Robert A. Alexander
Encyclopedia
Robert Aitcheson Alexander (1819 – December 3, 1867) was an American breeder
of Thoroughbred
and Standardbred horse
s. Born on a farm
near Midway
, Woodford County
, Kentucky
, he and his siblings inherited the property on his father's death.
Alexander was sent to study in England where he earned a degree at Trinity College, Cambridge
. While there Robert Alexander became the beneficiary of an extremely wealthy uncle's Scottish
estate, an inheritance that made him one of the richest young men in the world. Accordingly, he lived at the inherited estate in Scotland but after nine years there, in 1849 he decided to return to Kentucky. Back home he set about establishing a stud farm and in the early part of the 1850s returned to Europe
to spend two years studying the techniques of breeding farms in Germany, France, and England. Starting with 921 acres (3.7 km²) purchased from his family, Robert Alexander built his Woodburn Stud
at Spring Station, Kentucky
into the leading horse breeding operation in the United States.
Alexander purchased African American
slaves
Ansel Williamson
and Edward D. Brown
who were taught the business of breeding and training horses. Both became horse racing
trainers
and would have outstanding careers. After being given their freedom, they both remained as employees of Alexander until his death. They went on to train Kentucky Derby
winners and are both inductees of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
.
In February 1865, soldiers of the Confederate Army attacked the village of Midway. They burned down the railroad station, robbed its residents, and stole fifteen of Alexander's prized thoroughbred horses.
Alexander died in 1867. His son, Alexander John Alexander (known as "A.J.") took over the management of Woodburn Stud and further enhanced its reputation.
In January of 1962, a portrait of Benjamin Franklin
, commissioned and paid for by Robert Alexander at Edinburgh, Scotland, was donated to the White House
by Mrs. Alexander John Aitchison Alexander. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30D1EFC3E551A7B93CAAB178AD85F468685F9
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
of Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
and Standardbred horse
Standardbred horse
Standardbreds are a breed of horse best known for their ability to race in harness at a trot or pace instead of under saddle at a gallop. Developed in North America, the breed is now recognized worldwide for its harness racing ability...
s. Born on a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
near Midway
Midway, Kentucky
Midway is a city in Woodford County, Kentucky, United States. Its population was 1,620 at the 2000 census. It is located midway between Frankfort and Lexington along the single-track railroad between them. It is part of the Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is home to a...
, Woodford County
Woodford County, Kentucky
Woodford County is a county located in the heart of the Bluegrass region of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 23,208. Its county seat is Versailles. The county is named for General William Woodford, who was with General George Washington at Valley Forge...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, he and his siblings inherited the property on his father's death.
Alexander was sent to study in England where he earned a degree at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. While there Robert Alexander became the beneficiary of an extremely wealthy uncle's Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
estate, an inheritance that made him one of the richest young men in the world. Accordingly, he lived at the inherited estate in Scotland but after nine years there, in 1849 he decided to return to Kentucky. Back home he set about establishing a stud farm and in the early part of the 1850s returned to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to spend two years studying the techniques of breeding farms in Germany, France, and England. Starting with 921 acres (3.7 km²) purchased from his family, Robert Alexander built his Woodburn Stud
Woodburn Stud
Woodburn Stud was an American horse breeding farm located in Woodford County, Kentucky about ten miles from the city of Lexington. It was established in the 18th century as an original land grant property of General Hugh Mercer to whom it had been granted for his military services during the...
at Spring Station, Kentucky
Spring Station, Kentucky
Spring Station, Kentucky is a village in the northern part of Woodford County, Kentucky located approximately three miles west of Midway. The area is believed to have been settled during the early part of the 19th century and it became a station stop on the Lexington and Ohio Railroad line when it...
into the leading horse breeding operation in the United States.
Alexander purchased African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
slaves
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
Ansel Williamson
Ansel Williamson
Ansel Williamson was an African American thoroughbred horse racing trainerAnsel Williamson was born a slave in Virginia sometime around the middle part of the 19th century. In 1864 he was purchased by Robert A. Alexander, owner of the famous Woodburn Stud near Midway, Kentucky. Taught the breeding...
and Edward D. Brown
Edward D. Brown
Edward Dudley Brown was an African American born as a slave who rose to become a Belmont Stakes-winning jockey, a Kentucky Derby-winning horse trainer, and an owner of several of the top racehorses during the last decade of the 19th century, earning him induction into the United States Racing Hall...
who were taught the business of breeding and training horses. Both became horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
trainers
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
and would have outstanding careers. After being given their freedom, they both remained as employees of Alexander until his death. They went on to train Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
winners and are both inductees of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
.
In February 1865, soldiers of the Confederate Army attacked the village of Midway. They burned down the railroad station, robbed its residents, and stole fifteen of Alexander's prized thoroughbred horses.
Alexander died in 1867. His son, Alexander John Alexander (known as "A.J.") took over the management of Woodburn Stud and further enhanced its reputation.
In January of 1962, a portrait of Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
, commissioned and paid for by Robert Alexander at Edinburgh, Scotland, was donated to the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
by Mrs. Alexander John Aitchison Alexander. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30D1EFC3E551A7B93CAAB178AD85F468685F9