John M. Alexa, a successful farmer and stockman of Washington County, Kansas, was born on his father's farm in Sanilac county, Michigan, November 12, 1863, a son of John and Katherine (Burda) Alexa. His parents are natives of Bohemia and came to the United States in 1861, and in December of that year the father engaged in farming and stock raising in Sanilac county, Michigan, where he remained until 1873, when he came to Kansas and purchased a farm on the Little Blue river in Washington county, consisting of 160 acres. He improved this property and engaged in farming and stock raising and fattened a small number of cattle each year. He gave over the management of his farm to his son, our subject, about 1885 and has given little attention to business affairs since that time.

John M. Alexa received his early educational discipline in the schools of Sanilac county, Michigan, where he was a student until the age of ten, when his parents removed to Kansas, and he completed his studies in the schools of Washington county. He was reared a farmer and has always followed that occupation. His early years were spent in assisting his father in the work of the home farm, and in 1885, when he was given the management of the property, he entered into the conditioning of cattle for the market and averaged from eighty to one hundred head per annum. He was successful in this branch of activity, and he was exceedingly careful to have his animals in first-class condition for shipping, receiving top prices for his stock. The profits from his operations have been invested in additional acreage until the farm now consists of 600 acres and is conceded to be one of the choice properties of this section of the State and one that has been brought up to the highest point of cultivation. For a number of years Mr. Alexa has been giving special attention to Herefords and Duroc-Jersey swine. He usually raises four or five car loads of the latter and has had as many as five hundred head on the farm at one time. When the family located in Washington county it was sparsely settled; there were but two houses between the Alexa farm and the county seat, and but one on the road to Greenleaf. Upland could be then bought for $1.50 to $2.00 per acre, and our subject has the distinction of having been the last man to pre-empt land in the county, a tract of forty acres near his father's home farm. Mr. Alexa has been actively identified with the civic affairs of his township since attaining his majority and has served as a member of the school board since 1884. He takes an active interest in educational matters and is keenly alive to the needs of the country student, and has been of material value in assisting in the betterment of this important department of civic life. He is also a member of the board of trustees of his township. He is a member of the Knights and Ladies of Security and of the Farmers Union of America.

On November 5, 1902, Mr. Alexa was united in marriage with Miss Christina Larm, a daughter of Peter Larm, a native of Sweden, who was a pioneer settler in Wyandotte county, Kansas, later a resident of Russell county, and now a resident of Oregon. Mrs. Alexa was born in Kansas City, Kan., where her parents resided until she was six years of age. She obtained her education in the schools of Russell county. She is a member of the Baptist church.

Mr. and Mrs. Alexa are the parents of the following children: John Emerson, Edna Viola, and Albert Irvin, all of whom are students in the schools of their home township.