My Mother’s Family
I am going to try and tell you what I know and
can remember about my Mother’s family and there may be some errors. I
heard from Larry Secrest who is the son of my cousin Verna Madison
Secrest that my Mother’s father’s name was John Madison and in checking
my other records that is right. My Mother told me that her Father was
born in Schlewig Holestin and in looking at the map it appears that it
is in Germany now. I am wondering if at one time it was in Denmark. My
Mother told me that her Fathers name in the Old country was Mads
Goldfelt and she thought that he might have been of the Jewish faith and
that he changed his name to John Madison when he came to America in
about 1865 and settled in the Linn county area and the town was Marion
Iowa. She also said he had a brother that went to Australia at about
the same time. My Grandmother was named Anna Thompson and she came from
Copenhagen. I think they were married when they came to America.
My Grandmother Madison also had a sister that came to America and
her married name was Englebert and she lived in Hot Springs South
Dakota. I have a picture of my grand mother and her sister taken in
1896 in the post office of the wind cave 1 mile from the entrance and
100 feet from the surface.. My Mother and Grandmother went to Hot
Springs sometime between 1905 and 1910. I will list the cousins that I
have pictures of and they are Dorothy Maude Englebert May 8 1913 a
name on another photo Mary Englebert and another cousin named Emma
Englebert. I also know she had a cousin Carl Englebert. I was in Hot
Springs in about 1967 and I looked up Carl’s address in the phone book
and sent it to my Mother. I do not know if she heard from him. My
Mother said her Aunt could speak 7 languages and that her Mother could
speak 5 languages.
I have a picture of three small children and it does not list the
town in which they were born. The picture says they are my Mother’s
second cousins and their names are Bertha Marie Smith, Theodore Alston
Smith and Emma Louise Smith. She never talked about them and I have no
idea where they were born and the picture is over 100 years old.
My Grand father John Madison had a wooden leg and the story we were
told was that he was cutting wood and the axe slipped and he was cut
very much. I was told that he started a fire and cut off his own leg.
My cousins son says that that story was wrong and that as a young man he
fought in Russia and was hurt in that war. He came back home and was
trained as a barrel maker in Germany. I believe that he lived in the
part of Germany that belonged to Denmark at one time. I remember my
Mother saying that her Father hated the German’s. Who Knows?
I have the obituary of my grandmother Anna Thompson Madison. I
received it from Warren Stephenson in a bunch of clippings that came
from the James Hagerman estate. My Mother stayed with my Father’s Uncle
Jim when she taught school at Dist no 9 near Toddville Iowa. Here
goes.. Mrs Anna Madison.”wife of John Madison of Kenwood Park, died in
local hospital at 7:45 o’clock this morning. She had undergone an
operation for gall stones. Mrs Madison had been a resident of this
community for forty years and was 59 years of age. Besides her husband
she is survived by five children: George Madison of Spokane Wash, Carl
Madison of Reardon Wash; Ernest Madison of Fox Lake Minn ;Mrs P M
Peterson of Bever Minn;Mrs L G Cress of Toddville. The funeral will
probably be held Sunday in the Turner chapel. No date on clipping but
would have been after 1912 as that was when my parents were married.
Now I will talk about my Mother’s brothers. My Mother’s oldest
brother was named George Madison and he married and had one son George
and he was born in about 1900 and lived in Cedar Rapids. My Mother went
to see him after they had moved to Willow River Minnesota in the
1950’s. I called George’s widow in Cedar Rapids sometime in the 1980’s
and talked to her. George had already died and I sent her some pictures
that I had as she didn’t know anything about the family. She said she
was a Price from around Lafayette Iowa and she was probably related to
my Father’s cousins Maude and Daisy Price. They were the daughters of
Mary Mounce who was my Father’s aunt. Mary was the daughter of Lydia
Neighbor and John Cress.
George Madison my Mother’s brother divorced his first wife and moved
to Spokane Washington. He had I think 3 children from his second
marriage a daughter Victoria and a son Thomas and another son. I knew
my cousin Tommy as he came to Minnesota and stayed with my folks when we
lived 5 miles from Owatonna. He stayed on the farm a while and then he
went to work as a bell hop for the Hotel Owatonna. This was about 1942
and when I was in High School I would go by the Hotel and say Hello to
Tommy. He enlisted in the Army or Marines and he fought in the Battle
of Guadacanal. I wrote to him
during the War and he did keep in contact with my Mother. He was
married twice and had one child with his first wife. His second wife
was Hispanic and she wrote to my Mother faithfully for many years. We
completely lost contact with Tommy I have a picture of Tommy in
uniform. He had red hair..
