and loved us. Times were hard but he always tried to spend the last dollar or fifty cents to make one of us happy - a candy bar, or soda or something that he knew we wanted.
In his younger years he worked on the W.P.A., and had to give it up because of a crippling spinal disease that eventually made him totally disabled. He was always a farmer, and even though he wasn't physically able to do a lot of work himself, he made sure his children did it. Oh! How we hated it when he would get us started in the field to work and then he would take off and not come back until it was nearly dark. Little did we know the pain he suffered but by now most of his children have been afflicted with the disease he had, some more severe than others and now we know a little of his suffering.
Whenever someone would come along and pay a compliment on the garden or a tobacco or cotton field, he would strut like a peacock! We suppose he was proud of what his children had done to receive such compliments.
Clifton was a great fisherman. It seems as though he always felt like fishing when he could not do anything else. As children we never knew how many BC Headache Powders or Anacin he had to take just to feel like fishing. He would always get us started digging bait, and as soon as we had enough to start he would take one of us to carry his tackle box, and he would go to the river bank leaving the rest of us behind to dig enough worms to fill the remaining cans. We always got to fish later though.
Another of his great loves was sports of any kind, but some form of ball was his favorite because he loved to watch his sons (all seven) play. This brought him much pleasure. He was proud of his children. He also loved a radio because he would stay up late at night to hear a fight or wrestling or some sports show. We believe it was in his blood.
Clifton was a very generous man. He would have given away everything we had if our mama would have let him. Her concern was for her children. There were times when he would have us load the back of our old car with turnips, collards, sweet potatoes or whatever was in season and go to town, park the car and go in the stores and tell people to go get whatever they wanted. He loved 'hog killing' days when he could have relatives, neighbors and friends come and help and when we were finished he always seemed to have given away more than we kept. We didn't know at the time but that was the Lord's way of returning our blessings - the more you give, the more you receive.
He loved to laugh. He would laugh so hard he would shake all over. Hopefully laughing covered some of his pain. Laughter comes from a merry heart and worketh like a good medicine. There were many occasions where he would laugh until tears would run down his face. One of these times came about on a hot summer day when Clifton was sitting under a Chinaberry tree and kept complaining about the heat and one of his sons-in-law decided to try to help him by cutting his pants leg off and making him some Bermudas. As he cut the pants off up above the knees, the material began to rip and before he knew it, the entire crotch had ripped out leaving him in quite a predicament. His son-in-law just walked away and left in laughing tears. There were many moments such as this.
Clifton sharecropped many years for G.K. Young, one of the finest and most honest men in the community. He always treated Clifton and his family as if we were part of his own family. We were blessed to have G.K. and his wife Mildred be such a vital part of our lives."
Obituary, probably from "Florence Morning News":
"TIMMONSVILLE - Funeral services for Jessie Clifton Alexander will be conducted Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Sparrow Swamp Baptist Church by the Rev. Freddie Yound and the Rev. Thomas Terry. Burial will be in the church cemetery, directed by Layton-Perry Funeral Home.
Mr. Alexander, 66, died Saturday in a Florence hospital after a short illness.
He was born in Darlington County, a son of the late Joseph and Fannie Hancock Alexander.
Mr. Alexander was a retired farmer, and a member of the Sparrow Swamp Baptist Church and the Woodmen of the World.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Mavie Jolly Alexander of the home; seven sons, Jerry Alexander, Laurie Alexander, and Russell Alexander, all of Timmonsville, Frank and Jack Alexander, both of Rochester, New York, John Alexander of Cassett, and Jessie C. Alexander, Jr. of U.S. Air Force, Alaska; three daughters, Mrs. James William Brown of North Augusta, Mrs. Duewell Spring of Florence, and Mrs. Bill Lovelace of Fayetteville, N.C.; five brothers, Lee Alexander, Willard Alexander, and Joe Alexander, all of Timmonsville, Belvin Alexander of Florence and Kenneth Alexander of Effingham; a sister, Mrs. Edgar Powers of Timmonsville; 20 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren."
