Alexander was born on July 9, 1808 near Maysville, Mason County, Kentucky, United States. His father, Joseph Doniphan of King George County, Virginia, served in the Revolution and after the war went to Kentucky. He returned to his native state and married Anne Smith of Fauquier County, with her going back to Kentucky in 1790, and settling in Mason County. He died there in March 1813, before his youngest son, Alexander, was five years old.
When Doniphan was eight, Alexander was sent to school at Augusta, Kentucky, under the tutelage of Richard Keene, and at the age of eighteen he graduated from Augusta College.
He studied law in the office of Honourable Martin Marshall, and after two years was admitted to practise in Kentucky and Ohio.
Removing to Missouri, on April 19, 1830, Alexander began at Lexington a long, brilliant, and successful career in his profession, gaining distinction by his eloquence.
Although pitted against many lawyers of ability, his influence over juries was almost infallible, and he was employed in nearly every important case in northwestern Missouri.
In one of these he defended the Mormon, Orrin P. Rockwell, who was charged with being party to a conspiracy to murder Governor McNair. The latter recovered from his wounds, but the excitement incident to the Mormon invasion and the dastardly attack caused the outraged community to demand revenge. Doniphan, however, obtained for his client a sentence of five minutes in jail; virtually an acquittal.
In 1833 he moved to Liberty, Missouri, which place he thereafter regarded as his home.
He refused to shoot down Prophet Smith and several other Mormons after their court-martial, pronouncing the order of General Lucas cold-blood murder. The order was later rescinded.
They marched to the rendezvous at Fort Leavenworth, from there with Kearny’s men to Fort Bent, and thence into New Mexico, of which territory Doniphan was placed in command. He was permitted to yield this post to Colonel Sterling Price, who came later with a large body of troops.
Doniphan then proceeded to the western slope of the Rockies and effected a treaty with the Navajo Indians who had been harassing the whites.
Later he went to Chihuahua to form a junction with General Wool, and took possession of the city by right of conquest. On the way, his men defeated the Mexicans in the battles of Brazito and Sacramento. This expedition, which ended by land at Matamoras, is still considered one of the most brilliant long marches ever made; the force, with no quartermaster, paymaster, commissary, uniforms, tents, or even military discipline, covered 3, 600 miles by land and 2, 000 by water, all in the course of twelve months.
Doniphan’s part in civil affairs included election to the legislature in 1836, 1840, and again in 1854.
During his absence he was elected to the state convention called by the legislature January 21, 1861, to determine whether or not Missouri should secede from the Union. He attended this convention at its sessions in St. Louis, and at the very outset opposed the secession of Missouri. Doniphan never felt called upon to explain any speech or vote made by him in the convention.
He was opposed to invasion by Federal or Confederate forces, favoring neutrality. In June 1861, Governor Jackson handed him a commission as major-general in command of the State Guard, which he retained two weeks. His reasons for returning it were the loss of his two sons by accidental death, and the shattered condition of his wife’s health.
From 1863 to 1868, Doniphan remained in St. Louis, settling at Richmond, Missouri, after quiet was restored. There he stayed nearly twenty-five years, practising law and serving as president of the Ray County Savings Bank. His affection for Clay County, and dislike of being considered a rover, caused him still, however, to claim Liberty as his home, and to look upon Richmond as merely his temporary abiding-place.
Doniphan expressed concern, however, for the rights of the states, believing that the intense feeling of the Union men might lead to the concentration of too much power in the federal government.
Doniphan's qualities of leadership brought him into prominence in the military movements of his time.
On December 21, 1837 Alexander married Elizabeth Jane, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Trigg) Thornton. They had only two children.
