My Genealogy Hound

George L. Madding is a merchant and farmer of Madding, Jefferson County, Ark. Few names are better known to the business and agricultural world than Mr. Madding’s. He was born in Columbia, Tenn., on February 6, 1848, and is a son of Raleigh and Sarah (Mayes) Madding, of Halifax County, Va. The parents were married in that State and moved to Tennessee at an early period, locating in Maury County, when the city of Columbia was composed of only a few houses. Both parents were members of the Baptist Church and earnest Christian people. In politics the father was an old line Whig, and one of the best known politicians in that part of Tennessee during his life. The elder Madding was of Irish origin, and came from his native country with his father to the United States, where they located in Virginia. The mother was of Scotch descent. They were the parents of ten children, of whom George L. is the youngest, and five others yet living. The father died in 1856, when seventy-three years of age, and the mother’s death occurred in her fifty-eighth year. The names of their children are: William S. (a prominent farmer in Jefferson County), Melissa (wife of Capt. W. S. Malcomb, a farmer and extensive stock raiser of Arkansas County), Mrs. W. S. Wilcox (widow of Capt. Wilcox, now residing in Arkansas County), Emily (also in Arkansas County), D. F. (farming in Jefferson County), and George L. (the principal in this sketch). George L. came with his parents to Red Fork, Ark., and was there educated. He was just intending to prepare for a collegiate course when the war interrupted his plans, and he was forced to do without. Two of his brothers were killed while in the Confederate army: John at Bowling Green, Ky., and Albert at Oak Hill, Mo. When twenty years of age George commenced in life for himself. He was employed by others for about two years, when his spirit of independence began to assert itself, and he entered into an agreement with another party to farm on shares. After this venture he farmed on rented land up to the year 1870, when he came to New Gascony, Ark.; and entered into commercial life with a capital of $175. He remained at New Gascony until the year 1888, and was very successful in his various enterprises. At the present time he owns 2,100 acres of very fertile land in Jefferson County, and 1,100 acres in Arkansas County. Out of this he has placed 1,500 acres under cultivation. Besides his large farming interests Mr. Madding has established a branch store at Corner Stone, which has been running four years: one at Swan Lake, which has been established for two years, and one upon his farm at Madding, which place has been named after him as a mark of honor. He deals in supplies of every nature, and has established a trade amounting to over $60,000 annually, and his name throughout Jefferson County is one of the most substantial financially in that section. In 1875 he was married to Miss Atlanta Massey, a daughter of Maj. M. M. Massey, formerly of Humphreys County, Tenn., but now of Arkansas County, Ark. Five children were born to this union: Clara A., Frederick E., George T., John W. and Charles J., the first child dying in her fourth year. Mr. Madding is a prominent member of the K. of H. and K. of P. In politics he is a stanch Democrat, and that party has a valuable ally in him, owing to his influence in that county, and it was through this fact that Madding post office was established in 1887.