Clifton and wife Mavie Edna Jolly Alexander raised a large family, and farmed for a living.
He and Mavie's offspring include:
- Alma Jean Alexander (b Oct 1929)
- Edna Ruth Alexander (b Dec 28, 1932 d Feb 19, 1996)
- Jessie Clifton Alexander, Jr. (b Nov 19, 1934)
- Laurie Silas Alexander (b Feb 3, 1937)
- Frances Laura "Fran" Alexander (b Mar 27, 1939)
- John Gee Alexander (b Feb 6, 1942)
- Gerald Wesley "Jerry" Alexander (b December 21, 1943)
- Jack Stanley Alexander (b Jul 15, 1946)
- Russell Dale Alexander (b Aug 11, 1949)
- Franklin Lee "Frank" Alexander (b May 24, 1951 d Apr 8, 1978 Burial: Sparrow Swamp Baptist Church.
A tribute by daughter Fran:
"It is only human nature for children to think that they know more than their parents when they are young. It takes becoming a parent yourself to really understand and appreciate your parents. It is only then that you can realize the hopes, dreams, fears and sorrows that your parents experienced.
We know that Clifton had many dreams that were never fulfilled. Because of having very little money, there was no need to worry about it. It was difficult for him to take care of his ten children but he always managed somehow. Perhaps most of them remember the hard times and can somehow love him even more for trying.
He tried hard to do his best by us. He fed and clothed us and disciplined and loved us. Times were hard but he always tried to spend the last dollar or fifty cents to make one of us happy - a candy bar, or soda or something that he knew we wanted.
In his younger years he worked on the W.P.A., and had to give it up because of a crippling spinal disease that eventually made him totally disabled. He was always a farmer, and even though he wasn't physically able to do a lot of work himself, he made sure his children did it. Oh! How we hated it when he would get us started in the field to work and then he would take off and not come back until it was nearly dark. Little did we know the pain he suffered but by now most of his children have been afflicted with the disease he had, some more severe than others and now we know a little of his suffering.
Whenever someone would come along and pay a compliment on the garden or a tobacco or cotton field, he would strut like a peacock! We suppose he was proud of what his children had done to receive such compliments.
Clifton was a great fisherman. It seems as though he always felt like fishing when he could not do anything else. As children we never knew how many BC Headache Powders or Anacin he had to take just to feel like fishing. He would always get us started digging bait, and as soon as we had enough to start he would take one of us to carry his tackle box, and he would go to the river bank leaving the rest of us behind to dig enough worms to fill the remaining cans. We always got to fish later though.
Another of his great loves was sports of any kind, but some form of ball was his favorite because he loved to watch his sons (all seven) play. This brought him much pleasure. He was proud of his children. He also loved a radio because he would stay up late at night to hear a fight or wrestling or some sports show. We believe it was in his blood.
Clifton was a very generous man. He would have given away everything we had if our mama would have let him. Her concern was for her children. There were times when he would have us load the back of our old car with turnips, collards, sweet potatoes or whatever was in season and go to town, park the car and go in the stores and tell people to go get whatever they wanted. He loved 'hog killing' days when he could have relatives, neighbors and friends come and help and when we were finished he always seemed to have given away more than we kept. We didn't know at the time but that was the Lord's way of returning our blessings - the more you give, the more you receive.
He loved to laugh. He would laugh so hard he would shake all over. Hopefully laughing covered some of his pain. Laughter comes from a merry heart and worketh like a good medicine. There were many occasions where he would laugh until tears would run down his face. One of these times came about on a hot summer day when Clifton was sitting under a Chinaberry tree and kept complaining about the heat and one of his sons-in-law decided to try to help him by cutting his pants leg off and making him some Bermudas. As he cut the pants off up above the knees, the material began to rip and before he knew it, the entire crotch had ripped out leaving him in quite a predicament. His son-in-law just walked away and left in laughing tears. There were many moments such as this.
