Madison Falls



Madison Falls

and His Descendants


Madison Falls


This page last modified January 22, 2005.

Below is a brief biography of Madison Falls. If you prefer to go directly to information about his family and descendants, click here


Occupation:

Madison was born 9 Apr 1837 and grew up in the farming community of Greenville, Greene County, Tennessee where he learned the art of blacksmithing. He owned a blacksmith shop in Greenville for a time. After Madison and his family moved to Arkansas he opened another blacksmith shop.


Military:

He was conscripted - meaning he was forced by soldiers - to enlist in the Civil War, first as a Private on 29 Sept. 1863 (Confederacy). Apparently Madison's sympathy was not with the Confederacy, as he deserted. The next day, on 30 Sept 1863 he enlisted into Company I, 11th Cavalry Regiment Kentucky (Union). He transferred to Company I, 11th Cavalry Regiment Kentucky on 2 July 1865 then to Company C, 12th Cavalry Regiment Kentucky on 2 July 1865. He musterred out Company C, 12th Cavalry Regiment Kentucky 23 Aug 1865 in Louisville, KY. There is no mention in his military records that he received any wounds or that he was captured at any time during the war, but years later, in a handwritten letter dated 4, 29th 1890, for the purpose of applying for a pension for his service in the Civil War, Madison wrote:

"In the claim for Invalid Pension No. 739.337, I will state I lived in Green County Tenn. Seventeen years after my discharge my post office was Locus Springs, in the spring of 1882 I moved to Arkansas Independence County, Pleasant Valley Po, this office now discontinued, my Presen Post office is Cushman, Independence County, Arkansas, my ocupation has been Blacksmithing the origin of my disibility which is partial deafness was caused by the noise and jar of the artilery, in the State of Georgia near the Kennesaw Mountain, in the year 1864, about the midle of summer, on or about the time the Mountain was taken by the U.S. troops, about 10 days before the surrender of Atlanta Georgia, we wer ordered from the front to Marietta Geo, at Mrietta Geo, I took with an volent acheing all over then I was detailed to help guard a wagon train to the front, we had turned our horses all over and had to take it afoot the next morning after we got there were ordered by a man on horseback to report to our command at Marietta immediately (page missing?) it was going to Lousvill Kentuckey, just before I got on the Train, a docter examined me and said I had the dum ague, and he said he could not give me any medicine it was packed on the train, I taken a Flat Car, a short time after a hard rain fell on us and we got very wet then the sun come out very hot which caused a swet by having wet clothes on, and when we reached Chatanuga Tenn, the ague had left me I then had a roaring in my head which lasted three or four weaks, and I was not treated by a Doctor, on the next night of the 12th of April, 1865, at Sailsbery, N.C. while blowing up the Magizenes, while lying on the ground I was shocked by the explosions of the Shells, which lef a roaring in my head, about seven days before I was discharged, I taken the chills and fever, I then went home to my family, it was about two years before I was able to do much work, I was never treated by a Doctor till after my discharge. "(I was discharged the 23rd of August 1865)" My first Phisition, Dr. Herrill whos Post office address was Newmans Ville Green County Tenn, My next was Dr. John White. his Po. was Larle Gap Green County Tenn. My next Phisition was Dr. Dobson whos Po. is Cushman Independence County Arkansas. The trouble is in my head and both ears, and I have been prevented from following my usual occupation by reason of the disability a bout one fourth of my time since my discharge, and for the last 3 years I have been worse, and cant hear to understand in Church, very respectfully,

Madison Falls"

His physical appearance as stated in his military records:
  • height: 5 ft 6 in
  • complexion: light
  • hair: light
  • eyes: blue


Family

Madison married Sarah Ann HOLLAND in Greene County, TN on 6 Dec 1855. They had 13 children, one of whom died in infancy. His wife, Sarah died in 1894 in Cushman, Independence County, AR. Several years later, in 1900 Madison re-married to Mary (MUNHOLLAND) Whaley. At the time of their marriage, Madison was 63 and Mary was 34. Madison and Mary had one child together.

*Note of interest: Mary's maiden name is given as MUNHOLLAND in the Civil War Pension packet for Madison. She had been married once previously to a man name Enos WHALEY. Enos had been married previously to a woman named Sallie FALLS. I have not been able to find any other records for either Enos or Sallie.


The move from TN to AR:

In April of 1882 Madison took his wife and children to live in Cushman, Independence County, AR. They went there in wagons with what belongings they could pack in such small spaces. They traveled west from Greeneville, TN until reaching the Mississippi River where they had to wait among a long line of other travelers for their turn to board a ferry that would take them across the river. This portion of their trip was about 450 miles over rugged mountain terrain, small rivers and widespread valleys and flat lands. After crossing the Mississippi River they headed westward again, through the winding roads of the Ozark mountains for about another 150 miles until they finally reached Independence County, Arkansas. The Falls' settled in Cushman where Madison opened a blacksmith shop, and homesteaded 160 acres of farmland just southwest of town. His wife, Sarah was home with the children tending to their needs and keeping house.

Since no census exists for 1890, other sources must be used to verify that a person was living in a certain place at that time. According to the tax roll for that year, he owned ten cattle, 2 mules or asses, three hogs and one carriage or buggy. For these things, Madison paid $7.00 in taxes in 1890.

Cushman, at that time, was beginning to boom with business from the mining of manganese ore and granite. The St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway laid tracks through Cushman and built a depot there. Several of Madison's sons worked in these mines, as did several of his sons-in-laws. After mining, the men would load the rail cars with the mined manganese ore and granite to be taken to points elsewhere.


More about Madison:

Madison remained in Cushman, AR where he worked his trade and farmed his land until he retired about 1920. He and Mary were married 24 years until Madison's death on 10 Jul 1924. He was 87. There is no Will and Testament for him in the court house records at Independence County, AR. He was buried in Pleasant Valley Cemetery with a military (Union) headstone placed on his grave. Several of his children had preceded him in death.


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