Tehama-Shasta-Yuba County CA Archives Biographies.....Madison, George W. 1833 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 6, 2007, 7:01 pm

Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891)

GEORGE W. MADISON came to Califor- [sic] in 1852, landed at Marysville September
22, and in the following spring, March 18, 1853, came to Red Bluff. Thirty-seven
years of his life have been spent in active business in this city, and few are
more deserving of honorable mention in the history of Tehama County than he.

  Mr. Madison was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, December 14, 1833. He was
reared in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, attending school four months during the
winter and working on his father's farm the rest of the year. His father, John
B. Madison, a native of Denmark, was a midshipman in the Danish navy, under his
brother, Nicholas Madison, who was an admiral in the Danish navy. In 1815, when
he was sixteen years of age, his ship landed in New York, and, being pleased
with the country, he remained in the United States. For six months they hunted
him, but he succeeded in eluding his pursuers. Until 1825 he worked on a farm.
In that year he purchased the Shenandoah Springs, which he conducted for a
number of years. He married Miss Nelson, a native of Virginia. Her ancestors,
originally Dutch people, had for many years been residents of the Old Dominion.
It is said of them that they emancipated their slaves, numbering about 1,900,
and that they bought Greene County, Indiana, and colonized them there,
sustaining them until they became self-supporting. A grander deed could not be
recorded of any man's ancestors. Two of Mr. Madison's uncles were ministers of
the Bible Christian Church, and he supposes that the family adhered to that
church. Another interesting item of history in regard to them is that his mother
was an intimate friend of Mrs. General Jackson and was her bridesmaid when she
married Mr. Mason. At the time of her marriage to Mr. Mason she was only
thirteen years old. General Jackson and Mr. Mason fought a duel in which the
latter was killed, and the widow subsequently became General Jackson's wife.

  Upon his arrival in the Golden West, Mr. Madison began mining on the Feather
River and continued it through the winter of 1852-'53, spending a part of the
time at Camptonville and Oroville. He was not successful in his mining
operations, as he only made his expenses. In March, 1853, he started north,
remained a week in Red Bluff, and then went to Shasta, Shasta County. He mined
at Whiskyville and Mule Town, still without success. In July, 1854, he took a
contract to cut 2,000,000 saw logs in the northeastern part of Shasta County,
completed the contract, made some money by it, and, in March, 1854, came to Red
Bluff, where he has since met the reverses and successes of life. He engaged in
draying and dealt in hay and stock, and also engaged in the manufacture of soda
water, continuing this until 1869. In that year he went to the eastern part of
the county and became interested in the saw-mill business on Battle Creek. In
connection with the mill he dealt in lumber. He was unsuccessful in this
enterprise, in two years losing about $30,000. Then he returned to Red Bluff,
and in 1871 again started his old business. He went in debt for his start, soon
built up a good business and accumulated fast until 1888, when a fire came and
burned his dwelling, soda water manufactory and another dwelling. Mr. Madison
lost about $16,000. He at once began to rebuild and now has a nice new dwelling
and a soda water manufactory. He run8 two trucks, employs three men, and
supplies all the surrounding towns with soda water.

  In 1858 Mr. Madison was married to Miss Lydia L. Burton, a native of Barry
County, Missouri. This union has been blessed with eight children, five of whom
are living and all were born in Red Bluff. Their names are: Minnie, Alice Maud,
Clay B., Lydia May, George S. and Samuel.

  Mr. Madison's political views are Republican. He is a member of the K. of P.
lodge and also of the A. O. U. W.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California.

Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast
from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with
Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of
Prominent Citizens of To-day.

"A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendents." – Macauley.

CHICAGO
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1891.


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