Lamar Alexander

official photo of Lamar Alexander

Birth Name: Andrew Lamar Alexander, Jr.

Place of Birth: Maryville, Tennessee, U.S.

Date of Birth: July 3, 1940

Ethnicity: Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, English, Scottish, German, distant Dutch

Lamar Alexander is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he has served as a U.S. Senator from Tennessee, since January 3, 2003. He was previously Governor of Tennessee, from January 17, 1979 to January 17, 1987, and the United States Secretary of Education, from March 22, 1991 to January 20, 1993.

He was a candidate for the Republican Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 1996 and 2000.

Lamar is the son of Genevra Floreine (Rankin), a pre-school teacher, and Andrew Lamar Alexander, a high school principal. His family has lived in the United States since the 1600s.

He is married to Honey Buhler, with whom he has four children.

Lamar’s paternal grandfather was William Henry Alexander (the son of John Dole Alexander and Sarah Angelina Donaldson). William was born in Tennessee. John was the son of Francis I. Alexander, Jr. and Margaret Vickers. Sarah was the daughter of James Henry Donaldson and Lucinda Matthews.

Lamar’s paternal grandmother was Lydia Ann Mills (the daughter of William Andrew Mills and Tressie/Tressa Ann Jones). Lydia was born in Tennessee. William was the son of David Mills and Mary Beals.

Lamar’s maternal grandfather was Reu Raymond Rankin (the son of James Thomas Rankin and Nancy Jane Webb). James was the son of Christopher Rankin and Frances George Galbraith.

Lamar’s maternal grandmother was Florence Edens (the daughter of Columbus Walker Edens and Tennessee “Tennie” Van Zandt). Columbus was the son of Henry Harrison Edens and Charity Hylton/Hilton.

Sources: Genealogy of Lamar Alexander – https://www.geni.com

Genealogy of Lamar Alexander (focusing on his father’s side) – http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com