CHAPTER 1
As a Preface to the Maddox Family History, which follows, the reader is reminded
that the Perry Family History was told with discussion of various people named Perry who
were said to have no apparent close family connection.
As to the family history, which follows, it will help to be aware that close to the
same point in time in early America, three persons named Maddox came to these shores from
Wales. Each established lines of descendants
who were somewhat outstanding. Agatha
Victoria Maddox Perry is a direct descendant of one of those three. Neither her ancestor nor the second of the three
are mentioned by the history, which follows, although the third person ties directly into
the history. No proof is found that the three
people are related indeed, in this country I do not know of facilities in which to make
that search. There was not a multitude of
people by the family name of Maddox or any of its derivations. The facts known of “our”
Maddox Family suggests that they were resolute accomplishers. Best known to us is Agatha Victoria, and she
certainly followed her destiny with great determination.
It seems likely that some relationship would exist between the three
emigrants.
One of these emigrants was a son in a line which contained numerous rulers in
Wales, a family from which one English King claimed descent, a family related to one
adventurer said to have discovered America long before Columbus was born. He also was related to the national hero of Wales. William Shakespeare mentioned Owen Glendower, that
hero, in one of his plays. Some thought him
related to (or to hold the powers of) Merlin, the magician, because for several years he
revolted against England, gathered an army, and held the might of England at arm’s
length while he assumed the title of Prince of Wales.
Historians seem to accept one ancestor of this family as a Knight who sat at the
Round Table of King Arthur.
For any who may wish to examine records of these things, or to research the
possible relationship of the three emigrants, historical reading is provided. Dull, difficult and redundant though it is in
places, those interested will likely agree it is too important to be neglected. To those who do not choose to believe, I promptly
admit these statements do not prove relationship, but nevertheless they do report history. For the matter, I commenced this study with belief
that King Arthur, Merlin and even Robin Hood were characters of fiction, not history. Perhaps their legends have built beyond reality,
but they are not fictional, according to the people of England who accept them as history
and insist, they are such. It is assumed
that skepticism will exist in the reader, and for that reason attempt has been made to
include all that has been found. Note that
the name we study is referenced as both Madoc and Madog, and eventually became Maddox.
Maude Maddux Jones, in her book, Nathaniel Maddux and Descendants, A Genealogy,
discusses this background in the following languag.
The ascendants of the Maddox Family were the Madogs of Llanfynach, Wales. This family previous to the fall of Charles the
First, held the lordships of Llanfynach, Scethrog, Llangorse and several smaller ones.
The history of Wales in antiquity and in the middle ages was turbulent. When the Romans came in the first century a.d.,
the Welsh resisted stoutly even after their leader; Prince Caradoc fell into the hands of
the enemy and was carried off to Rome in chains. The
Romans built roads, worked the copper, lead and gold mines and introduced Christianity,
but did not really pacify Wales.
Fiercely independent Princes led equally fierce fighters against invaders. The Norman conquerors, after their coming in the
11th Century, erected great stronghold castles against the Welsh.
Not until 1485, when the Welsh descended Henry Tudor defeated the English King,
Richard III at Bosworth Field, to become himself, King Henry VI of England, did the proud
Welsh begin to live peacefully alongside the realm of England.
The heir apparent to the British Throne is traditionally given the title of Prince
of Wales. The Welsh sent members to represent
them in the British House of Commons and the Nobles to the House of Lords.
Part of Britain though it be, Wales is still Wales and the Welsh are still Welsh,
different, unique, a race of lithe and handsome men, Celtic, strong featured and fine
looking women. The Welsh cling to their own
lilthing speech, many of them still using their own ancient language which is older than
English in England.
The Welsh are above all a poetic people, with much of the unconquerable spirit of
their warrior past. The grandeur of their
mountains and the serenity of their lovely valleys find expression in their poetry and
song.
Port Madoc and Tremadoc, romantic ports on the northwest coast of Wales were so
named for the North Welsh Industrialist and a Member of Parliament, William Alexander
Maddock, 1773-1828.
Prince Madoc, son of Owain Gwynedd has been confused with other Madocs throughout
early Welsh history, and others have been given credit for his adventures.
Owain ab (means son of) Gwynedd, ruler of Powys and Gwynedd for thirty-two years
(1137 to 1169), was a dynamic and mighty warrior. He
was wise, firm and restless of spirit. He
fought to gain unity for Wales and he was given credit for creating a Welsh culture, which
is distinct, even today. He died December
1236 and he is buried at Bangor, Wales.
Angharad, daughter of Owain ab Gwynedd, whose son, Madoc ab Gruffedd ruled over
Powys in 1197, was thought to be in sympathy with King John, but rejected the English
control at the end of his reign. He died in
1236 and he is buried in the Vale Crucis Abbey.
Another Prince Madoc, son of Llewelyn, left Wales in the year 1269 on an exploring
expedition. Historians tell us that he could
not have discovered America as he led an insurrection in 1294, over 100 years after the
famous Prince was reputed to have done so. [reader
note] This reference to leading an
insurrection in 1294 implies acceptance of this Llewelyn as Llewelyn the last. Reference to Prince Madoc as son of Owain ab
Gwynedd would suggest acceptance of Owen Glendower as part of the Maddox line, as later
documented. The dates recited do not agree
with other reports, and throughout the various quotations, variances of dates are seen. Even this author continues and dates the discovery
in 1170, not 1269. Possibly the insurrection
referenced is that of Glendower in 1400, but the reference could refer to an earlier and
lesser conflict. The history has grown into
legends, and there is considerable difficulty in knowing which Prince Madog did a
particular act, and exactly when, for the line was long.
