Archibald S. Alexander

Archibald Stevens Alexander (October 28, 1906 - September 4, 1979) was an American lawyer, civil servant, and Democratic politician. He served as Under Secretary of the United States Army in the Truman administration and as New Jersey State Treasurer.

Alexander was born in 1906 in New York City, the son of Archibald Stevens Alexander and Helen Tracy (Barney) Alexander. [ [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/alexander.html#RPR18E253 Biographical information for Archibald S. Alexander] from The Political Graveyard. Accessed July 3, 2008.] He received a B.A. degree from Princeton University in 1928 and an LL.B. from Harvard Law School in 1931. After law school he joined the New York firm of Carter, Ledyard and Millburn, where he was a partner from 1940 to 1949. [http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/libs/scua/alexander/alexander.shtml Biographical sketch] , Manuscript Collection 1190, Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries. Accessed June 8, 2008.]

During World War II, Alexander served in the United States Army. He was commissioned as first lieutenant in 1942 and served in the European and Mediterranean Theatres. He was discharged from the Army in 1945, having risen to the rank of lieutenant colonel. [http://www.army.mil/leaders/leaders/usa/former/alexander.html Official bio] , Former Under Secretaries, United States Army. Accessed June 8, 2008.]

In 1947, Alexander was a member of the State Department's Foreign Service Selection Board and served as a consultant to the Atomic Energy Commission on security and personnel matters. He was Assistant Secretary of the Army from 1949 to 1950 and Under Secretary from 1950 to 1952.

Alexander was active in Democratic politics in New Jersey. In 1948 he was the Democratic candidate for United States Senate but lost to Robert C. Hendrickson. He was again the Democratic nominee in 1952, losing to Howard Alexander Smith. From 1954 to 1955 he served as Treasurer of the State of New Jersey. In 1956 he was Director of Volunteers for the presidential campaign of Adlai Stevenson.

Alexander was President of the Free Europe Committee from 1959 to 1963. In 1963 he was appointed Assistant Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency in 1963, remaining in this position until 1969. From 1971 until his death, he was president of the Arms Control Association.

Alexander was a descendant of the Rev. Archibald Alexander and John Stevens. He married Susanne Dimock Tilton (d. 1935) in 1929 and Jean Struthers Sears (1907-1983) in 1937. His second wife was the sister of Emily Sears, who was married to Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. [ [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0A1EFC35541B728DDDAD0894D0405B878FF1D3 "Miss Jean Sears Married at Home"] . "The New York Times", August 4, 1937. Accessed July 3, 2008.] In 1979 he died at the age of 72 at his home in Bernardsville, New Jersey after a short illness. [ [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10714FD3E5F13778DDDAF0894D1405B898BF1D3 "Archibald Alexander, 72; Lawyer Served as Army Under Secretary"] . "The New York Times", September 6, 1979. Accessed June 8, 2008.]

References

External links

* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/alexander.html#RPR18E253 Biographical information for Archibald S. Alexander] from The Political Graveyard