Alex's Cafe

Yanceyville Café

Located on the Square in Yanceyville beside the Bank of Yanceyville was a cafe. It was a small building, longer than it was wide. In the front was a typical cafe arrangement -- a counter with stools on one side, boothes on the other. Half way back was the kitchen with a window that opened to the counter area. It was cozy, smelled good, and was somewhat of a social center.

In the back was a pool room -- three old tables, an oil heater, and a mens' room. The benches were just split logs with bark still on the bottom.

Owners/operators of the café included Jacob Carlyle (Alex) Alexander (1904-1963), Joe Powell, a Mr. Crumpton, and Jack Arnold. There may have been other owners, the determination of which is one reason for this article (also the order of ownership).

Alex's Cafe began life as the "Ideal Cafe."

The Caswell Messenger (Yanceyville, NC)

July 14, 1932: “Caswell To Be Made Famous By Restaurant.”  New stucco building between bank and Messenger office going up by W. H. Hooper and Son.  “A beautiful front somewhat like the Old Curiosity Shop, of London.”  Joseph Iman, “highly esteemed townsman,” to operate fashionable place that “will take its place in history with Delmonico’s in New York.”

October 1932: Inman’s Café to be called “Ideal” as a result of a contest among citizens.

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Jacob Carlyle (Alex) Alexander (1904-1963)

J. C. Alexander, Well-Known Here, Dies at His Home

Jacob Carlyle "Alex" Alexander died this morning at 5:50 o'clock at his home, 225 Flora Ave. He apparently suffered a heart attack while preparing to go to work.

Mr. Alexander was a native of Toccoa, Ga., born Oct. 17, 1904. He was a son of the late David Hall Alexander and Cora Robertson Alexander. He lived in Danville for 37 years and for the past 23 years he was employed as a clerk by the Danville Post Office. He formerly operated Alex's Cafe in Yanceyville, N.C. for a number of years. On Oct. 18, 1926, he married Miss Maude Keener, who survives.

Mr. Alexander was a member of the Baptist faith. He was also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Yanceyville, Loyal Order of Moose, Caswell Brotherhood Lodge of Masons and the Danville Consistory Scottish Rite, Acca Temple.

In May 1962, Mr. Alexander was appointed national vice-president of the United Federation of Post Office Clerks, a post placing him in charge of employee relations between the federation and the department in the states of Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. At the time of his appointment, Mr. Alexander was the first Virginian ever to be named a member of the national executive committee.

Besides his wife he is survived by two sons, David Ronald Alexander of Atlanta, Ga., and Milton Carlyle Alexander, New York, and two sisters: Mrs. Charles Summers, Falls Church, and Mrs. B. S. Chatman of Chattanooga, Tenn.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Wrenn-Yeatts Chapel and interment will be in Highland Burial Park. The body will rest at the funeral home prior to the services and the family will be at 225 Floral Ave.

The Bee (Danville, Virginia), Monday, 18 March 1963.

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U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989

Name: Jacob C Alexander

Gender: Male

Residence Year: 1929

Street address: 167 Gray

Residence Place: Danville, Virginia, USA

Occupation: Employee

Spouse: Maude Alexander 

Publication Title: Danville, Virginia, City Directory, 1929

1930 United States Federal Census

Name: Jacob C Alexander

Gender: Male

Birth Year: abt 1905

Birthplace: Georgia

Race: White

Home in 1930: Danville, Danville (Independent City), Virginia

Marital Status: Married

Relation to Head of House: Head

Spouse's Name: Maude F Alexander

Father's Birthplace: South Carolina

Mother's Birthplace: South Carolina

Household Members: Name Age

Jacob C Alexander 25

Maude F Alexander 26

Carlyle M Alexander 0

1940 United States Federal Census

Name: Jacob C Alexander

Age: 35

Estimated Birth Year: abt 1905

Gender: Male

Race: White

Birthplace: Georgia

Marital Status: Married

Relation to Head of House: Head

Home in 1940: Danville, Danville City, Virginia

Street: J Vera Finia Avenue

House Number: 228

Farm: No

Inferred Residence in 1935: Rural, Caswell, North Carolina

Residence in 1935: Rural, Caswell, North Carolina

Resident on farm in 1935: Yes

Sheet Number: 62B

Number of Household in Order of Visitation: 98

Occupation: Maid Clerk

House Owned or Rented: Owned

Value of Home or Monthly Rental if Rented: 3000

Attended School or College: No

Highest Grade Completed: High School, 4th year

Hours Worked Week Prior to Census: 20

Class of Worker: Wage or salary worker in Government work

Weeks Worked in 1939: 48

Income: 1600

Income Other Sources: No

Household Members: Name Age

Jacob C Alexander  35

Maud K Alexander  36

Carly W Alexander  10

Ronald Alexander  5

Here are 1940 images of Alex's Cafe:

(Click Photograph for Larger Image)

(Click Photograph for Larger Image)

When Joe Powell owned the cafe his step-son Samuel Wilson Shaw worked there, apparently as a cook. Here is a photograph of Sam Shaw with his mother Bessie Shaw Powell outside the cafe:

(Click Photograph for Larger Image)

(Joe Powell in Apron)

The above photograph shows cafe owner Joe Powell standing in front of the cafe. The identity of the man in hat and suit is unknown.

Interior of Alex's Cafe around 1938 (based upon movie advertisement on wall).

Garnett Clements Cooper and Joseph Edward Powell behind counter; George Andrew Anderson with cane; other man and boy not identified. 

If 1938, Garnett Clements Cooper would be around 21, Joseph Edward Powell 35, and George Andrew Anderson 69!

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Tributes Paid to Alexander for PO Work

The Bee (Danville, VA), 4 April 1963

"Posthumous tribute paid to the man who would have been among the first to negotiate for his union with a federal agency were presented yesterday to his widow, Mrs. Jacob Carlyle Alexander, by officials of the U.S. Post office Department and the United Federation of Postal Clerks (AFL-CIO).

"Bringing the citation from the department on behalf of the Postmaster General J. Edward Day and A. E. Newton, regional director, was William G. Milstead, a Danville native who has risen through the ranks in the position of special assistant for employee relations.

"The citation, described by Milstead as 'one of the highest honors the Post Office Department can give' read: 'For devotion to duty in the course of an honorable career in the U. S. Postal Service, the posthumous citation conveys the official commendation from the Postmaster General in memory of the deceased employee and an expression of sympathy to his family.'

"Milstead added that he considered Alexander a 'perfect example of what a union officer should be.'

"Representing the union was F. S. Filbey, administrative aide to the president of the United Federation of Postal Clerks. Filbey told Mrs. Alexander, 'I get extreme pleasure from the Post Office Department's recognizing the services of Mr. Alexander. I regret only that it could not have been done while he was alive. I want to express the gratification of all United Federation of Postal Clerk members who knew and loved him for this gesture on the part of the department.'

"Alexander, 58, a clerk for the Danville Post Office for 23 years, was named last May as national vice-president of the national union [United Federation of Postal Clerks], a post placing him in charge of employee relations between the federation and the department in states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. His death occurred unexpectedly March 17 [1963]."

"Yesterday's presentation ceremony took place in the office of Danville Postmaster Howard G. Gentry."

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