Clifton sharecropped many years for G.K. Young, one of the finest and most honest men in the community. He always treated Clifton and his family as if we were part of his own family. We were blessed to have G.K. and his wife Mildred be such a vital part of our lives."
Obituary, probably from "Florence Morning News":
"TIMMONSVILLE - Funeral services for Jessie Clifton Alexander will be conducted Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Sparrow Swamp Baptist Church by the Rev. Freddie Yound and the Rev. Thomas Terry. Burial will be in the church cemetery, directed by Layton-Perry Funeral Home.
Mr. Alexander, 66, died Saturday in a Florence hospital after a short illness.
He was born in Darlington County, a son of the late Joseph and Fannie Hancock Alexander.
Mr. Alexander was a retired farmer, and a member of the Sparrow Swamp Baptist Church and the Woodmen of the World.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Mavie Jolly Alexander of the home; seven sons, Jerry Alexander, Laurie Alexander, and Russell Alexander, all of Timmonsville, Frank and Jack Alexander, both of Rochester, New York, John Alexander of Cassett, and Jessie C. Alexander, Jr. of U.S. Air Force, Alaska; three daughters, Mrs. James William Brown of North Augusta, Mrs. Duewell Spring of Florence, and Mrs. Bill Lovelace of Fayetteville, N.C.; five brothers, Lee Alexander, Willard Alexander, and Joe Alexander, all of Timmonsville, Belvin Alexander of Florence and Kenneth Alexander of Effingham; a sister, Mrs. Edgar Powers of Timmonsville; 20 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren."
He and Mavie's offspring include:
- Alma Jean Alexander (b Oct 1929)
- Edna Ruth Alexander (b Dec 28, 1932 d Feb 19, 1996)
- Jessie Clifton Alexander, Jr. (b Nov 19, 1934)
- Laurie Silas Alexander (b Feb 3, 1937)
- Frances Laura "Fran" Alexander (b Mar 27, 1939)
- John Gee Alexander (b Feb 6, 1942)
- Gerald Wesley "Jerry" Alexander (b December 21, 1943)
- Jack Stanley Alexander (b Jul 15, 1946)
- Russell Dale Alexander (b Aug 11, 1949)
- Franklin Lee "Frank" Alexander (b May 24, 1951 d Apr 8, 1978 Burial: Sparrow Swamp Baptist Church.
A tribute by daughter Fran:
"It is only human nature for children to think that they know more than their parents when they are young. It takes becoming a parent yourself to really understand and appreciate your parents. It is only then that you can realize the hopes, dreams, fears and sorrows that your parents experienced.
We know that Clifton had many dreams that were never fulfilled. Because of having very little money, there was no need to worry about it. It was difficult for him to take care of his ten children but he always managed somehow. Perhaps most of them remember the hard times and can somehow love him even more for trying.
He tried hard to do his best by us. He fed and clothed us and disciplined and loved us. Times were hard but he always tried to spend the last dollar or fifty cents to make one of us happy - a candy bar, or soda or something that he knew we wanted.
In his younger years he worked on the W.P.A., and had to give it up because of a crippling spinal disease that eventually made him totally disabled. He was always a farmer, and even though he wasn't physically able to do a lot of work himself, he made sure his children did it. Oh! How we hated it when he would get us started in the field to work and then he would take off and not come back until it was nearly dark. Little did we know the pain he suffered but by now most of his children have been afflicted with the disease he had, some more severe than others and now we know a little of his suffering.
Whenever someone would come along and pay a compliment on the garden or a tobacco or cotton field, he would strut like a peacock! We suppose he was proud of what his children had done to receive such compliments.
