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attendance after May 15, 1776). Served in various
advisory positions to the British commanders in
Philadelphia and New York, 1777-1783. Prepared
"an Account of the State of the Country about
Wilmington" (Delaware) for General Sir William
Howe, ca. 1778, and an account of the "State of
the Country of South Carolina" for General Sir
Henry Clinton, ca. 1779; also wrote for Clinton in
1780 the well-researched and persuasive "Remarks
on the Peninsula or Eastern Shore of Maryland,"
which advocated the British capture of the supply-
rich Delmarva peninsula. A member of the board
established by the British "to direct and control
operations of Associated Loyalists," June 1781 to
November 1782. Represented Maryland Loyalists
in their claims for relief by the British government,
1784-?. STANDS ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES: Ini-
tially a supporter of American complaints against
the British, Alexander became a Loyalist and fled
Maryland in September 1777. After the war, in a
memorial to the British Loyalist Claims Commis-
sion, he stated that he was of the opinion "that
British subjects of America were not subject to
taxation by the British Parliament and that Mary-
land subjects were expressedly free thereof by
Charter." However, he was "opposed to every
measure of violence and to taking up arms." After
refusing to take the patriot oath of fidelity re-
nouncing allegiance to the British sovereign, Alex-
ander withdrew from politics, and in August 1777
when the British army under General Howe
landed near his home at Head of Elk, Cecil
County, Alexander offered Howe his support and
assistance. Leaving behind his wife and six chil-
dren, Alexander followed the British to Philadel-
phia, Pennsylvania. It is unlikely that he ever saw
his family again. He was outlawed for high treason
by the Maryland General Court in May 1780.
WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL PROP-
ERTY: Alexander's property was seized and inven-
toried by the Maryland commissioners of confis-
cated British property in April 1781. At that time
he was listed as owning 44 slaves, 22 of whom
were confiscated, and a law library of 63 titles
(106 volumes). Alexander claimed ownership of 28
slaves and a law library of 240 volumes in his me-
morial to the British Loyalist Claims Commission.
His confiscated property was sold in 1782. The
following year Isabella Alexander's property was
valued at £785.10.0, including 17 slaves and 4 oz.
plate. ANNUAL INCOME: law practice estimated to
be worth over £450 sterling per year, 1771-1776.
LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: probably 1,167 acres
in Cecil County, plus title to 4 lots in the Village
of Elk (later called Elkton) that he had leased out
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during his development of the town in the 1760s.
All of this land was the residue of a deed of gift
from his mother and stepfather George Catto, re-
ceived ca. 1760, which conveyed to Alexander the
land held for him from his father's estate, but did
not include 100 acres that Alexander claimed he
had given to Catto in 1765. SIGNIFICANT
CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION
AND DEATH: 900 acres, or two-thirds of Alexan-
der's land, were confiscated by the Maryland gov-
ernment and sold in 1782. His wife Isabella peti-
tioned the Maryland legislature in 1781 asking
that land be reserved for her children. The General
Assembly allowed her and the children the "man-
sion house" and 363 acres of land in 1784. In his
memorial to the British Loyalist Claims Commis-
sion Alexander claimed to have lost 1,563 acres in
Cecil County divided into three large farms with
dwelling houses, good barns, and outbuildings
that produced wheat, Indian corn, and livestock
worth about £600 current money per annum. AD-
DITIONAL COMMENTS: After 1782 Alexander held
title to no real or personal property in Maryland.
In order to receive compensation from the British
government for remaining loyal to the British
crown, he valued his combined real and personal
losses at £9,756 sterling and £450 sterling per an-
num. He received £5,459 sterling and £220 ster-
ling per annum in compensation. Alexander left
behind £814.18.7 current money in debts, which
was collected from the proceeds of the sales of his
confiscated property. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: in
November 1805 at his apartment in Norfolk
Street, Strand, London, England.
ALLEIN (ALLEN), WILLIAM (ca. 1742-ca.
1802). BORN: ca. 1742 in Anne Arundel County;
probably youngest son. NATIVE: at least second
generation. RESIDED: in Anne Arundel County
until at least 1759; at "Newington," Calvert
County, 1777-ca. 1802, formerly the home of his
father-in-law. FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER:
Benjamin Allein (?-1748), of Anne Arundel
County, an innkeeper, who ran the ferryboat at
Pig Point, Anne Arundel County. MOTHER: Mary
(?-1752). GUARDIAN: Samuel Roundell, from 1752
until at least 1759. BROTHERS: James (by 1730-?);
John Zachariah (by 1730-?); Benjamin (by 1730-
?); Thomas; Joseph; and Prindowell, a minor in
1752, who married on June 7, 1766, Elizabeth
Brown. SISTER: Ann, who married Capt. Philip
Allingham. MARRIED by 1771 Sarah Weems (ca.
1754-ca. 1804), daughter of Roger Wheeler (?-
1763), a merchant of Calvert County, and wife
Susannah Weems (?-by 1763); granddaughter of
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