The Lenard Harvey Maddux Family

By Dr. Cleborne Dawson Maddux and LeeAnn Maddux-Parkinson

Until recently the current descendants of Lenard Harvey Maddux knew very little about his life, including the fact that two wives bore him a total of 10 children! Each of the two family groups had only vague awareness of the other and no contact whatsoever. A chance meeting of a 2^nd Great-Grandchild from one side of the family and an x-relative of the other side has led to much research.

The following account of this Pioneer Texas family, is provided for those interested in the Maddux Family history and genealogy.

Lenard Harvey Maddux was born in Pope County, AR in 1841. His parents were, John W. Maddux and Elizabeth Ann Ennis. He had three full blood siblings; William Harris Maddux; Mary Ann Maddux-Edwards and James Madison Maddux. He also had seven half siblings; Ellen; Margaret L.; Catharine P.; John T.; Paulina C.; Maggie Jane and Mary A.E. Maddux. Lenard’s step-mother was Margaret Cooper . His paternal Grandparents were Alexander Maddux and Rachel Mitchell of GA.

Lenard’s first wife was Isabell Neomy Eubanks. They were married in Cherokee County, TX in 1862 and they had five children together, four sons and one daughter. Their first child, John Nelson (Dock) Maddux was born in 1863 followed by the birth of Mary Lorena Maddux in 1866. James Franklin (Frank)

Maddux was born in 1868 in Milam County; Leonard Herbert (Herb) Maddux was born in 1874 in Ellis County and William Dawson (Wil) Maddux in 1878 in Bell County, TX. It is believed Isabell Neomy Eubanks-Maddux died giving birth to Wil. No record of her death has been found nor is it know where she is buried.

Lenard Harvey Maddux fought in the Civil War with the Confederate Army enlisting from Alto, Cherokee County, TX, in 1862. His wife’s brother, Winfield Scott Eubanks enlisted with him and served in the same company and regiment - Capt. O.M. Daly’s Co., Randall’s Regiment. Both Lenard and Winfield Scott Eubanks fought in the big battle at Mansfield, LA.

A short account of Lenard Harvey’s life during the Civil War has been passed down in the family. It goes like this:

At the beginning of the War Between the States, two Maddux brothers joined the Union forces and the other brothers joined the Confederacy. During the War, two of the brothers were killed, one fighting for the North and one for the South. Lenard Harvey Maddux told the following story to his son, Harvey C. Maddux who passed it down to his daughter, Fabel (Fay) Maddux. She clearly recalls the story as follows; Lenard Harvey Maddux was walking over the battlefield after the fighting was ended. Like many Confederate soldiers, his equipment was ragged and worn, at best. His boots were falling apart, the soles were worn away, and he had tied rags around them to hold them together and to provide a bit of warmth. As he walked through the devastation of the battle, he spotted a pair of shiny new boots on a dead Union Soldier who was lying face down on the ground. The boots appeared to be the right size, and Lenard was cold and footsore. The dead soldier had no further use for the boots, and there was no telling how long the War would continue. Lenard knelt by the side of the dead man and turned him face up. He was shocked and horrified to find himself looking into the face of his own brother! There was a gaping wound in the lower part of his throat, and Lenard straightened his uniform over the wound to discourage the flies. He leaned down and kissed his dead brother, then turned and walked away leaving the boots behind.

Fay’s brother, Bill Maddux questions this story, saying he too remembers his father telling of two brothers he knew who fought in the same battle in AR. As Bill remembers it, Lenard said one of the brothers was killed in that battle. >Years later, Bill remembers that a sympathetic friend who learned Lenard and his brothers fought on opposite sides said "Oh, isn’t that too sad, you might have killed your own brother!" to which, Lenard gruffly replied, "It would have served the S.O.B. right if he was fighting for the North!"

Lenard Harvey Maddux lived most of his adult life in and around Kimble, Menard, Ellis, Bell, Edwards, Cherokee, Comanche and Milam Counties in Texas. Some of the descendants of his first son, John Nelson (Dock) Maddux are still living in Junction. Larry Warren Maddux and his wife Suzie Owings carry on the Junction, Texas tradition. In an earlier edition of "Families of Kimble County," a story appears detailing the life of a few other descendants still residing in Texas, those being descended from Laura Maddux who was Lenard’s fourth child with his second wife.

Laura Maddux married Albert Seargeant and several of their descendants remained in Texas.

The youngest child of Lenard Harvey and Isabell Neomy Eubanks was William Dawson Maddux, who made a life for his wife and large family in Southeast Arizona. Will married Willie Ruth Ellis of Menard in 1900. Willie Ruth was the daughter of Wesley Columbus Ellis, who was the brother of Ida Grace Ellis. Ida married Wil’s oldest brother, long time Junction resident John Nelson (Dock) Maddux. The Ellis family is well known in the Menard area, most descending from Asa Ellis and wife, Polly Ann Ainsworth-Ellis.

William Dawson Maddux left the Menard area about 1902. The long term effects of the big San Saba River flood in 1899 wiped out much of Menard and also its economy driving several families out of the area. >It is believed Will was headed for a rich cattle ranching area in Southern Arizona called Patagonia, where he hoped to get a job punching cattle. He may instead, have found the equally promising economy in Douglas, AZ too good to pass up. >In 1902, the copper industry in Southeastern Arizona was beginning to boom. Wil recognized the opportunities in Douglas for a strong, enterprising man and his family and elected to remain there.

