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He came from Maryland, was possessed of some wealth, had a fine education and a taste for art. He had loved Elizabeth Patterson, who married Jerome Bonaparte; failing to win her he came to Indiana where he lived a hermit on the bluffs of the Ohio river near Hanover. Seeking political honors he ran for governor against Jennings, but was badly defeated; notwithstanding this defeat he was held in high esteem by the successful candidate, as well as by the Legislature.
Harrison selected Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham as surveyors of the new capital, and Benjamin I. Blythe as clerk to the commissioners. Ralston was a Scotchman, a man of ability who had been entrusted by Lord Roslin with important engineering work before coming to this country. He had assisted Major L’Enfant, companion of La Fayette, in surveying Washington, the national capital. It is a well known fact that the design employed by L’Enfant influenced Ralston in his survey of Indianapolis, the scheme involving as it does a circle in the center with radiating avenues and streets intersecting at right angles. Completing the survey Ralston left the settlement but returned in 1822 for permanent residence. He built a little brick house on West Maryland street near Capitol avenue, remarkable at the time for the great number of windows and doors it contained; here he lived until his death in 1827; he was buried at Green Lawn Cemetery. It was said that he was involved in Aaron Burr’s conspiracy, but it is probable that he was only employed to survey the lands Burr had purchased. Whatever the association Ralston was held in high esteem by his fellow townsmen; the children loved him and the birds came to his door to be fed.
Various memorials to his memory have been suggested, but as yet nothing has been done by this community.
There were a few, however, who did not forget him and
