Louis who crusaded against patronage and cronyism, the status quo in turn-of-the-20th-century Missouri politics. Questioning Folk's party loyalty, Dockery lobbied hard against him. Folk in return charged that the Dockery had allowed Democratic machine politics to intimidate voters in the Democratic primary voting. Folk claimed that Dockery was either too incompetent to control the St. Louis police or was complicit in their inaction as Folk supporters were intimidated or physically attacked at St. Louis polling places. Rather than see the state's highest office go to a Republican, the Folk-Dockery feud was settled in a second "Missouri Compromise" at the state Democratic convention. With Dockery's tepid support, Folk and his reformers won, marking a sea change in state politics as the "old guard" Democrats and their way of doing things began to fade. Postal Service Now a widower following the 1903 death of his wife, Alexander Dockery returned to Gallatin prepared for a life of semi-retirement. He was active in local civic affairs, and found enjoyment in, of all things, road repair. It was not an uncommon sight around Daviess County's Union Township to find Dockery with a horse and wagon out patching potholes and fixing culverts. In spite of his earlier clash with Joseph Folk, Dockery remained active in state Democratic politics, serving as treasurer of the Democratic State Committee in 1912 and 1914. Dockery's retirement ended in 1913 when on a trip to see the inauguration of Woodrow Wilson the new President asked him to help manage and streamline the U.S. Postal Service. Appointed the position of third assistant Postmaster General, Dockery helped put the agency's fiscal house in order. He served in the role until March 31, 1921. Final years Alexander Dockery retired to Gallatin again for the final years of his life. His wife deceased and all of their children dying very young, Dockery directed his paternal feelings toward the children of the community as a whole. A very large donation of books and money by Dockery helped create the Gallatin High School library. He also donated a 13-acre tract of land for use as a park. For many years "Dockery Day", his birthday, was celebrated in the community with all the schoolchildren receiving free admission to the town theater that day, courtesy of the Governor. Alexander Monroe Dockery died December 26, 1926. He is buried in the Edgewood Cemetery in Chillicothe, Missouri. References 1845 births 1926