Alexander Doniphan
& Ray County
Alexander Doniphan was born in Ken-
tucky on July 9, 1808, to Joseph and
Anne Doniphan. He started his law
practice in Kentucky before moving
to Lexington in 1830. Three years
later, he moved to Liberty.
In Liberty, he married Eliza-
beth Jane Thornton on her 17th
birthday, Dec 21, 1837. It was a
double wedding with Elizabeth’s
sister, Caroline, and Oliver P. Moss.
Alexander was 29-years-old and a
colleague of Elizabeth’s father in
the Missouri State Legislature.
Alexander and Elizabeth had
two sons, but both died young.
Elizabeth was a frail lady and
suffered a stroke while burying her
son John. She was a semi-invalid the
rest of her life and died in New York
City at the age of 52 while visiting
with her sisters. Alexander had
returned to Richmond where he
received the telegram informing him
of her death.
He was 10 days away from his
65th birthday and lived in Richmond
for another 14 years. Doniphan died
in Richmond on Aug 8, 1887 at the
Hudgins House, a hotel located on
the northwest corner of the Rich-
mond square where the Christian
Church once stood. Doniphan is
buried by his wife and sons in
Liberty.
Doniphan is still honored 203
years after his death. In addition to
being a lawyer and banker in Rich-
mond, he was a brigadier general in
the Missouri state militia in 1838.
He and 2,000 troops were sent
to Far West in Caldwell County to
arrested Joseph Smith and his fellow
Mormon church leaders, after they
refused to leave Missouri. Doniphan
was given orders to shoot them but
he refused. He called the order
“cold-blooded murder.” The Mor-
mon leaders were taken into custody
to stand trail and Doniphan served
as one of their lawyers.
Many members of the Mormon
Church visit Richmond each year
and stop to pay their respects to the
man that saved Joseph Smith.
When the Spanish American
War started in 1846, Doniphan
helped organized the 1st Regiment
of Missouri Mounted Volunteers and
was elected Colonel of the regiment.
He would carry the moniker of
“Colonel” for the remainder of his
life.
He and his troops left Fort
Leavenworth on a journey that took
them 3,600 miles by land and 2,000
by boat. It’s said this was one of the
most successful marches in U.S.
military history. At one point in New
Mexico, Doniphan and his men
were assisted by Sterling Price and
the Second Missouri Mounted
Volunteers. Doniphan had his
picture taken by Matthew Brady
when he was in New Orleans on his
way home after the war. This picture
was later used to create the face of
Doniphan’s statue.
There are many other interest-
ing stories about Doniphan includ-
ing one where he met Abe Lincoln
and Honest Abe surmised,
“Alexander Doniphan is the only
man I have ever met who lived up to
my previous expectations.”
On July 29, 1918 over 20,000
people gathered around the Rich-
mond Square to celebrate the unveil-
ing on the 19-foot tall statue of
Alexander Doniphan.