Tudors in the past have attempted to prove that they descended from Prince Madoc,
son of Owain ab Gwynedd. A genealogical chart
seems to prove that this is not true. These
facts have been found in standard encyclopedias and Welsh historical works, and reveal to
us the Madocs were prominent historical figures in Early Welsh history.
Prince Madoc it is said sailed to America 300 years before Columbus, in 1170 with
one ship. He returned and equipped ten ships
and with colonist sailed again for the new world. It
is presumed that he landed in the area of Mobile Bay, in what is now Alabama. Early explorers and pioneers have found evidence
of the Welsh influence along the Tennessee and Missouri Rivers, among certain tribes of
Indians.
There is no record that the Prince ever returned to the land of his birth. Peculiar things have been found in America. It is recorded that there were Welsh speaking
Indians up the Missouri River called the White Indians.
In addition, they fish with coracles, and pull the little skin-covered boats
with one oar, like a spade. These boats are
still used in Wales today.
The name seems to have been a favorite one of that period in Welsh history and
later became the surname of many Welsh descendants, and has evolved to the present day
spelling, Madog, Madoc, Madauc, Madawch, Madawg, Maddock, Mattocks, Mattix, Maddoc, Maddux
and Maddox. Within the name, (Mad) meaning
good, (oc) and (og) meaning animation or activity, (oc) greatness and (ux) and (ox)
quickness and promptitude.
At the Parish Church of Llangeynoyd, Glamorganshire, Wales (an old church dating
back to the 13th. Century) are tablets to the memory of members of the Maddock
Family. The name at that time was spelled
Maddock. They were local landowners and
County Gentry.
In the counties of Cheshire and Shropshire, near Wrexham, in the vale of Clwyd, lay
the Welsh properties of the Maddock Families for over 600 years.
Though Madoc’s saga lies in the twilight of legend, the Welsh have left their
imprint on America. The pioneers who settled
Jamestown and Virginia in 1607 included “twenty Welsh gentlemen”, and the
Mayflower was commanded by a Welshman named Jones, who brought several Welshmen to
Plymouth Rock in 1620.
These facts being true, it is understandable that it is most difficult to trace a
family in a straight line back over the past eight hundred years.
No serious student would accept all of that as true, without references to
authorities. It appears to skip lightly
across a great deal of history, and one would anticipate that interest in the subject
would demand more. Error is seen. For instance, it was not Henry VI but Henry VII
who reached the throne after Bosworth Field. I
believe there were two persons named Llewelyn in the Madoc line. It would require far greater study than I have
made, to claim oneself as an authority. Name
variations coupled with the Welsh language make any study difficult and likely inadequate. In short, the subject is too exciting to omit, and
too foreign to really understand. Let us do
our best.
Kipling’s Pocket History of England, by C. R. L. Fletcher and Rudyard Kipling,
gives a very concise history of England. Its
greatest value appears to be not its excellence as a history, but rather the brevity with
which it gives summary to great periods of time. It
gives some background to all of this, for that history is also involved with the history
of Wales. Few would feel his recording to be
free of bias in describing all of the events it mentions.
Nevertheless, it goes far to give perspective to facts recited above.
He states that about 1000 years before Christ, a set of tribes began to cross the
channel and to land, not as traders but as fighters.
Terrible big fellows they were, with fair hair, and much stronger than Stone Age
men. They were armed with bronze, which made
short work of poor little bows, and flint tipped arrows.
The Celts, for that was the name of the new people, seized all the best lands, the
flocks and herds, and began to lead Britain the life they had been leading for several
centuries in the country we now call France. From
the Celts the Scottish, Irish and Welsh people mainly descended. They were in every way more civilized than the
Stone Age men, rode on war-ponies, drove war chariots, knew how to dig the earth for
minerals, and had gods much fiercer and stronger. Their
priests, called Druids, were powerful.
Meanwhile, in the far away east, great empires had been growing up and decaying for six or seven thousand years. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia and Greece, each in turn made a bid to civilize the “known world”, then Rome brought to her task a genius for war and government which none of them had known. Romanized Celts from France laughed at the “savage ways of the British Celts”.
The Roman conquest of Britain, which began in the year 43, was almost complete
within half a century. The Romans introduced
into all their provinces a system of law so fair and so strong that almost all the best
laws of modern Europe have been founded upon it. Everywhere
the weak were protected against the strong, castles were built on the coast with powerful
garrisons in them, fleets patrolled the Channel and North Sea, and peace was imposed all
over Southern Britain and the legions came to be stationed only on the frontier and hardly
ever moved. It was, however, a misfortune for
Britain that Rome never conquered the whole island. The
great warrior Agricola did penetrate far into Scotland, but he could leave no traces of
civilization behind him, and Ireland he never touched at all. So Ireland never went to school, and has been a
child ever since. There was always a Scottish
frontier to be guarded and along to be guarded, and along this frontier the Emperor
Hardrian early in the second century, began the famous Roman Wall. To the North the wall roamed, almost untouched,
and certainly unsubdued, the wilder Celts whom the Romans called “Picts” or
painted men, I fear that Roman Britain went to sleep behind her walls. There were pirates aboard, who smelt plunder afar
off, land-thieves and sea-thieves.
