On July 1, 1784, Revolutionary War soldier James Alexander (1726-1791) received a warrant for 413 acres in Clearfield County. James served with Washington at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-78. In 1785 James and his son Robert visited this place. Four tracts were willed to his sons William Brown, Hugh, Joseph, and Reed. In 1809 William B. Alexander, ninth child of James, emigrated by Indian path across the Alleghenies to Clearfield Creek and settled here, founding a new settlement known as Alexander's Fording. That land includes all of Madera.