The long trip West was made by wagon pulled by two teams of horses and one team of mules and took 33 days to complete. Throughout his life, Will was known far and wide in Arizona for his expertise with teams of horses and mules, and his mastery of the complicated harnesses and other tack such teams required.

Will and a friend made the trip to Arizona alone. Willie Ruth and two infant children came later by train. Will’s brother, Lenard Herbert (Herb) Maddux and his family also moved to Douglas at some point and remained there for several years.

Wil and Herb Maddux worked together in Douglas. They trapped that first year - the coyote bounty brought 75 cents each. Wil also operated a livery stable which later evolved into a hauling and transfer business.

Will and Willie Ruth had 8 children - 2 girls and 6 boys. Their first child was Leonard Wesley Maddux born in 1901, followed by Lena Mae Maddux in 1903. Both were born in Menard, TX.. Edward Franklin (Ed) Maddux was born in 1906; William Dawson (Bill) Maddux, Jr. in 1908; Anna Lou Maddux in 1910; Rece Linzy Maddux in 1912; Cleborne Ellis (Cleb) Maddux in 1914 and Merle James (Tiny) Maddux in 1918. The last six were all born and raised in Douglas, AZ.

Several of the boys worked together with their father in the hauling and transfer business. In 1945, two of the younger sons, Cleborne Ellis Maddux and Rece Linzy Maddux, together with their father, formed a legal partnership under the business name, "Maddux and Sons, Trucking and Excavating." Today that business is quit large and successful and remains owned and operated by Rece’s widow, Hazel Stovall-Maddux and their son, Leonard Rece Maddux and his sons.

Lenard Harvey Maddux married a second time to Rachel Ellen Wallace on August 12, 1885. They were married and lived in Menard at that time. A newspaper article printed in the "Menardville Murmurings" section of the San Angelo Standard Times on August 26, 1885 carried the following story:

"The house of L.H. Maddux on the Celery Creek burned to the ground on last Friday night. It was thought that the fire was the work of incendiaries, as no one was home at the time. Mr. Maddux was married about ten days ago and left with his bride on a trip to Comanche County."

It is believed the couple had traveled to Comanche County to visit Rachel’s family. Their home burning down must have been a difficult way to begin a new life together as man and wife.

Lenard had 5 more children with Rachel Ellen Wallace, one son and four daughters. Their first child was Harvey C. Maddux born in 1886 in Comanche County, followed by Ellen Maddux in 1889. Three more daughters were also born, Lily Maddux in 1891, Laura Maddux in 1894 and Cora Maddux in 1896. The girls may have all been born in Menard County.

Memories of Laura Maddux-Seargeant have been recorded and passed down in the family. She recalls the family had lived on the Nueces River and that an Uncle named Sim (Simeon Ray Maddux) lived nearby. She also recalled that Simeon died and was buried close to Kickapoo Springs. As it turns out, Simeon Maddux was the brother of Lenard Harvey’s father, making him Laura’s Great-Uncle.

Another Grandchild of Lenard and Isabell, Leonard Wesley Maddux, recalled a family story concerning a "Menard cousin" whose name he could not remember, but who was a Texas Ranger and had fought at the Battle of Buena Vista. He also recalled this cousin had a son who was born around the time of the Buena Vista Battle and was named "Buna" in honor of that battle. This "Menard cousin story" may actually refer to two different Maddux men.

Simeon Ray Maddux did in fact name his third child James B.V. Maddux (thought to stand for Buena Vista). They called this son Buna. Simeon fought in the Mexican War with the Arkansas Mounted Volunteers and on one of his Mexican War Pension Records it is mentioned that he became disabled as a result of exposure during the battle of Buena Vista in Mexico around March, 1846. Interestingly, Simeon Ray Maddux served in the same company of the Arkansas Mounted Volunteers as did several other members of the family including his brother, Harvey Sharp Maddux; Nelson K. Eubanks who was the father of Isabell Neomy Eubanks who later married Lenard Harvey Maddux; and Silas Shinn who married Simeon’s sister, Letitia Lucey Maddux. All four men served in Captain Moffett’s Company "A" under the command of Colonel Archibald Yell. Col. Yell was killed in the battle at Buena Vista along with many other brave soldiers.

The second Maddux man in the "Menard cousin story" may have been William Harris Maddux who was Lenard Harvey’s brother. William Harris Maddux did serve as a Texas Ranger for a short time. No additional information is currently know about William Harris Maddux. There were several other Texas Rangers who were named "Maddux" or "Maddox", and one or more of these men may also turn out to be related to our line.

Many other stories exist about this line of the Maddux family - certainly too many to tell here. Suffice it to say that the family came from plain, hard working men who were loyal to their country and willingly fought to protect its interests. The Maddux women were a sturdy lot who endured the extremely difficult tasks of bearing and raising many children in "the wild, wild west". It is our hope this account will prompt other members of the family to compile more information for inclusion in a future book to be written about the Maddux family. The authors of this article, and the future book, can be contacted through the "Kimble County Historical Society".

Article written by Dr. Cleborne Dawson Maddux and LeeAnn Maddux-Parkinson, the children of Cleborne Ellis Maddux, son of William Dawson Maddux, son of Lenard Harvey Maddux and Isabell Neomy Eubanks.