Mr. Alexander Marks was born in Bayreuth Bavaria, Germany, on January 6, 1844. He was a small boy when his father died. His mother married a Mr. Marc and came to America, locating in Albany, New York, where she spent the rest of her life. Two years later Alexander Marks, then seven years old, came to America in company with his aunt. Of his mother’s second marriage there were two sons, Sol Marc and Aaron Marc. Aaron died in Ft. Scott and Sol established business in Lawrence.

According to a statement by Mrs. Arthur Marks, Sept. 18, 1958, Alexander Mark (does not believe the name was Marc) assumed the name of Marks after the mother’s second marriage to a Mr. Marks. In other words, the mother had married first a man by the name of Mark (or Marc) and after his death, married a man by the name of Marks. Alexander, the child of the first marriage took the name of Marks after the second marriage. Children of the second marriage were Sam, Sol, and Carrie.

Mr. Alexander Marks was only fourteen years old when he made the trip alone from New York to Kansas in 1858 to learn the jewelry trade from David Prager. He slept in the store and his companions were Jacob House, Fred Eggert and Charley Eggert. All four of these young men were in the Prager building the morning Quantrill raided Lawrence. After Quantrill’s men took what they wanted, watches, etc., they protected the store and its occupants. Strange as it may seem, they did not shoot them, as was their custom, probably due to the fact that these young men boarded at the same house where Quantrill lived when he was a young school teacher. This boarding house was called the City Hotel, sometimes called the Whitney House, or even Stone’s Hotel. It was kept by Captain Nathan Stone who had befriended Quantrill.

In 1865, Mr. Marks bought the store of Mr. Prager and continued in the jewelry business until his death in 1916. In 1872, he purchased the building at 735 Massachusetts St. moving into it in 1873 where the sign of A. Marks continues to be displayed. Mr. Marks was married in Lawrence to Miss Eunice A. Faxon. She was born in Scituate, Mass. Her father was William Faxon, and she was a cousin of Frank Faxon of Kansas City. Mr. And Mrs. A. Marks had three children: Carrie, wife of George B. Shaw, Arthur L. and Settie. Settie died at five years of age. Arthur learned his father’s trade and at his father’s death owned and conducted the business.

Mr. Alexander Marks died May 29, 1916 and Mrs. Marks died April 21, 1924. They are both buried in Oak Hill Cemetery. This picture was given to the library by Mrs. Arthur L. Marks, daughter-in-law of Alexander Marks and widow of Mr. Arthur L. Marks, on November 2, 1934.