They began to break through the frontiers. One
fine day the terrible news came to York, the capital of Roman Britain, that the Picts were
over the wall. Where was the
commander-in-chief? Oh! He was at Bath taking
the waters to cure his indigestion. Where
were the prefect and the highest representative of the Emperor? Oh! He lived at Lyons in Southern France, for he
governed France as well as Britain. Long
before the last Roman legions were withdrawn in 407, pirates had been breaking down the
walls and defenses of Britain. Celtic Picts
from the North, Celtic Scots, the worst of them all the Saxons from the shores of North
Germany and Denmark arrived. The British made
a very desperate defense and they were only slowly beaten westward into Wales, Lancashire,
Devon and Cornwall. Something like two
centuries passed before the English were thorough masters of the Eastern half of the
island, and all that while Roman Temples, Churches, roads and cities were crumbling away
and grass was growing on the ruins.
Studying the history of those days is like looking at a battlefield in a fog. As the fog clears, we get some notion of our dear
barbarian forefathers. It is difficult to
believe they were so stupid as to kill all the Britons instead of enslaving them and
marrying their wives. Yet, if they had not
done this, surely there would have been some traces left of Latin or Celtic speech, law
and religion. However, there were none. The Saxon Englishmen was a savage, with the vices
and cruelties of an overgrown boy, a drunkard and a gambler and very stupid. However, he was a truth teller, a brave, patient
and cool-headed fellow. A Roman historian
describes him as a “free-necked man married to a white-armed woman who can hit as
hard as a horses kick”. He honored his
woman and he loved his home and the spirit of the land entered into him. Tilling the fields was the Saxon’s real job,
he was a ploughboy and a cowboy by nature, and like a true plough-and-cow-boy, he was
always grumbling. He hated being governed;
he always stood up for his rights and often talked a lot of nonsense about them. There was no king powerful enough to rule the
whole island.
The first rudiments of civilization were brought back to this barbarous England by
the Christian missionaries whom Pope Gregory sent thither in the year 597. Christian Northumbria, in the seventh century, was
the first to exercise a real sort of leadership over the other kingdoms. Mercia had her turn of supremacy in the
eight-century, under King Offa, who drove back the Welsh and took a lot of their land near
the Severn. Perhaps it was he who built a
great rampart there called Offa’s Dyke; beyond it, even to this day, all is Wales. Then his family in turn was beaten by Egbert, King
of Wessex (802-839). From Egbert, King George
V is directly descended.
Egbert and his son and grandsons had to meet a new and terrible foe. Down the Northeast wind, from Denmark, Norway,
and the Baltic, all through the ninth, tenth and eleventh centuries a continual stream of
fierce and cunning pirates began to pour upon Western Europe. We call them Danes or North Men. From Britain they went on to France and even into
the Mediterranean, some of them, indeed, crossed the Northern Ocean to Iceland, to
Greenland and North America. Their ships,
some 80 feet long and 16 feet broad with a 4-foot draught might carry a crew of fifty men
apiece.
Kipling describes the end of the Saxon period of England’s history as coming
in 1066, the date of the Norman Conquest. He
recognizes that date as the beginning of the history of the English race as one people and
of England as a great power in Europe. He
doesn’t really make clear that Welsh is a Celtic language, and that the various
invaders all failed to truly conquer the Welsh, yet he notes.
Cumberland and Lancashire seem to have remained an independent Celtic country until
the end of the eleventh century, just as Wales did till the thirteenth century. He describes the Normans as the cleverest,
strongest and most adventurous race alive. As
to the conquest, he states, it cost William about six years of utterly ruthless warfare to
become master of all England. He could not
subdue Scotland, but once he marched to the Tay and brought the Scottish King Malcolm to
his knees for some time.
I don’t think you want to know at what time or date William or Henry sent an
army against the King of France or the Welsh. I
would rather you understand how these kings were pursuing, overall, two main tasks. First, they were trying to make England and Wales
one compact kingdom, and secondly, they were obliged, because they were Dukes of Normandy,
to quarrel with the Kings of France. The
first of these tasks was mainly left to great Norman barons, the Earls of Chester,
Shrewsbury and Gloucester, who built castles on the Welsh border and sent continual
expeditions far into Wales. Welsh Princes
continued to exist till the end of the thirteenth century, but only once troubles England
seriously after the time of Henry I.
The MADDOX FAMILY are of Welsh Descent, and the first settled in St. Marys County, Maryland shortly after the fall of King Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649. Any study of earlier history of the family reaches immediately into England and Wales. In the absence of the ordinary genealogical research materials, one must look there to books and articles about those places and their people. Of course, persons who are referenced in books and articles are generally noteworthy people.
Collier’s Encyclopedia describes Wales as a country of 8017 square miles,
bounded by the Irish Sea, by Bristol Channel and by St. George’s Channel. In 1978, population was 2,767,000. The Brecon River flows into Newport, a city of
133,000. Its three regions are mountains,
moorlands and lowlands, with Mt. Snowen being the highest peak at 3,560 feet. The lowlands support vegetation while moorlands
are used as pasture to sheep. The Welsh
language is Celtic and dates from the 6th Century. Sea routes brought to it the Romans, Anglo-Saxon
and Norman invaders, as well as the Christian missionaries in the 5th Century. When the Romans left in the 5th
Century, Wales was divided into provinces and these were united between the 9th
and 11th centuries by a series of Kings, among them was Howel the Good (died
950), the Lawgiver, who had unified laws drawn up for all of Wales. Two features of society was partible, succession
among male heirs, which tended to disrupt unified control and the paramount role of
kindred in governing individual relationships. Llewelyn
the Last was acknowledged as the first Price of Wales by King Edward I in 1267, but was
overwhelmed by him in 1282 and most of Wales became a principality under the control of
the English King. Discontent flared, and in
1400, a revolt was led by Owain ab Gruffydd (Owen Glendower). Opposition subsided when Henry Tudor, whose half
Welsh ancestry came from descend from the Madogs, came to the throne in 1485 as Henry VII,
first King of the House of Tudor. Under the
acts of Union, 1536 to 1542, which were passed as part of a policy to establish a strong
sovereign state, English law was applied to Wales and parliamentary representation was
given, but the Welsh language was not recognized in law court.
