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Leila Alexander

Saint Paul, 20 Nov 1864 – 14 Jul 1953

6 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

  • Born20 Nov 1864, Saint Paulnot verified1 source
  • MarriedJohn J. Emerynot verified1 source
  • Died14 Jul 1953not verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 20 Nov 1864

    Born in Saint Paul

  2. 4 Jan 1904

    A daughter is born

  3. 14 Jul 1953

    Dies, aged 88

Family

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Partner

Children · 1

During her lifetime

She lived through 10 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Saint Paul.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1860s · Leila is born in Saint Paul

Who governed

What people wore

Long men's shirts

In the mid-nineteenth century, men's shirts were cut long enough to reach almost to the knees, making optional drawers unnecessary.

Getting around

Railroads revolutionized travel speed and comfort

By the late 1860s and early 1870s, transcontinental rail travel allowed passengers to move at 30 miles per hour in luxurious conditions. This was a dramatic change from earlier overland travel, such as a 300-mile trip that took 56 hours by coach but could be completed in roughly 15 hours by train.

At the table

Whiskey and cider as everyday staples

Alcoholic drinks were a daily staple, with whiskey being so standard it was often used as a form of currency or barter in place of coins. Many families kept a barrel of hard cider on tap, serving it at every meal even to small children.

The American Civil War. North and South fought over slavery; 620,000 soldiers died, the Union won, and four million enslaved people were freed.In North America · 1861–1865

The American Civil War. North and South fought over slavery; 620,000 soldiers died, the Union won, and four million enslaved people were freed.

Nathaniel Currier and James Merritt Ives · public domain

In the news1862

Homestead Act Signed in 1862

The Homestead Act allowed individuals to claim 160 acres of free land if they lived on and improved it for five years.

Music

Shape-note singing and The Sacred Harp

The Sacred Harp, a popular songbook during this era, taught music using a shape-note system where different note head shapes represented various pitches.

Daily life

Children used slates instead of paper

Because paper was expensive, schoolchildren used slates and slate pencils or chalk for their daily work instead of paper.