Clifton was a great fisherman. It seems as though he always felt like fishing when he could not do anything else. As children we never knew how many BC Headache Powders or Anacin he had to take just to feel like fishing. He would always get us started digging bait, and as soon as we had enough to start he would take one of us to carry his tackle box, and he would go to the river bank leaving the rest of us behind to dig enough worms to fill the remaining cans. We always got to fish later though.
Another of his great loves was sports of any kind, but some form of ball was his favorite because he loved to watch his sons (all seven) play. This brought him much pleasure. He was proud of his children. He also loved a radio because he would stay up late at night to hear a fight or wrestling or some sports show. We believe it was in his blood.
Clifton was a very generous man. He would have given away everything we had if our mama would have let him. Her concern was for her children. There were times when he would have us load the back of our old car with turnips, collards, sweet potatoes or whatever was in season and go to town, park the car and go in the stores and tell people to go get whatever they wanted. He loved 'hog killing' days when he could have relatives, neighbors and friends come and help and when we were finished he always seemed to have given away more than we kept. We didn't know at the time but that was the Lord's way of returning our blessings - the more you give, the more you receive.
He loved to laugh. He would laugh so hard he would shake all over. Hopefully laughing covered some of his pain. Laughter comes from a merry heart and worketh like a good medicine. There were many occasions where he would laugh until tears would run down his face. One of these times came about on a hot summer day when Clifton was sitting under a Chinaberry tree and kept complaining about the heat and one of his sons-in-law decided to try to help him by cutting his pants leg off and making him some Bermudas. As he cut the pants off up above the knees, the material began to rip and before he knew it, the entire crotch had ripped out leaving him in quite a predicament. His son-in-law just walked away and left in laughing tears. There were many moments such as this.
Clifton sharecropped many years for G.K. Young, one of the finest and most honest men in the community. He always treated Clifton and his family as if we were part of his own family. We were blessed to have G.K. and his wife Mildred be such a vital part of our lives."
Obituary, probably from "Florence Morning News":
"TIMMONSVILLE - Funeral services for Jessie Clifton Alexander will be conducted Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Sparrow Swamp Baptist Church by the Rev. Freddie Yound and the Rev. Thomas Terry. Burial will be in the church cemetery, directed by Layton-Perry Funeral Home.
Mr. Alexander, 66, died Saturday in a Florence hospital after a short illness.
He was born in Darlington County, a son of the late Joseph and Fannie Hancock Alexander.
Mr. Alexander was a retired farmer, and a member of the Sparrow Swamp Baptist Church and the Woodmen of the World.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Mavie Jolly Alexander of the home; seven sons, Jerry Alexander, Laurie Alexander, and Russell Alexander, all of Timmonsville, Frank and Jack Alexander, both of Rochester, New York, John Alexander of Cassett, and Jessie C. Alexander, Jr. of U.S. Air Force, Alaska; three daughters, Mrs. James William Brown of North Augusta, Mrs. Duewell Spring of Florence, and Mrs. Bill Lovelace of Fayetteville, N.C.; five brothers, Lee Alexander, Willard Alexander, and Joe Alexander, all of Timmonsville, Belvin Alexander of Florence and Kenneth Alexander of Effingham; a sister, Mrs. Edgar Powers of Timmonsville; 20 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren."
Inscription
THY KINGDOM COME
Family Members
Parents
Siblings
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Joseph Lee Alexander
1908–1987
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Wilton Kenneth Alexander
1910–1986
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Belvin Ryan "Bill" Alexander
1913–1989
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Vivian Loren "Loren" Alexander
1915–1954
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Willard Terry Alexander
1918–1996
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Glady Myrtis "Gladys" Alexander Ruther
1921–1969
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William Elbert Alexander
1923–1924
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PFC Barney Kirby Alexander
1925–1945
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Mildred Alexander Powers
1927–2014
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Marvin Esker Alexander
1929–1971
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Joseph Kirkland "Joe" Alexander Jr
1932–2011
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