Eben Alexander

Life and Orange County connections

Storylines this person is part of, in date order. Each opens its own page, with its events date by date.

Dated events connected with this person, in date order. See these 12 dated events in the chronology →

During their lifetime

1. 1886 Eben Alexander comes to Chapel Hill as professor of Greek Eben Alexander, who had taught ancient languages at East Tennessee University for thirteen years, accepted the professorship of Greek at the University of North Carolina in 1886 and moved to Chapel Hill. Place: Chapel HillSearch the index · NCpedia: Alexander, Eben
2. January 23, 1886 Professor John DeBerniere Hooper dies Hooper, a first-honor graduate of 1831 who taught French, Latin and then Greek at Chapel Hill before and after the war, died soon after resigning in 1885 because of failing health. Student Solomon C. Weill taught his Greek classes until Eben Alexander arrived. People: John DeBerniere Hooper, Eben Alexander Place: Chapel Hill · Also named: Solomon C. WeillSearch the index · Documenting the American South: Kemp P. Battle, History of the University of North Carolina, vol. II (1912), p. 353
3. 1889 Cornelia Phillips Spencer compiles a catalogue of every student since 1795 For the 1889 centennial the university issued a general catalogue of students from 1795 to 1889, prepared by Cornelia Phillips Spencer after long correspondence and checked by Eben Alexander. It held 5,422 names, with Battle's sketches of the university's history. People: Cornelia Phillips Spencer, Eben Alexander, Kemp Plummer Battle Place: Chapel HillSearch the index · Documenting the American South: Kemp P. Battle, History of the University of North Carolina, vol. II (1912), p. 798
4. early April 1893 UNC Greek professor Eben Alexander is appointed United States minister to Greece President Cleveland appointed Eben Alexander, professor of Greek at the university, minister to Greece. Alexander left Chapel Hill for his post in June, while his wife and daughter stayed until after commencement. Place: University of North Carolina, Chapel HillSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), April 8, 1893, p. 3
5. between 1899 and 1903 Hoot Patterson's house is the first in Chapel Hill with indoor plumbing Bryant lists merchant Henry H. "Hoot" Patterson's home as the first in Chapel Hill to have indoor plumbing, one of several local firsts of these years, along with Eben Alexander's telephone and Edward Vernon Howell's automobile. People: Henry Houston Patterson, Eben Alexander, E. V. (Edward Vernon) Howell Place: Chapel HillSearch the index · Bernard Lee Bryant Jr., Occupants and Structures of Franklin Street, Chapel Hill (1998; Chapel Hill Historical Society, 1999), scan p. 179
6. 1900-1909 Eben Alexander becomes the university's first dean of the faculty Back from diplomatic service in Greece, Eben Alexander was named the first dean of the faculty under President Francis P. Venable in 1900, heading the College of Liberal Arts and graduate studies and supervising the library until poor health forced a leave in 1909. People: Francis Preston Venable Place: Chapel HillSearch the index · Carolina Story: Eben Alexander (1851-1910) and Alexander Residence Hall
7. 1900 William Stanly Bernard is appointed University librarian On graduating from the University in 1900, William Stanly Bernard was appointed University librarian. The next year he became an instructor in Greek under Eben Alexander. People: William Stanly Bernard, Eben Alexander Place: Chapel HillSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, May 13, 1938, p. 6
8. by 1901 Eben Alexander has the first telephone in Chapel Hill Bryant lists Professor Eben Alexander, who lived in the old Tom Taylor house on East Franklin Street, as the first in town to have a telephone; in 1901 his number was 1. Place: Old Tom Taylor house, East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill · Also named: Tom Taylor · Also mentions: East Franklin StreetSearch the index · Bernard Lee Bryant Jr., Occupants and Structures of Franklin Street, Chapel Hill (1998; Chapel Hill Historical Society, 1999), scan p. 179
9. 1904 A Phi Beta Kappa chapter is established at the university As dean of the faculty, Eben Alexander, himself a Phi Beta Kappa member from Yale, helped establish a chapter of the honor society at the University of North Carolina in 1904. Place: Chapel HillSearch the index · NCpedia: Alexander, Eben
10. March 31, 1905 Andrew Carnegie offers the university $50,000 for a library Andrew Carnegie's offer of $50,000 for a library building, if an equal sum were raised for its upkeep, was announced in the university chapel on March 31, 1905. At commencement President Venable told the alumni that about $27,000 was in sight, and a faculty and alumni committee was named to raise the rest. People: Andrew Carnegie, Francis Preston Venable, Eben Alexander, Charles Alphonso Smith Place: Chapel HillSearch the index · Documenting the American South: Kemp P. Battle, History of the University of North Carolina, vol. II (1912), p. 647 · Also: Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), April 6, 1905, p. 2
11. Fall 1909 Venable names Edward Kidder Graham dean of the College of Liberal Arts At 32 the youngest of the senior faculty, Graham took over the English department and replaced Eben Alexander, who was given a year's leave, as dean, with first responsibility for student discipline. People: Edward Kidder Graham, Francis Preston Venable, Eben Alexander Place: UNC, Chapel HillSearch the index · Howard E. Covington Jr., Fire and Stone: The Making of the University of North Carolina under Presidents Edward Kidder Graham and Harry Woodburn Chase (2018), p. 59

After their death in 1910

Later events: estates and burials, and the buildings, honors and histories that remember them.

1. 1939 The university builds the dormitory later named Alexander Residence Hall A men's dormitory built at the university in 1939 with funds from the New Deal's Public Works Administration was known as K until the trustees named it for Eben Alexander, the former professor of Greek and first dean of the faculty, at their meeting of June 7, 1941. Place: Alexander Residence Hall, Chapel HillSearch the index · Carolina Story: Eben Alexander (1851-1910) and Alexander Residence Hall · Also: Chapel Hill Weekly, June 13, 1941, p. 3; Chapel Hill Weekly, June 20, 1941, p. 1