According to that encyclopedia, the Welsh language is spoken by some 600,000 people
today. It belongs to the Celtic group of
languages. Celtic is the name given to a
mother tongue spoken by a civilization, which flourished in Europe during the first
millennium, before Christ. Those people
spread throughout Europe from Asia Minor to the islands of Britain. The Celt language developed into Irish, Scots,
Gaelic, Welsh, Cornish and Breton languages. The
development of the Welsh language belongs to the stormy period of the fifth and sixth
centuries. It had no alphabet and the
language had not been written until Roman letters were given to its various sounds. Welsh family names often described occupations and
locations, which apparently would cause alteration of the name from parent to child. That does not lessen the confusion, but does help
explain some of its cause.
Thus, the English language name of a person may seem completely different from the Welsh name given the same person. Nevertheless, not all English letters appeared in the Welsh alphabet, so that different translations of the same name into English might be spelled differently. For instance, the letter “J” is absent from the Welsh alphabet, so that “John” becomes “Sean”. In welsh, “Llan” means church, “Tre” means village, “ap” means son and “verch” means daughter of.
OUR ANCIENT ANCESTORS IN WALES
Starti as far back as we know, their names are listed in order of their generations
Brychan, who had
Molwyn, who married Gwen or Gwenllian, who had
Cradoc, Lord of Gloster and Hereford, Knight of the Round Table of King Arthur
King of Brecon, died in Dolorous Castle, married Eurfon, Daughter of
King Pelynor, who had
Cawrdaf, who had
Cap, who had
Gloyw, who had
Howy, who had
Cynvarch, about 680 A.D., who had
Cyndeg, about 703 A.D., who had
Teithwalch, who had
Tegyd, about 796 A.D., who had
Anharawd, about 819 A.D., who had
Gwendy, who had
Huganus, about 900 A.D. defeated by Elfleda, who had
Dryffin who married Crucilla, daughter of Idwal, and owned Ruthin Castle which
Strengthened by Grey, who had
Drymbenog, Lord of Cantrell Selyff, married daughter of Justin, who had
Moreddig Warwyn, who married Elinor, daughter of Lord Rhys, who had
Llewelyn, who married Joan, who had
Gwrgan, who married daughter of Sir Miles Pitcher, who had
Howel, who married Cissil, daughter of Sir Humphrey Bunchill. He showed his
boldness as he married a Norman (Viking), who had
Traharne Dal (the tall) who married Joan, daughter of Philip Walbeoffe, Lord
Llanhamlach, who had
Trahaern Fychan, ap Trasharne, who married Elinor, daughter of Richard Bois,
who had
Madog ap Traharne, who married Joan Aubrey, daughter of John Aubrey, who had
Howel, who had
John Powell Madog, who married Mallt, daughter of Sir Howel y Fwyall, who had
Thomas Maddocks, Lord of Llanfynack, who married the daughter of Jenkins
Morgan, who had
John Madog, Lord of Llanfynach, who had
Thomas Madog, Lord of Scethrog, who married Giladis Watkins who died in 1620
Who had
John Madog, Lord of Scethrog, who had
Samuel Maddox (Madog-Madoc-Maddocks) First in this lineage to
come to America (Generation 1 in America) who married Ann Notley, who was the daughter of
Walter Notley.
All of Europe fell under the shadow of the Dark Ages. The family Madog, with kingdoms clearly
established and defended their turf through the ravages of this period. Marriages recited by Jones suggest positive
efforts to form alliances, which would pull them peacefully toward the mainstream of life
in England/Wales.
One concludes they were independent, accepting no oppression and that they accepted
England only when they were equally accepted by England.
It is known that today .a, Maddox Street found in the cities of London (running
from Regent Street to the East end of St. George’s Church, dating from 1720) and
Westminster, England (called after Sir. Benjamin Maddox who was a ground landlord of the
site before its development as a street, source was Lake W. Harris, Town Clerk).
WHO DISCOVERED AMERICA
Tremadoc is a Welsh village whose shape suggests that several centuries ago, it
looked, as actually it is, to grow someday into a town.
The main street leads to Port Madoc, a mile away.
Madoc ap Owen Gwynnedd, a prince was a member of a family of great wealth. He grew tired of the wrangling of his brothers
over their father’s domain and determined to seek some new country where peace would
rule. Madoc was evidently as great a
navigator as he was a colonist, and sailed westward in search of a new world, about the 11th
Century. Richard Deacon in his book, Madoc
and the Discovery of America, writes, Young Prince Madoc of Wales may have discovered
America in 1170, 322 years before Columbus arrived. Richard
Deacon is a British historian. Prince Madoc
ab Owain Gwynedd son of a King of Wales was born in 1150 the story goes. He sailed from Wales and landed near the present
site of Mobile, Alabama. He returned home,
and then made another voyage to the continent. This
time he sailed up the Alabama River and other streams, and then disappeared in the wilds
of what is now Tennessee. Traveler’s
accounts of the 1800’s tells of fair-skinned Indians in that area who spoke Welch
words and put sentences together in the way Welsh people do.
There is an old Welsh Ode, which translates as follows. Madoc am I, the son of Owain Gwynedd with statue
large and comely grace adorned, no land at home, nor store of wealth, my mind was whole to
search the sea. This was written by Robert
Southey, an English poet in 1805. In
addition, there is a Welsh poem of the 15th. Century, which tells how Prince
Madoc sailed away in 10 ships and his countrymen long, supposed that he discovered a new
land.
