Ernest Madden Biography


	This biography appears on pages 507-508 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				ERNEST MADDEN. 

	Ernest Madden, clerk of the courts of Lincoln county, was born in 
Worthing, that county, on the 13th of December, 1877, a son of James 
and Mary (Gerber) Madden. The father was a native of Schuylkill county, 
Pennsylvania, and the mother of Spring Green, Wisconsin. They were 
married in South Dakota, Mrs. Madden having come to this state with her 
parents, while Mr. Madden arrived in South Dakota when a young man 
following the Civil war. During the period of hostilities between the 
north and south he had served as a member of Company A, Ninety-fifth 
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, rendering valuable aid to his country in 
that connection. Upon his removal to the northwest, he settled in 
Lincoln county, establishing his home there in 1870. He took up a 
homestead claim, on a part of which the town of Worthing now stands, 
and he is still living upon that farm. 

	It was there that Ernest Madden was reared and the public schools 
of Worthing provided him his early educational facilities, while later 
he attended the Brookings Business College. He was but fourteen years 
of age when upon him practically devolved the management of the farm, 
for his father, conducting a grain business in Worthing, gave most of 
his attention to that undertaking. Although the duties and 
responsibilities that came to him were heavy, he resolutely and bravely 
met them and early displayed marked ability and notable enterprise. At 
eighteen years of age he became a member of the South Dakota State 
Militia, enlisting in Company I, which was later reorganized and became 
Company D. Mr. Madden rose from private to the rank of first sergeant 
of his company. On the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he was one 
of fifteen members of his company who enlisted, and was mustered in as 
a member of Company D, First Regiment, South Dakota Volunteers. He was 
with that command from the 25th of April, 1898, until discharged on the 
18th of August, 1899. At the time of his enlistment he was made first 
sergeant of his company. The regiment was assigned to duty in the 
Philippines and he took part in a number of engagements, including the 
battle in the trenches at Manila, February 23, 1899, the skirmish at 
San Francisco, Del Monte, on the 25th of March, 1899, and the skirmish 
near Polo on the following day. He was also in the battle of Marilao 
River on the 27th of March, 1899, and there sustained a gunshot wound 
in the arm and chest. He was in line for promotion at that time and was 
brevetted second lieutenant. His discharge reads: "Service honest and 
faithful, and character excellent." 

	After being discharged from the army Mr. Madden returned home and 
pursued a business course in the State Agricultural College at 
Brookings. He then turned his attention to the grain trade, forming a 
partnership with his father at Worthing, but on account of ill health 
he was forced to take up an outdoor life and for two and a half years 
was carrier on a rural mail route. In May, 1908, he resigned and took 
up a homestead on the lower Brule Indian reservation in Lyman county, 
upon which he resided until he proved up on his claim. He then returned 
to Worthing and again became associated with his father in the grain 
business. Energy and determination have always been his and have 
figured largely in his success, not only in commercial lines, but also 
in public affairs. 

	It was about the time of his return to Worthing that Mr. Madden 
became actively interested in local polities and in June, 1912, he was 
nominated on the republican ticket for the office of clerk of the 
courts, to which position he was chosen at the November election of 
that year. He took his office on the 1st of January, 1913, and in the 
March primaries of 1914 he was nominated without opposition and was 
again chosen to the office, the duties of which he has ever discharged 
with promptness and fidelity. 

	In 1903 Mr. Madden was united in marriage to Miss Ella L. Raines, 
of Lake City, Minnesota, and to them have been born five children: 
Melba R., Wayne M., Norma R. James E. and Ernestine H. Mr. Madden 
belongs to Worthing Lodge, No. 145, F. & A. M., and has attained the 
thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, his membership being in 
Oriental Consistory, S. P. R. S. He also belongs to El Riad Temple, A. 
A. O. N. M. S., at Sioux Falls, and he and his wife are members of the 
Order of the Eastern Star. He is likewise connected with the Canton 
Commercial Club and he thoroughly endorses its well formulated plans 
for the upbuilding of the city. He has never faltered in his allegiance 
to the republican party, yet he places the general good before 
partisanship and the welfare of the community before personal 
aggrandizement.