My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM P. MADDEN, M. D. The subject of this notice became a resident of Xenia in 1885, and for two years thereafter was engaged in the drug business, as a sort of partial relief from a long and arduous practice as a physician, during which time his health had become greatly impaired. He began the study of medicine, in 1873, with Dr. J. H. Wesher, of Kirksville, Mo., and in due time entered the Eclectic Institute, of Cincinnati, from which he was graduated in 1875. He then located in Cedarville, this county, which remained his home until his removal to Xenia.

A native of County Galway, Ireland, the subject of this sketch was born March 14, 1842, and is the son of Michael and Joana (Flemming) Madden, who were also of Irish birth and parentage. Michael Madden came to the United States about 1844, stopping for a time in New Orleans and thence coming to Cincinnati, this State. He finally located in Springfield, Ohio, in the vicinity of which he has since resided. In the fall of 1847 he sent for his wife and family, the latter comprising two sons, and occupied himself thereafter as a farmer. He was a distiller in the Old Country. After the removal of the family to America two more children were born, and the mother passed away in 1859. William P., of this sketch, was the eldest child; Thomas died in Ireland; Michael is a resident of Marion County, this State; Anna is the wife of William Laybourn, of Springfield.

Young Madden spent his boyhood days on the farm, and pursued his early studies in the common school. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was a youth approaching the eighteenth year of his age, and on the 9th of October, 1861, he enlisted as a Union soldier in Company I, Forty-fourth Ohio Infantry, being mustered in at Springfield. After serving his first term he re-enlisted in the same regiment, but was transferred to the Eighth Ohio Cavalry, and mustered in for three years, January 31, 1864. On account of the close of the war, he served less than a year, being mustered out May 30, 1865, by special order of the War Department, as one of the survivors of the ill-fated steamer “Sultana,” which was blown up near Memphis.

Dr. Madden first saw the smoke of battle at Floyd Mountain, W. Va., and subsequently was at Lewisburg, Somerset and Knoxville under Gen. Burnside; he was also in the battles of Strawberry Plains, Stanton and Lynchburg, Va., being captured at the latter place June 18, 1864. He was confined in Andersonville prison nearly a year, being exchanged April 1, 1865, at Big Black River. With others he boarded the “Sultana” which was to convey them to Cairo, Ill., and at the time of the melancholy disaster which has become a part of war history, Dr. Madden was one of the few to escape with his life by jumping from the boat. Out of twenty-three hundred and thirty-four men, seventeen hundred perished, all of whom had previously suffered in Andersonville prison. In the leap for life which he made, Dr. Madden received considerable injury, from which he suffered long afterward, but on account of the difficulty in securing evidence he never asked for a pension. On his return home he engaged in farming for a short time, and then decided to take up the study of medicine.

Dr. Madden was first married January 28, 1868, near Springfield, Ohio, to Miss Zeruiah J., daughter of Reed and Mary (Skillins) Laybourn, and there were born to them three children, namely: Anna B., born January 28, 1869, died August 17, 1869; Pearl Reed, born August 11, 1870, is now living, and at home with his father; Whitlaw L., born May 21, 1877, died January 29, 1878. Mrs. Dr. Madden died January 28, 1883, and the Doctor contracted a second marriage May 6, 1885, with Miss Hattie, daughter of Nixon G. and Hannah (Wilson) Brown; they have no children. The Doctor and his estimable wife are highly respected in social circles; religiously, she is a Hicksite Friend, and both worship at the Presbyterian Church. Under their hospitable roof their many friends are always welcomed and pleasantly entertained.

A lithographic portrait* of Dr. Madden is shown elsewhere in this work.

*A portrait was included in the original printed volume.