In his very interesting book, Mr. Deacon gives facts for and against his
conclusions, but he seems to believe the evidence is in the Prince’s favor. Mr. Deacon himself served in the British Royal
Navy in World War II and sailed a small flat-bottomed boat from Norfolk, Virginia to North
Africa. He concluded that if we could cross
the Atlantic in a keel less craft, such a voyage was perfectly possible in Madoc’s
day.
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) have put a marker at the place where
Prince Madoc landed, inscribed, “ IN MEMORY OF PRINCE MADOC, A WELSH EXPLORER, WHO
LANDED ON SHORES OF MOBILE BAY IN 1170 AND LEFT BEHIND, WITH INDIANS, THE WELSH
LANGUAGE.
This above account of the
family history was research and compiled by Larry W. Maddox of Liberty, Missouri. Larry has been to Wales on several trips
researching the Maddox Family. Larry is not
in our direct lineage, but he is in the total lineage.
Larry is a descendant from Matthew Maddox, Sr. by his son, Rozzel Maddox, Larry
Maddox (10), Arnold Maddox (9), Samuel Everett Maddox (8), Samuel R. Maddox (7), Arnold
Maddox (6), Rozzel Maddox (5), Matthew Maddox, Sr. (4), John Maddox (3), Notley Maddox
(2), Samuel (Madoc) Maddox (1) generations in America
This topic has also been
searched and researched by several genealogist and the findings mostly agree.
Here is information on some of the family that lived in Wales, Madog, Madoc,
Maddock, Maddocks and Madocks.
Madog ap Maredudd (died 1160), King of Powys, son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn ap Cynfyn. He was the last of his dynasty to rule as king
over the whole Powys, for a time, the Fitzalan lordship of Oswestry. Succeeding his father in 1132, his main
pre-occupation, particularly between the years 1149 to 1157, was the defense of Powys
against the aggression of Owain Gwynedd. He
is buried in the mother church of Powys, Tysilio, Meifod, Wales.
Madog ap Gruffydd (died 1236) Lord of Powys, he succeeded Gruffydd in 1191, and on
Owens death in 1197, became the sole ruler of Powys.
After his death, the unity of Powys was disrupted by partible succession of his
five sons. He is buried at his own foundation
(church) of Valle Crucis, the last Cistercian monastery to be founded in Wales.
Madog ap Llywelyn, rebel of 1294, son of Llywelyn ap Maredudd, the last vassal Lord
of Meirionydd. He went against the English
control, in 1294, he placed himself as the leader of the rebels and claimed to be the
Prince of Wales. The revolt lasted 1294-1295
and the English were kept at bay. In March
1295, he suffered heavy losses and was defeated on the field of Macs Meidog. He barley escaped with his life and was a
fugitive until his unconditional surrender to John de Havering late in July or early
August 1295. He was taken to London, and
though he did not suffer the supreme penalty, his fate is unknown.
Others were Thomas Maddocks, died, 1706, William Alexander Madocks (1773-1828) who
was an industrialist, Madog ap Gwallter, dates unknown, was a poet and Madog Benfras
(1320-1360), a poet, writer and teacher.
MADDOX TO AMERICA
There are four different
lineages of the Maddox family who came to America from Wales/England.
The first was Alexander Mattocks (1613-1659) who came on the Ship Abraham in the year 1635 and landed in Virginia.
The second was Samuel (Madoc) Maddox (1635-1684) who landed on the Southern shores of Maryland in 1665. This Samuel is the father of our lineage in America
The third was Cornelius Maddox (1660-1707) who landed in Charles County, Maryland in 1680.
The last was John Maddox
(1667-1717) who landed on the shores of Virginia in 1681.
Our lineage within the Maddox
family was contained in Southern Wales, Scethrog, Brecon and the Bucklands. The family was of great means and standing in
Wales, they owned very large tracts of land, large houses and castles; they were Lords of
the land.
Some say that Samuel (Madoc) Maddox was the first born son, but it would appear if he was, he would have stayed in Wales to inherit the vast holdings of his father, John (Madoc) Maddox, Lord of Scethrog, Wales. At this point, we don’t
know the birth order of the children of his father, John (Madoc) Maddox, Lord of
Scethrog, Wales and the place
of his burial is also unknown at this time. The name of the wife of John (Madoc) Maddox is
also unknown at this time.
Very few Maddox family members in our lineage took part in the American Civil War. The only reference that we have is Amos Aaron
Maddox (1835-1863), son of William Oscar and Anna Maria Elizabeth (Cheuvront) Maddox who
was reported to have served with the CSA (Confederate States of America). There are two accounts of his death, one that he
died of Typhoid Fever and he was buried in the Maddox Cemetery, Jackson County, West
Virginia. The other is that he died of
Typhoid Fever in Harrison County, Virginia (WV) and he was buried at Good Hope, Harrison
County, West Virginia. First, no grave has
ever been found in either Harrison County or Jackson County, West Virginia, but that
doesn’t mean that he was not buried in one of those cemeteries, just that no
gravestone has ever been found.
In 1865 the Maddox Furniture Company was formed in Arstown, New York, they remained
in business until 1900. This company produced
fine solid wood furniture and the company was later known as Maddox Colonial Productions,
Jamestown, New York. The trade name was
“Mad-ox” and the name was displayed on a brass plate on the back of the
furniture with an “ox” displayed on the tag.
This Maddox is not in our direct lineage, but in the Maddox lineage. My family is to inherit a Maddox desk, made by the
above company.