Now we will go to my Uncle Carl. I have a picture of Carl by
himself and it was taken in 1900. He was grown up at that time. Carl
married Martha Grauerholtz and they had two children. I have a picture
of Velma Madison when she was about 4 years old and I also have a
picture of Carlton Madison taken Dec 1909 before he could walk. They
were divorced and I think Martha married someone by the name of
Hayes. She died with typhoid fever Oct 28 1910 just short of her 25th
birthday. The children were either adopted or sent to different homes
and were reunited 55 years later. I have the clippings where they met
again at the Cedar Rapids airport..Velma was married to J L Proctor of
Compton Calif and never had children. Carlton ended up living in
Goodell Iowa The date I have on the picture and the writing in the
Marion Sentinel do not agree. It says Carl was 5 and Velma was 7 when
their Mother died. Carl had some children but I do not know anything
about them. This get together was in 1965..Carl left Iowa and went to
Washington and remarried. I have a wedding picture taken in Spokane
Washington but no date on it. Carl and his wife and daughter by his
second marriage came to Duluth Minn sometime in the mid 1950’s. I was
not able to attend this reunion but I remember my Dad saying that Carl
asked my folks not to say anything about his first marriage.. Apparently
my Mother kept in contact with them over the years.
Now I will go to my Uncle Ernest and I knew him. I have a picture
of him and George and Carl when they were young boys. I also have a
picture of him when he was probably about 20 years old with two other
young men. I have a beautiful picture of Aunt Laurine in a white dress
when she was mabey 18 or 19 years old. She was an exceptionally
beautiful young woman. Aunt Laurine played the piano well and did some
music composing. I am going to write down some post cards that I found
that were written to my Mother. Uncle Ernest was depot agent at Dike
Iowa and here is the card to Miss Irene Madison c/o J Hagerman Toddville
Iowa.Dear Sis, we all intend to come down Wed and stay until Sun. so
come home if you can if not you might let us know when you can come. Ma
and Dad are feeling O K even Mrs Pouster. Your sis Laurine.. Sept 2
1911... On Jul 21 1911 from Dike Iowa..Dear sis, sorry Ma is no
better, think I will come Monday if nothing happens to prevent me. Yours
Laurine. Post card no town no date. Miss Irene Madison. Dear Sister
. Many thanks for the pretty table linens you sent me. Yes you made a
very good guess as I like a dainty pattern and this certainly is so. I
have two others but yours is the finest piece. I can’t get anything so
fine a weave at Dike. I haven’t time to write you this time but will do
so later. Best regards from your sis and brother. Now two cards from
Ernest to John Madison Kenwood Park Linn Co Iowa. To Pa Old man Nelson
died yesterday. Funeral Saturday. That is the old man where you and G
Hinningsen were visiting one afternoon. Ernest That was from Dike Mar 2
1911..Here’s another from Spooner Wis Sept 11 1913. To Mrs Irene
Cress. Sister Irene Am on my way for the north. Reached here this
evening will stay overnight. It’s so cold here a person ought to wear
winter clothes. E J M 9/11/13..Uncle Ernest had the most beautiful hand
writing and I wonder if he could draw and paint.
Now for some more information about Uncle Ernest. He later was the
depot agent at Fox Lake Minn for many years. He had 3 children George,
Ernest and Verna. George went to Dental college and became a dentist.
He married a girl from around Fairmont and they moved to Spokane Washing
and he set up a practice. Ernest was going to Medical School and he
married Betty and Uncle Ernest didn’t help him any more. He had taught
both boys to telegraph and so Ernest went to work for the Milwaukee
Railroad and he was agent over at Boxby Minn when I was about10 years
old. He later went to Dubuque Iowa and was a train dispatcher . I
wrote to Ernie and Betty a couple of times after I was about 25 years
old and Betty wrote back and Ernie did also. Verna was the same age as
Lawrence and she married an airplane pilot and the only contact I had
was when my Mother died and I called her and told her about that.
Somewhere else in my stories I told about Uncle Ernest sending boxes
of clothing to us during the depression and Mother would make them
over. He and my Mother were quite close and I remember going to Fox
Lake and getting sick from eating grapes and I could mess around in the
depot without getting into trouble. Aunt Laurine died when the
children were young and Uncle Ernest did not remarry. I have some more
stories about Uncle Ernest and you can contact me and I will tell them
to you.
Now I will tell you about my Mothers sister Tillie. Tillie married
Pete Peterson and they lived in the Iron range around Duluth Minn.
Tillie was 7 years older than my Mother Pete worked for the railroad as
an Engineer and they lived on an acreage for a while. One day Tillie
was there by herself and a bear showed up and Tillie got the shot gun
and killed the bear. Tillie and Pete had 5 children. I have a baby
picture of Helen the oldest and it says born Dec 1905. Helen married
Johhny Dunaway and they lived in Miami Florida and never had children.
