Third Generation
Wilson Meek Maddox
son of Michael
grandson of Nathan
Wilson Meek Maddox was born August 15, 1825 in Highland County, Ohio. He died January 24, 1903 in Falls City, Richardson County, Nebraska. He is buried in Steele Cemetery, Richardson County, Nebraska.

His first marriage was on November 27, 1844 to Mary Blount-born July 27, 1825 in Indiana. Mary Blount Maddox died February 15, 1855 in Nebraska City, Otoe County in the Nebraska Territory.



Their children were:
1) Lavinia Ann Maddox
2) Michael Maddox
3) John Maddox
4) Mary Maddox



Wilson Meek Maddoxs'  second union was with Margaret A. Miller-born February 14, 1835 in Barbersville, Cumberland County, Kentucky. Margaret was the daughter of John C. Miller and Elizabeth Campbell. Margaret A. Miller Maddox died January 10, 1918 in Falls City, Richardson County, Nebraska.

Their children were:
1) Frances E. Maddox
2) Margaret May Maddox
3) Anna Laura Maddox
4) Zillah C. Maddox
5) Oscar H. Maddox
6) Grace B. Maddox
W.M. Maddox, old resident, was born in Highland County, Ohio, August 5, 1825. His parents came originally fron Virginia, and removed to Adams County, Ohio, and then to Highland County. In 1837, they moved to Blackford County, Indiana, where the subject of this sketch received his schooling. About 1844, he started in life for himself, left home and went to Highland and Adams Counties, Ohio. In the Fall of 1853, he struck out West, wintered in Iowa, near Pella, and April 7, 1854,  moved on a claim in Otoe County, Nebraska, two and one-half miles west of the site of the old town of Nebraska City, the first settler in the State of Nebraska. He remained here about two years, engaged in farming, and then moved to Richardson County, bought a claim and pre-empted it. Had sold the Nebraska City claim to a Major Downs. In April, 1862, he enlisted in Company E, Fourth Regiment Missouri State Militia, and was elected First Lieutenant of his company. In August, 1862, he resigned by advice of the surgeon, on account of injuries received in an accident. Was then engaged for some months in scouting in Southwest Missouri and Arkansas. Returned home in the Fall of 1862, and in the spring of 1863 returned to the Fourth Regiment and remained with them
Wilson Meek Maddox
pre  1906
until Fall, though not really connected with the regiment. Returned home and was elected Sheriff of the county serving two years. Then engaged in the merchantile business until 1868. Since that time Mr. Maddox has devoted his entire time to his private affairs. He was married in Belmont county, Indiana, November 13, 1844, to Miss Mary Blount of that county. She died in Otoe County, Nebraska, in February, 1855, leaving two children--Lavina, now Mrs. Theret, and John. Both are now residents of Wyandotte, Kansas. Mr. Maddox was married again in Richardson County, Nebraska, Ocober 4, 1855, to Miss Margaret Miller, a native of Kentucky. They have had twelve children of whom six survive. Frances, Maggie May, Anna Laura, Zilla Charlotte, Oscar and Grace Blanche. Mr. Maddox is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and belongs to the Falls City lodge No. 9, and Eureka Chapter No. 5 A., F. & A.M.

taken from a Biographical Record date and county unknown. possibly Richardson County, Nebraska
Notes: biography and stories taken from www.ukans.edu/carrie/kancoll/andreas_ne/richardson/richardson-p3.html   Sept. 15, 2000
One of the most racy stories of the early bar of the southeastern part of the State is that of the mock duel between U.C. Johnson, District Attorney, and Judge Mason. Like most affairs of this kind, it grew out of the desire of legal brethern who practiced upon the circuit to satirize the odd or eccentric points of their fellows. The affair came off at the lower Indian town, just across the Nemaha from Falls City. Pistols were carefully prepared by the seconds of the murderous pair, and at the word both discharged their shots. As the smoke cleared away, Johnson was seen unharmed, while Mason reeled and fell heavily to the ground. Without waiting for the careful examination of the dead body, Johnson was hurried to Falls City and hidden in the house of Wilson Meek Maddox. Meanwhile Mason had picked himself up, nearly exhausted with repressed laughter, and more than plastered externally, and had returned to the city, where after a short time the joke was explained to it's victim. Johnson never recovered from the effects of this deception and shortly afterward removed to Chicago, where some years later he died.

LYNCH LAW FOR HORSE-THIEVES.

   In the spring of 1858, the criminal law of the Territory was repealed. This was followed by an outbreak of lawlessness throughout Richardson and adjoining counties that called for energetic measures on the part of the people. Accordingly, a vigilance society of nearly two hundred members was organized, and the work begun of hunting down those who were availing themselves of the lapse of legal punishment to commit depredations. Horse-thieving was the prevailing crime, and to run down horse-thieves was really the main object of the society. At this time, Wilson M. Maddox was Sheriff, and he devoted himself energetically to his task When caught, the thieves were lashed to the trunk of some sturdy tree and flailed by the members of a committee appointed for the purpose. As the whips were hickory withes, about an inch and one-half at the handle, and as each member gave a certain number of strokes, the punishment must have been very severe. Men whose feelings had been more than slightly exercised by the loss of pet animals were not likely to grudge a little muscle in laying on the rod. That they did not is shown by the fact that many of the whips curling around the tree left a welt half an inch deep in the bark of the black oak.