English Maddock China was made by John Maddock at the Newcastle Street Pottery at
Burslem in Staffordshire District of England between the years 1842 to 1855. This company became known as John Maddock and
Sons, Ltd. Thomas Maddock, son of the above
John Maddock came to America, to New York on 15 May 1847.
He formed a partnership with William Leigh and went into business in New York City. In 1853 they made china for dinner service for use
in the White House, the President was Pierce. James
R. Maddox, son of George William and Laura Estella (Robbins) Maddox is in possession of a
large plate made by the Maddock China Company.
The Maddox families, from all four lineages, have spread across the United States. They are doctors, lawyers, police officials, small
and large business owners, sports players, public officials and so on.
On 11 October 2000 a Maddox family meeting was held in Vienna, West Virginia. Our relatives came from all over the United States
to attend this meeting. All of the families
were involved in genealogy and research into the Maddox family. Information was exchanged on our lineage and one
branch in our lineage was found. This lineage
was from Matthew Maddox, Jr. through his son, Mathew R. Maddox. The descendants of this lineage ended up in
Florida and a copy of this lineage was attached to the Maddox Family History master
file.
U. S. NAVAL SHIPS NAMED AFTER
THE MADDOX FAMILY
There have been three U. S.
Naval Ships named after the Maddox Family. The
ships were named after Captain William A. T. Maddox, United States Marine Corps.
In 1837, William was
commissioned as a 2nd Lt., in the Marine Corps.
In 1845, he planted the very first American Flag on the soil of California. In 1846, he commanded a squad against General
Alvarado, was later promoted to the rank of Captain, and was commandant of the Middle
District of Monterey, California. Captain
Maddox was later the commander of Marine Forces in Washington, D. C. and he ordered his
troops to open fire on a mob of rioters against congress, the mob was called the
“Plug Uglies”. Captain Maddox was
from Charles County, Maryland and he is not in our direct lineage, but he is in the total
Maddox lineage.
U. S. S. Maddox DD-168 (Number 1)
This ship was laid down on 20
July 1918, the launch sponsored by Mrs. Clarence N. Hinkamp, granddaughter of Captain
William A. T. Maddox. In 1942, she was
transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy.
U. S. S. Maddox DD-622 (Number 2)
This ship was laid down on 7
May 1942, launched on 15 September 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Ellen-Ventia Browning, great
granddaughter of Captain William A. T. Maddox. She
was commissioned on 31 October 1942, Lt. Comdr. Eugene S. Sarsfield, Captain and
Commanding Officer. On 10 July 1943 during
the Sicilian invasion, she was struck from a bomb from a German dive-bomber. The aft magazine exploded, the ship sank in two
(2) minutes. Seventy-four of the crewmembers
were saved, but the Captain and other Officers and Enlisted men died. The Ships Captain was awarded the Navy Cross
posthumously (second only to the Medal of Honor). The
ship was taken from the Navy files on 19 August 1943.
In her short life, she did receive and she was awarded two battle stars for World
War II service.
U. S. S. Maddox DD-731 (Number 3)
This ship was laid down on 28
October 1943, launched on 19 March 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Harry H. Without, great
granddaughter of Captain William A. T. Maddox and she was commissioned on 2 June 1944, the
Captain was Cmdr. James S. Willis. This ship
saw a lot of action and patrol duty. This is
the U. S. S. Maddox that was fired upon in the Tonkin Gulf by North Vietnamese torpedo
boats and she returned fire sinking some of the Vietnamese boats. This action started this countries involvement in
the Vietnam War. This U. S. S. Maddox was
awarded four battle stars for World War II and six for her Korean service. She was decommissioned on 2 July 1972 and sold to
Taiwan on 6 July 1972, renamed the Po Yang, stricken and broken up for scrap in 1985. God bless the old ships.
Researched by Rodney C. Maddox
Source: Ships and History of the United States Navy
CHAPTER 2
MADDOX FAMILY
DIRECT LINEAGE
GENERATION 1 IN AMERICA
HUSBAND: Samuel (Madoc) Maddox
Born: abt 1635 Scethrog, Wales
Married: 1669 St. Marys County, Maryland
Died: 1684 St. Marys County, Maryland
Buried: Bel. Christ Church, Chaptico, Maryland
His Father: John (Madoc) Maddox Lord of Scethrog, Wales
His Mother: Person unknown at this time
WIFE: Ann (Anne) Notley
Born: abt 1650 Dorset, England
Died: Unknown
Her Father: Walter Notley
Her Mother: Unknown
CHILD 1 Notley Maddox [ our direct lineage]
Born: October 1672 St. Marys County, Maryland
Married: 1694 St. Marys County, Maryland
Died: 26 March 1716 Chaptico, St. Marys County, Maryland
Wife: Margaret Goldsmith
CHILD 2 Samuel Maddox
Born: 1674 St. Marys County, Maryland
Died: 1725 St. Marys County, Maryland
Wife: Margaret Townley
CHILD 3 William Maddox
Born: 1676 St. Marys County, Maryland
Died: 1714 Mitchell’s Platt, Maryland
Wife: Elizabeth Wyman
CHILD 4 John Maddox
Born: 1678 St. Marys County, Maryland
Married: 1717
Died: June 1761 Picawaxon, Charles County, Maryland.
Note-Ann (Anne) Notley Maddox
after the death of her husband, Samuel (Madoc) Maddox married again 1695 to John Calvert
of Maryland. Their death dates and place of
burial are unknown.
