source: Progressive Batavian, October 14-1870 Town Histories. Alexander.--This town was named in honor of Alexander Rea, the first settler, and for several years a State Senator, was formed from Batavia, June 8th, 1812. It lies on the South border of the County, west of the center. The surface in the south part and in the center is hilly, and in the north part rolling. The summits in the southwest are from 200 to 250 feet above the valleys. The streams are Tonawanda Creek, Little Tonawanda, Huron and Bowen's Creeks and several smaller streams. Tonawanda Creek flows north through the center of the town. The soil upon the hills is a gravelly loam with a clay sub-soil, and in the valleys a rich alluvium. The Attica branch of the New York Central R.R., and the Buffalo, N.Y. & Erie, pass through the town near the center. Alexander, (p.o.) situated on Tonawanda Creek, a little south of the center of the town, was incorporated April 24th, 1834. It contains three churches, a hotel, a seminary, a flouring mill, several stores and mechanic shops and about 800 inhabitants. It is a station on the Attica branch of the N.Y.C.R.R. The Genesee and Wyoming Seminary was founded in 1834, through the efforts and liberality of Samuel Benedict and Henry Hawkins. In 1845 Mr. Hawkins bequeathed to the Institution $4,000, his private library and geological cabinet. The Institution has a good library, cabinet of natural history and buildings to accommodate several hundred students. It is in a flourishing condition. Brookville, (p.o.) in the eastern part is a hamlet. The first settlement was made by Alexander Rea, in 1802. He was an early surveyor of the Holland Land Company and became the founder of Alexander village, where he erected a sawmill in 1804. John Olney, Lewis Disbrown, George Darrow and William Blackman came in the same year. Among the other early settlers who came in within a few years were several by the name of Hawkins, all of which were enterprising and successful business men. Their names were Rodolphus, Henry, Rensaeler and Timothy. Seba Brainard, Stephen Day, John Riddle, Caleb and Emory Blodgett, William Parrish and Ezekiel Churchill came in at an early day. The first birth was that of a child of Mr. Blackman; the first death that of William Whitney, killed in 1803, by the fall of a tree. The first school was taught by Mr. Jones, in the winter of 1805-6, at Alexander village. The fist marriage was that of Benjamin Moulton and Eunice Olney. Harvey Hawkins kept the first inn, in 1807, and the first store in 1809. William Adams built the first grist mill, in 1807. The first frame house was erected by John and Samuel Latham, in 1810. Charles Chaffee was the first physician. The first religious services were held in 1805, by Elder Barton. In 1811, a public library was established with Alexander Rea, Harvey Hawkins, Seba Brainard, Samuel Latham, Henry Hawkins, Noah North and Ezra W. Osborn, as trustees. The population of the town is 1605, and its area is 22,785 acres. submitted by Linda Web-Page Editor: BETHANY ~ Its Past and Present ~ "The Poor House and the People," ~The Lives of Those Who Lived at the Genesee County Almshouse in Bethany During the Nineteenth Century~ http://www.arkwebshost.com/family/bluebird/TownOfBethany.shtml