Eben Alexander

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Eben Alexander (9 March 1851, Knoxville - 11 March 1910) was an American scholar, educator, dean and ambassador.

Alexander graduated from Yale in 1873 with an A.B. After graduation Alexander immediately became professor of ancient languages at the University of North Carolina and later professor of Greek. During this time he also briefly headed the faculty at the University of Tennessee. In 1893 he was appointed as simultaneous Ambassador to Greece, Romania and Serbia. As Ambassador to Greece in 1896, he was instrumental in reviving the Olympic Games and in fielding an Olympic team to represent the United States. On his return he re-assumed his previous teachings in Greek and was appointed dean of the University of North Carolina in 1900.

In 1905 he was inducted into the Order of the Golden Fleece, an honor society at the University of North Carolina that was modeled on Skull and Bones. He was also involved in the creation of the modern Olympic Games.

Eben Alexander's father, Ebenezer Alexander, was a prominent judge in Tennessee and his grandfather, Adam Rankin Alexander was the founder of Alexandria, Tennessee and was a member of the House of Representatives from 1823 to 1827.

Alexander in turn was the father, grandfather and great-grandfather of three Eben Alexander's, although his son is regarded as Eben Alexander, Sr. His grandson, called Eben Alexander, Jr. was a prominent neurosurgeon who served as Chief of Neurosurgery at the Wake Forest University. Eben Alexander III is also a neurosurgeon and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School.

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This article incorporates copyrighted text from Doom Chronicle, used by permission of the author.

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Truxtun Beale	United States Minister to Greece also accredited to Romania and Serbia 1893-1897	Succeeded by William W. Rockhill