Samuel (Madoc) Maddox was born in Wales and he was the first to travel from Wales
to America, landing in St. Marys County, Maryland in 1665, we do not know the name of the
ship that he arrived on, but his friend, Thomas Notley also came on the same ship with
Samuel. Thomas Notley went on to become
Maryland’s eighth Governor. It was
assumed that both Samuel and Thomas were from families of standing and means in the old
world. In 1669, Samuel married Ann (Anne)
Notley who was the daughter of Walter Notley and the niece of Thomas Notley. The very first record of Samuel was in a county
ledger book (St. Marys County, Maryland) in 1667, this ledger, was handwritten and
contained the names of the residents of St. Marys County.
Samuel settled on a 300 acre farm called the “Green Springs Farm” on the
banks of the Wicomico River located in southern St. Marys County, Maryland and he owned
100 acres called the “Indian Fields”. The
type of houses that were built in St. Marys County, Maryland were like those in the old
country, stone, brick and frame style, they didn’t build log cabins. You must remember that America at that time was
part of England, under the control of England and everything had been planned out,
including the style of homes.
Samuel served as a Lieutenant
under the command of Captain Gerrard in the expedition against the Susquehanna Indians in
1675; this expedition was a success in running the Indians out of the area.
Samuel died in 1684 in St. Marys County, Maryland and it is believed that he is
buried at the Christ Church located in Chaptico, St. Marys County, Maryland. No actual record of his burial has been located
and no grave marker or stone has been located. Inside
this church is a very large stained glass leaded window.
On this window is the following: To
the Glory and Honor of God In Memoriam Samuel Maddox 1666 Samuel Maddox and Lydia Turner
his wife 1798 Samuel Maddox and Sarah
Fowler his wife 1842 By Thomas
Maddox—Samuel Maddox and Thomas J. C. Maddox 1882.
The first Samuel Maddox is Samuel (Madoc) Maddox and this window was prepared by
Thomas, Samuel and Thomas J. C. Maddox in 1882. So,
after seeing the connection to this church, we believe that Samuel (Madoc) Maddox is more
than likely buried there. During the War of
1812 the British camped in the graveyard next to the church, built their fires on top of
the graves, and committed outrages acts to the church, but the British were driven from
America once again in failure in their attempt to regain control of the American lands
they lost after the American Revolutionary War.
The house that Samuel and his family lived in was a wooden frame style structure,
two stories with a shed type porch on the back. The
house was built on a stone foundation. The
house is no longer there, just the rock foundation, the house burned several years ago. The last to live in the house was George William
(Captain Willie) Maddox, born 21 June 1863, died 25 August 1947 and his wife, Lucy
Virginia (Lancaster) Maddox, born 25 November 1868, died 22 February 1949. Both are buried in the cemetery at the Christ
Church, Chaptico, St. Marys County, Maryland. We
feel that Captain Willie was in our Maddox lineage, but to date his lineage is not known
and his parents are not known to us. We do
know that Thomas J. C. Maddox was Thomas John Claggett Maddox, born 12 December 1852 in
St. Marys County, Maryland, he died 19
December 1885 in New Mexico, he was a surgeon in the U. S. Army, his father was James
Thomas Notley Maddox, his father was Samuel Maddox, his father was Samuel Maddox and his
parents were John Maddox and Mary (Dyson) Maddox. This
Thomas J. C. Maddox was one of the names on the stained glass window in the Christ
Church.
There is a town in southern Maryland, which bears the name of Maddox, Maryland. This town and its name came from Samuel Maddox and
the Maddox family. There was a U. S. Post
Office in Maddox, Maryland, it was established in 1892 and the first Postmaster was George
William Maddox, appointed on 23 August 1892. Officially,
it was discontinued by the U. S. Postal Service in 1960.
When Samuel (Madoc) Maddox died, he left a will dated 18 January 1684. In this will Samuel conducted business in the
style of the old world (Wales) in that all was left to the male heirs, the female heirs
were not given anything and the first born male was given the bulk of the estate. Samuel gave to his eldest son, Notley Maddox, the
three hundred acre farm, “The Green Springs Farm”, a fourth part of his cattle,
horses, hogs and a fourth part of his household goods, it being fourteen-thousand pounds
of tobacco. Notley was only 12 years of age
at the time and the will stated that he was to take possession of the above property at
the age of 16. To his son, Samuel Maddox, his
second born son he left one hundred acres of land called the Indian Fields and a fourth
part of his cattle, horses, hogs and all other goods.
To his son, William Maddox, his third son, he left a fourth part of his cattle,
horses, and hogs and all other goods. To his
son, John Maddox, his fourth son, he left a fourth part of his cattle, horses, and hogs
and all other goods.
Samuel (Madoc) Maddox left instructions in the will that one Negro woman and child
and three English hands, unto my four sons after named, that is to say, that each of them
shall have an equal share of these laborers; and furthermore it is my will and desire that
Captain Justian Gerrard, John Hilton, Ralph Foster and John Smith do look after my
children in their minority, that they may be brought up to learn to read and write if
possible and to instruct so that they live in fear of God; and to look after their estate
that it be not molested or made away with.
CHAPTER 3
MADDOX FAMILY
DIRECT LINEAGE
GENERATION 2 IN AMERICA
HUSBAND: Notley Maddox, I
Born: October 1672 St. Marys County, Maryland
Married: 1694 St. Marys County, Maryland
Died: 26 March 1716 Chaptico, St. Marys County, Maryland
His Father: Samuel (Madoc) Maddox (Generation 1)
His Mother: Ann (Anne) Notley
WIFE: Margaret Goldsmith
Born: 1675 St. Marys County, Maryland
Died: September 1739 Chaptico, St. Marys County, Maryland
Her Father: John Goldsmith
Her Mother: Judith Gerrard
The Gerrard family came from England in 1635 on the Ship “Ark” or
“Dove”, helped fund the trip, to St. Marys City, St. Marys County,
Maryland. Both ships arrived in 1635.
