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In the census of 1851 listing residents along what is now Cedar Lane, then a poor community of Irish and blacks, in the household of John Stewart, a black man, is an old lady by the name of Violet Alexander, African, aged 96.  This Violet is probably the Black Violet mentioned by Grace Helen Mowat in her “Diverting History of a Loyalist Town” and Frances Wren in her pictorial version, c. 1937.  Ms. Mowat writes that Black Violet was a storehouse of information about the Revolutionary War, and could remember the day she was taken away from her little African village. A little archival digging reveals that in the daybook of Reverend Samuel Andrews, now at the Provincial Archives, there is recorded the marriage of a Violet Tucker to Rueben Alexander, a black man, in 1792.  The Records Office records that Rueben and Violet bought a small plot of land on the site of the present day community college in 1799 for one pound, which they sold ten years later to a wealthy white land owner by the name of Joseph Walton for the same amount.  The All Saints baptismal records show that Rueben and Violet had quite a few children.  One of them, to commemorate a famous British naval victory of 1799, was named Horatio Nelson Alexander.  When did Violet come to St. Andrews?  According to Ms. Mowat, she worked for Colonel Christopher Hatch.  The Royal Gazette notes the departure of Colonel Hatch from his Germain Street home in Saint John for St. Andrews in 1788.  He probably brought Violet with him.  She would have been 33 at the time. Now what was Violet  Alexander doing in the house of John Stewart?  Well, just next door to John Stewart lives Joseph Alexander, black mariner, with his wife and five children.  Joseph Alexander married Sarah Stewart, also black, in 1839.  Somehow, John Stewart, and for that matter Moses and Charles Stewart, who live on the same road, are probably related to Sarah Stewart. All Saints records note various other black Alexanders in St. Andrews, though the relation among them is unknown. For example, Edward Bannister, a black man whose son of the same name became semi-famous as a painter in Rhode Island and is well remembered in the art history of the United States, married Hannah Alexander in 1826.

Violet Alexander died in 1852 and was buried in the Loyalist cemetery. No marker exists.

May 20, 1792
Reverend  Andrews Daybook
Rubin Alexander married to Violet Tucker

May 5, 1793
Reverend Andrews Daybook
Mary Daughter of Rubin Alexander, Christened

Dec 20, 1795
Reverend Andrews Daybook
Son of Rubin, Black, christened

April 2, 1797
Reverend Andrews Daybook
Henrietta, daughter of Black Rubin, christened

1799, June—deed from Nivan McVicar to Rueben Alexander, lot 7, Block P, Morris’ Division.  1 pound, 6 pence.  X his mark.

July 14, 1799
Reverend Andrews Daybook
Horatio Nelson, son of Black Rubin christened. 

Reverend Andrews Daybook

Sept 20, 1801
James Rubin, son of Black Rubin, christened

no date but about 1800
Reverend Andrews Daybook
--?daughter of Black Rubin (christened)

May 14, 1808
Reverend Andrews Daybook
Andrew and Jane son and daughter of Black Rubin christened

1810, July 21—Ruben Alexander to Joseph Walton Lot 7 Block P Morris Division [site of NBCC], 1 pound, 2 shillings, 6 pence.  “Know all Men by these Presents, that I Rueben Alexander, of Saint Andrews, in the County of charlotte, and Province of New Brunswick, Black man, for and in consideration of the sum of one point, two shillings and six pence lawful money of the province aforesaid to me in hand with and truly paid by Joseph Walton of Saint Andrews aforesaid, yeoman, the weight whereof is herby acknowledge, have granted bargained and sold, and by these presents do grant, bargain and sell unto the said Joseph Walton his Heirs and assigns, all that certain lot of ground, situate lying and being in the Town plat of Saint Andrews, in the County and Province aforesaid, known and described by the name of town lot number seven in block letter P in Morris’s division together with the appurtenances to have and to hold the said town lot with . . .”
            Alexander paid the same for this lot in 1799 from Nivan McVicar, Book B, p. 589-90, but Walton, a substantial land speculator, sold it in to james Turnbull in 1819 for 10 pounds.  Book E, p. 455.
            Alexander was illiterate—X his mark.

Feb 10, 1811
Reverend Andrews Daybook
Abigail, daughter of Black Rubin christened   

1813, May 5—Deed Rueben Alexander, “Black man,”  to William McCan, for five pounds, but lot number left blank.  X his mark.   

August 11, 1816
All Saints Marriages
Joseph Brush and Julia Myres. (or Mires?)
In presence of Rubin Alexander 

Oct 8, 1817.
#27 All Saints Burial
Kesiah (?) daughter of Rubin a black man. 7 yrs. {born 1810}  
June 20, 1819.

#56 All Saints Burial
William Alexander—a black boy.  Son of Robert. 

July 1, 1819.
#57 All Saints Burial
Robert Alexander, a black man. 

1839.
All Saints Marriages
Joseph Alexander and Sarah Ann Stewart.  Illiterate.

Feb 16, 1840. 
#8 All Saints Baptismal
William Henry, son of Joseph and Sarah Alexander.  Mariner.  Born oct 26, 1839.

Oct 3, 1841
All Saints Baptisms
Harriet Ann, child of colour
Daughter of Joseph and Sarah Alexander.  Farmer
Born March 27, 1841

March 30, 1843.
#578 All Saints Burial
Jane Alexander, a woman of colour. 

July 28, 1852. 
#707 All Saints Burial
Violet Alexander, coloured woman.  90 yrs.  {born 1762}