Joseph Addison Alexander spent most of his life in Princeton, graduating from the College aged seventeen after amazing his fellow students with his abilities. He was intensely studious, full of personal piety, gifted with an amazing memory and was a formidable linguist.

Mentored by Charles Hodge, Alexander started teaching at Princeton, remaining there as a Professor until his early death aged 51 in 1860. 'His teaching was to become an important counterfoil to the critical views that were starting to influence many in America.

Alexander is remembered today for his scholarly commentaries on Isaiah, the Psalms, Acts and Mark.