   When a thorough drubbing has been administered, the subject was generally dismissed. In aggravated cases, however, the addition of a coat of tar and feathers was kindly placed on the victim. After such treatment, the horse-thief generally decided that Nebraska soil was not the best for his purposes.

   In one instance, matters went further than this. One Leavitt, living southwest of Falls City, could not be daunted from the field even by the worst punishment thus far inflicted, and Maddox was set upon his trail. Following him into Missouri, Maddox captured one of his partners at a farmhouse, and shortly after, corralled Leavitt in a large corn field. Stationing his men around the field, with instructions to fire when Leavitt broke cover, Maddox started into the corn-field to run Leavitt out. When the chase had led half way across, a guard in the rear discharged his gun, and thereby called the other guards to him, leaving an escape for Leavitt. After losing his man, Maddox returned to his home, and Leavitt was shortly afterward captured in Iowa by Missouri parties, but escaped. When again captured, he was brought to St. Stephens, and there tried in the presence of nearly two hundred people. After hearing all the evidence, a vote of the society was taken, and an almost unanimous verdict rendered that he be hung.

   This verdict Leavitt treated as a joke, not supposing that the vigilantes would go to extreme measures. He was soon undeceived, for the committee, pinioning his arms and chaining his legs with harness links, placed him in a wagon and carried him to a hollow about half a mile south-west of the town. Here Leavitt was made to stand upon a large box in the wagon, and the fatal noose placed about his neck. The wagon was then driven away. This occurred at about 1 P. M., and the body was left hanging until the same hour of the following day, and then cut down and buried just west of the tree which had served as a gibbet.

   Leavitt's fate had a great influence on other marauders of his class, and, in the language of an old settler, "horse-thieving became unpopular."

   Wilson Maddox, who tied the fatal knot, in default of any one who knew how to fasten it, but took no part in the execution, was several years later called to account for his share in the transaction, but was not even arrested. None of the other parties to the deed were ever molested, and it is believed that the principal actor has passed before another Judge, where absolute justice will surely be awarded him.
Wilson Meek Maddox was a member of the 1st Nebraska Territory Legislature: He was also County Sheriff of Otoe County: Civil War, 4th Missouri Cavalry against Quantrill Raiders: Methodist affiliation
Old illustration of Falls City, Nebraska
Notes: Mary Blount birth and death dates are found in claimants affidavit for widows pension, this found nowhere else. Marriage Record found in Hoosier Geneologist magazine, Wells County, Indiana. Marriage Records 1837-1861.
(Newspaper clipping circa 1938/1939)

MUSEUM GETS SWORD
Arbor Lodge Given Relic of Pioneer Who Made First Trail to Red Cloud.
NEBRASKA CITY, Neb., Mar 9, (UP) 
The local museum - Arbor Lodge - has been presented with a sword used during the Civil War by Wilson Meek Maddox and a picture of Maddox with his wife. The name of Maddox has bee associated with the early history of Nebraska as a territory and a state. He was twice elected to the legislature and once served as
sheriff of Richardson County. In the Civil War he rose to the rank of Captain and before his discharge for
injuries he was elevated to the rank of Major. He came to Nebraska in 1854 from Pella, IA, and staked
a claim close to the present city of Nebraska City. He later moved to Falls City where he made his home for
the rest of his life. The sword was presented by his daughter, who recently died. Maddox died in 1903.
Maddox is credited with making the first trail from Nebraska City to Red Cloud. He was also a close friend
of Red Cloud.
The following was scanned and converted to text from "The Dawson Reporter Souvenir Edition" by J.R. Harrah. It was originally published in 1914. The original contains many black and white photographs of the various businesses and homes in Dawson, Nebraska. This is not the complete text of the publication. I omitted most of the text associated with the photographs and the advertisements. I corrected the computer converted text for errors, but the original contained many typographical errors and most were left as they were originally published.

Historical Sketch Of Dawson
A sketch embodying numerous circumstances

and difficulties encoundered and remedied

in the Days of early settlement

At the annual old settlers picnic it had long been one of the standard jokes to encourage Uncles Wilson Maddox, Jesse Crook and Wade Whitney to assert their respective claims to the distinction of being the first white settlers of Richardson county, The matter was finally compromised on the part of the Old Settlers Association by voting a gold spade to Uncle Wilson Maddox, and when later on the floods on the Nemaha began to make trouble for the farmers Uncle Wiltse was called to explain why he dug the channel of the river so crooked, he explained that, Uncle Jess Crook, as chainman, had been sampling so much hard cider along the route that he was responsible for the crooks that is causing a later generation hundreds of thousands of dollars to straighten out.
Notes on Wilson Meek Maddox and Mary Blount Marriage: Record search in Wells County, Indiana has marriage date of November 27, 1844 by James Sparrow.