The Samuel Maddox family of Maryland, Georgia and Alabama was featured in last week’s column. Another Maddox family whose earliest identified ancestor is William Jackson Maddox will be presented first in this writing. Further data on some of Samuel Maddox’s descendants will follow the coverage on William Jackson ‘s family.

William Jackson Maddox was born in 1825 in Upson County, Georgia, and eventually became a resident of Covington County, Alabama. He died here in 1907 and was buried near Florala in the North Creek Cemetery in Lockhart. He was married in 1853 in Coffee County to Mandy Mariah Taylor, daughter of Thomas and Martha (Cason) Taylor. Mandy was born in 1837 in Montgomery.

William Jackson would have been a young man when he made his way to South Alabama. About three years after his marriage he acquired 159.96 acres of land in 1856 in the Rawls Township. This property became a part of Crenshaw County when it was created in 1866.

In 1962, William Jackson Maddox enlisted in the Confederate Army in Bullock County at Union Springs. He was assigned to serve as a private in Company L, 3rd Alabama Infantry Regiment. He was wounded in the Battle of Gettysburg and was taken prisoner. He was paroled in 1865 from Point Lookout, Md.

William Jackson and Mandy Mariah (Taylor) Maddox reared the following children: Mandy Marie, b. 1855, m. James Tedder; Jane, b. ca 1857, m. Wash Nelson; Seleta, b. 1860, m. 1892 J. Irvin Rogers; Serena, b. ca 1866, m. Jim Coon; Tommy, b. ca 1868, m. Ida Boyette; Landis Sylvester “Bud,” b. 1871, d. 1958, m. Ida Elizabeth Hall; Jimmy, m. Elizabeth Ida Kelly; John Belvey, b. 1883, m. Euphemia Willet Miller, daughter of Lewis Nolan and Emma Jean (Parker) Miller; and Mary, m. Joe Lassiter.

The oldest daughter, Mandy Marie, and husband, James Tedder, reared five children: John, Martha, Sam, Henry and Gussie. Next daughter, Jane, and husband, Wash Nelson reared seven children. Seleta and J. Irvin Rogers had four children: T.E., Walter, James and Bessie. Serena and husband, Jim Coon, reared seven children: Joe, Amos, Lela, Mollie, Sidney, Velma and Bernie. Tommy and Ida (Boyette) had one child, Zeddie. Landis Sylvester and wife, Ida Elizabeth (Hall), had nine children: Almon, Esther, Cliff, James Ed, Albert J., Lavale, Lena Estelle, Joe A. and Clem. Jimmy and wife, Elizabeth Ida (Kelly), had nine children: Sweetie, Viola, Elaine, Essie, Q.T., Woodrow, Retha Mae, Charlie and Minnie Lee. John Belvey and Euphemia Willet (Miller) Maddox had six children: Clayton, Winford, Cecile, Opal, Dale and Faye. Mary and Joe Lassiter had four children: Burris, Connie, Daniel and Dollie.

A John B. Maddox homesteaded 40.63 acres of land in 1908 in the Yellow River Township. A James A. Maddox, who could easily be John B.’s brother, homesteaded three tracts of land in the same Yellow River area. In 1908, he claimed 39.87 acres and 39.41 acres. In 1912, he homesteaded 39.88 acres. In 1898, John B.’s sister, Seleta (Maddox) Rogers homesteaded 159.96 acres next to her father’s land in the Rawls community.

Returning to the lineage of the Samuel Maddox family of last week’s column, Joseph Isiah Maddox was a grandson of Matthew M. and Martha (Bowden) Maddox. He was a first cousin to David Pierce Maddox, son of Jessie Jepe Maddox, who was featured in last week’s column. Joseph was married to Matilda Fowler, and they had at least the following two sons: Joseph Isiah Maddox Jr. and Marion Jefferson Maddox.

Joseph Isiah Jr. was married to Ada True Louvinia Plant, and their oldest son was Button Blue Maddox, b. 1897, m. 1918 Lula Alma Maddox, daughter of Marion Adolphus and Lenora Anna Victoria (Wyatt) Maddox. Button was a farmer and also known for building furniture. (His daughter, Gwendolyn Hamilton, has some furniture pieces made by Button.) He and Lula Alma reared the following children: Virgil W., b. 1919, m. Rosie Cotton; Lewis E., b. 1921, m. Antoinette Long; Cleatus B., b. 1924, m. (1) Vina Ray Wheeler (2) Mary Messick; Howard, b. 1925, m. Marlene Grissett; Johnny B., b. 1929, m. Vivian Virginia King; Gwendolyn, b. 1934, m. Curtis K. Hamilton; Leland L., b. 1939 m. (1) Mildred Howard (2) Casina Hart; and Charles Frank, b. 1941, m. Polly Smith.

Joseph Isiah Sr.’s son, Marion Jefferson, was born in 1870 and died in 1940. He was married first to Sarah Jane Walker, daughter of Joshua William and Susan Melinda Walker. Marion farmed during his early years and became involved in livestock trading. At one point he helped build the Chattahoochee Bridge near Tallahassee. He also worked at times with sawmills in South Alabama, and he moved to Florida shortly before his death. He and Sarah Jane had the following six children: Alice Corrine, b. 1896, m. Gene Marion Butts; Susan Matilda, b. 1897, d. 1971, m. (1) 1911 Luther Buckston (2) William French (3) Robert “Bobbie” Lee; Jodie Catherine, b. 1899, d. 1917, m. 1915 J.M. Mosley; Wallace Joseph Joshua “Bud,” b. 1902, d. 1967, m. 1931 Bessie Osteen; Pearlie Lee, b. 1904, d. 1976, m. 1921 Walter Arnett; Bartow Waitus, b. 1906, d. 1958, m. 1925 Pearline Henley.

In 1925, Marion Jefferson Maddox was married to his second wife, Alma Ruth Franklin in Andalusia. They had the following three children: Gordon Jefferson, b. 1927; and Carolyn Maydeese, b. 1929, and George Franklin, b. 1933, d. 1981. They also adopted Marion’s nephew, James Alfred, b. 1925, d. 1975. Alma Ruth moved back to Andalusia after Marion’s death and later married Newman King.

This concludes a review of the genealogical information found by this writer on the Maddox family of this area. There are many related descendants who make their home in Covington County.

The sources for today’s writing include information obtained from the following: Willie Wilburn Butts, Gwen Maddox Hamilton, Cecile Maddox Penton, and Walter N. Martin. Appreciation is expressed to each of these contributors for their research and sharing it with others.

Anyone who might have any corrections to the above facts are requested to contact Curtis Thomasson at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-222-6467; or e-mail: cthomasson@centurytel.net.

HISTORICAL MEETING: The Covington Rifles Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans will meet at 6 p.m. in the Dixon Memorial Room of the Andalusia Public Library on Thurs., June 3. Rick Boswell will present the program.