CHILD 1 Samuel Maddox
Born: 1696 St. Marys County, Maryland
Died: 6 December 1739 St. Marys County, Maryland
Never married
CHILD 2 Notley Maddox, II
Born: 1698 St. Marys County, Maryland
Married: 1720
Died: 1775 Picawaxon, Charles County, Maryland
Wife: Mary Warren
Born: c 1708 Charles County, Maryland
Died: 7 November 1764 Picawaxon, Charles County, Maryland
CHILD 3 Ann Maddox
Born: 1699 St. Marys County, Maryland
Husband: Peter Mugg
CHILD 4 Sarah Maddox
Born: 1702 St. Marys County, Maryland
Husband: Anthony Semmes
CHILD 5 Jane Maddox
Born: 1703 St. Marys County, Maryland
Husband: George Vardley Husband # 1
Husband: John Warren Husband # 2
CHILD 6 John Maddox [our direct lineage]
Born: 1705 St. Marys County, Maryland
Married: 1772 St. Marys County, Maryland
Died: 25 May 1785 Culpeper County, Virginia
Wife: Mary Dyson
Born: 1708
Died: 1786
Culpeper County, Virginia
Notley Maddox was the first-born son of Samuel (Madoc) Maddox and Ann (Anne) Notley and he was born at the Green Springs Farm, St. Marys County, Maryland.
After the death of his father,
Notley did inherit the Green Springs Farm where he lived and where his children were
born.
When Notley died on the 26th day of March 1716 he did leave a will dated
24 February 1716. To his first born son,
Samuel Maddox, he left, all of the tract of land that he lived on, one Negro boy called
Charles, one Negro girl called Betty and the seventh part of my personal estate to him and
his heirs forever. To his second born son,
Notley Maddox, Jr. he left one Negro boy called Nedd and one Negro girl called Beck and
the seventh part of his personal estate to him and his heirs forever. To John Maddox, his third born son, he left one
Negro boy called Rich and one Negro girl called Mary and the seventh part of my personal
estate to him and his heirs forever. To Ann
Maddox, his fourth born child, he left one Negro woman called Lydia and the seventh part
of his personal estate to her and her heirs forever.
To Sarah Maddox, his fifth born child, he left one Negro woman called Sarah and the
seventh part of his personal estate to her and her heirs forever. To Jane Maddox, his sixth born child, he left, one
Negro woman called Ann and the seventh part of his personal estate to her and her heirs
forever. To Notley Maddox, his second born
son, he left one hundred acres of land lying in Charles County, Maryland, this land was
bought from Benjamin Fanning and, this land being his and his heirs forever. To Margaret (Goldsmith) Maddox, his wife, he
appointed her as the Executrix of the will and he left her one Negro man called Anthony,
one Negro woman called Mary, one servant woman called Martha Lilly and the seventh part of
his personal estate.
There were two directions in this will, Item it is my intent and meaning that all
the above named Negro females I have bequeathed to my heirs that the said Negro’s
with their future increase as particularly given shall be to them and their heirs forever. Lastly, my desire is that Mr. Thomas Notley
Goldsmith, Samuel Maddox, John Maddox and Samuel Williamson be trustees to assist and
instruct my children in their minority confirming this to be my last will and testament,
revoking all other wills by me heretofore made. This
will was signed by Notley Maddox on the 24th day of February 1716. The will was proved (probated) on the 3 April
1716.
As noted in this will, John Maddox, the last born son of Notley Maddox was not included in this will and John Maddox did not inherit anything from his father, reason being unknown to us.
CHAPTER 4
MADDOX FAMILY
DIRECT LINEAGE
GENERATION 3 IN AMERICA
HUSBAND: John Maddox
Born: 1705 St. Marys County, Maryland
Married: 1727 St. Marys County, Maryland
Died: 25 May 1785 Culpeper County, Virginia (Now Rappahannock County Virginia)
Buried: Culpeper County, Virginia (Now Rappahannock County Virginia)
His Father: Notley Maddox (Generation 2)
His Mother: Margaret Goldsmith
WIFE: Mary Dyson
Born: 1708 Charles County, Maryland
Died: 1786 Culpeper County, Virginia
Buried: Culpeper County, Virginia
Her Father: Thomas Dyson
Her Mother: Sarah (unk) Dyson
Parents were from Charles County, Maryland
CHILD 1 Samuel Maddox
Born: 1728 St. Marys County, Maryland
Died: 1801 St. Marys County, Maryland
Wife: Lydia Turner
Born: 13 December 1731
Died: c 1801
CHILD 2 Notley Maddox, III
Born: 13 April 1731 St. Marys County, Maryland
Married: 29 January 1758 Charles County, Maryland
Died: 11 March 1820 Henry County, Kentucky
Wife: Susannah Burch
Born: 1737 Charles County, Maryland
Died: 1813 Henry County, Kentucky
CHILD 3 John Maddox
Born: 1735
Married: 1768
Died: Date unknown, reported in writings to be Fort Necessity, records
do not support this; he had children after the reported date of his
Death.
Wife: Jane Calvert
Born: 1746
CHILD 4 Thomas Maddox
Born: 1738
CHILD 5 Mary Maddox
Born: 1740
Husband: Last name of Harrell
CHILD 6 Sarah Sally Maddox
Born: 1742 Charles County, Maryland
Died: 1821 Culpeper County, Virginia