MADDUX FAMILY IN LIVINGSTON COUNTY - 1857

Narrator: M.W. Maddux, 73, of Breckenridge

Mr. Maddux was born 1861 in Mooresville, Livingston County, Missouri. His parents were Thos. B. and Abigail Reynolds Maddux. The father was born in Kentucky, the mother in Tennessee. Both were brought when about two years old to Missouri. The fathers parents went to Ft. Peinich, Howard County, the mother's to Livingston County. S.W. Reynolds was in Mooresville township in 1835 and Henry in 1836. Thomas' mother was left a widow when he was two years old, for his father was shot down by an Indian arrow when he was returning to Ft. Reinich after giving a woman medical aid. So the widow took Thomas back to Livingston Co., near Mooresville where she died at the age of ninety-six. Thomas and wife settled on eighty-three acres of land in Section 31, Twp 38, Range 25 in 1857 which M.W. Maddux of Breckenridge still owns.

Thomas was murdered by bushwhackers Nov. 28th, 1865 on his way home from Breckenridge where he had gone for a doctor. He left a widow and five children, the youngest having been born the night of his murder.

His widow continued to live on the farm, renting out some land and raising cows, sheep, hogs and saddle horses to support her young brood. She carded her own wool, spun it, wove it, and cut and fit it into clothes. She made yards and yards of linsey and jeans. She died in 1880.

M.W. Maddux, the narrator, started to school at the Watson District to Eliza A. Davis of Daviess County, who was the first teacher in that district. Later this district, which at first covered several miles, was divided into three.

He was married in 1885 to Lizzie Lutz. For six years, they lived in the hewed log house his father had built for his family. On Jan. 20, 1895, a violent windstorm turned this house over with two and half revolutions but the family, who were in it, were not seriously hurt. Mrs. Maddux was the daughter of Benj. F. and Rebecca Lutz who moved from Pennsylvania to Daviess County in 1872. The Maddux family have ten children, five boys and five girls.