They owned an apartment house and did quite well. Carl lived in Duluth
and I saw him just one time at Willow River in the 1960’s..Marie married
Ed Engbloom and they had 4 children. Leetta, Gerald, Dale and
Duane..Leetta was about my age and Gerald was probably a year younger
than my brother Richard. They used to come down to Willow River and
visit my folks quite often..Florence was married and divorced and think
married again. She never had any children. Bill was the same age as my
sister Dorothy and he came to Ellendale when I was about 5 years old
and I don’t remember seeing him again. I think he married and had a
family. Aunt Tillie died from cancer in 1926 and Marie also died with
cancer as did Florence..I have a post card dated Sept 1914 addressed to
my Mother Mrs L G Cress Albert Lea Minn RFD #2. Hello sis. Just a line
to let you now we are all well except baby. I may take him to the Dr. He
has summer complaint. I have been busy canning and sewing for Helen I
got her off to school. We got our pictures. I will write soon Tony went
to war. We are having hard frosts. Pete is working on the road. Hope
this finds you all well. Did you get views Tillie. Then I have another
post card from Duluth Minn Jan 14 1926 to Mrs L G Cress Ellendale Minn
R#2 Dear Aunt Irene. Mother’s improving rapidly and can eat most
everything. Dr Peterson is doing her a great deal of good. Love to all
Helen We have lost contact with this family also.
I have two postcards from Spokane Wash they are dated Feb 7 1910
and read Dear sister, I have been waiting to hear from you as in your
last letter you did not give your address and if this is reo answer
right away. Myrtle Madison also from Spokane Apr 14 1911 to Miss Irene
Madison Kenwood Park Iowa Box 224. I am batching now Dick is seeding I
am making ready for garden. Easter is coming don’t forget. Mrs M
Madison. I can’t figure out who Dick Madison is.
Now a little about our family. Here is the marriage announcement of
my Mother and Father. Madison-Cress. Miss Irene Madison of Kenwood
Park and Mr Lafayette Cress of Toddville were married yesterday
September 25 at the home of the bride’s parents Mr and Mrs John Madison
in Kenwood. The Rev G R Lair said the service at eleven o’clock and the
wedding march was played by Miss Myrtle Olson of Cedar Rapids. The room
in which the ceremony was performed was decorated with asparagus ferns,
white chrysanthemuns and goldenrod. the dining room was in yellow and
white. The bride is an accomplished young lady, a graduate of the Marion
high school of 1907. For four years she has been teaching school in
rural districts. Her wedding gown was a handsome robe of white
embroidered chiffon and her bouquet was bride roses. The groom is a
prominent farmer whose home is near Toddville. A wedding dinner was
served at noon and later in the day Mr and Mrs Cress left for their
home.
My folks farmed in the Toddville area for about 4 years and then
moved to a farm about 5 miles north of Albert Lea Minnesota. They
stayed there for a few years and then moved to a farm about 3 miles west
of Geneva Minn. Dorothy my oldest sister was born in Iowa and the rest
ofus were born in Minnesota. I think Daisy was born in Albert Lea and
then Lawrence, Donald myself and Richard were born west of Geneva. My
folks lost the farm west of Geneva in 1936 and we then moved to the
Johnson place 2 miles
south of Hope Minn. It was later called the Dr McIntyre farm. We
stayed there about4years and then in 1940 moved to a 360 acre farm 5
miles south of Owatonna Minn. The folks stayed there until I was a
senior in High School which would have been 1944. They then moved to a
farm close to Meridan and were there 2 or 3 years. Later they moved to a
farm about 1 mile north of Hope They sold out in about 1949 and moved
to a farm near Willow River Minn. After Richard was killed in an auto
accident in 1957 they moved to a house in Sandstone Minn and stayed
there until 1973 when my Mother died.
Dorothy was born in 1913 and died in 2011. She married Iver Larson
in 1935 and had 3 children Warren Mary and Rodger. Iver died in about
1952 and she married Henry Nelson in 1959. Henry died in the mid 90’s.
Daisy was born in 1918 and died in about 2003. She married Donald
Wilker in 1942 and they had 3 children Dale, Dean and Dennis. Lawrence
was born in 1921 and never married. Donald was born 20 months later and
was killed in world War 2. Deloris was born in 1927 and has two
children Hugh born in 1949 and Gail born in 1959. Richard was born in
1935 and died in 1957 in an auto accident. I have the record of my
nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews and their address if any
one is interested. In other parts of the blog there is a lot more
history of my family. Contact me at deepickens@gmail.com
