Reed Madden, M.D.
Dr. Reed Madden, a Xenia physician and a specialist in the treatment of diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat, is a native of the state of Missouri, but has been a resident of Ohio and of Greene county since the days of boyhood. He was born on a farm in Adair county, Missouri, August 11, 1870, son of Dr. William P. and Zeruiah J. (Laybourne) Madden, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Ohio, whose last days were spent in this county, the elder Doctor Madden having for years before his death been engaged in the practice of medicine and in the drug business at Xenia.
The late Dr. William P. Madden, a veteran of the Civil War, was born in County Galway, Ireland, March 14, 1842, a son of Michael and Joanna (Flemming) Madden, both of whom were born in that same county. In 1844 Michael Madden, who had been engaged in the distillery business in Galway. decided to make a change of base and to try his fortunes over on this side of the water. Leaving his family in Ireland he came to the United States, landing at the port of New Orleans. After a short stop there he proceeded on up the rivers to Cincinnati and after prospecting there a bit came on up into this part of Ohio and bought a farm in the vicinity of Springfield. He there made preparations for the reception of his family and in the fall of 1847 sent for his wife and two small sons, who in due time joined him and the family home became established on the farm near Springfield, where two more children were born. The mother of these children died in 1859. Of these children, the late Dr. William P. Madden was the first-born. Thomas, the next in order of birth, died in childhood. Michael, the third son, grew up in Clark county and later made his home at Marion, this state. Anna, the only daughter, married William Laybourne, of Springfield.
Reared on the home farm in the vicinity of Springfield, William P. Madden, who was but six years of age when he was brought to this country by his mother, was living there when the Civil War broke out. On October 9, 1861. he then being nineteen years of age. he enlisted his services in behalf of the Union cause and went to the front as a member of Company I, Forty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Upon the completion of his original term of service he re-enlisted in that same regiment, but was transferred to the Eighth Ohio Cavalry and was serving with that command when on June 18, 1864, at the battle of Lynchburg, Virginia, he was captured by the enemy and was confined in Andersonville prison, where he remained nearly a year, suffering all the horrors and deprivations common to the sufferings of the men thus confined.
William P. Madden first saw the smoke of battle during service at Floyd Mountain, West Virginia. He later took part in the battles of Lewisburg, Somerset and Knoxville, under General Burnside, and at Strawberry Plains, Stanton and Lynchburg, Virginia, it being during the latter engagement, as noted above, that he was taken prisoner and sent to Andersonville. On April 1, 1865, he was exchanged and with many others who were thus released from the cruel stockade later became one of the two thousand three hundred and thirty-four exchanged prisoners who boarded the ill-fated steamer "Sultana" bound for Cairo, Illinois, and when that vessel enroute was sunk by reason of the explosion of its boiler was one of the six hundred and thirty-four who were able to make their escape and reach shore, he having been on deck and able to leap into the water free from the wreckage at the time of the explosion. In due time he was able to report to his command and on May 30, 1865, was mustered out by special order of the war department, as one of the survivors of the "Sultana." Upon receiving his discharge he resumed his work on the home farm in Clark county and in that neighborhood early in 1868 was married, later establishing his home on a farm in Adair county, Missouri. In 1873, at Kirksville, Missouri, he took up the study of medicine, under the preceptorship of Dr. J. H. Wesher, and later entered the Eclectic Medical Institute at Cincinnati, from which he was graduated in 1875. Upon receiving his diploma. Doctor Madden opened an office at Cedarville, in this county, and there continued in practice until 1885, when he moved to Xenia, where he was engaged in practice the rest of his life, his death occurring there in 1908. For two years after taking up his residence in Xenia he also conducted a drug store there.
Dr. William P. Madden was twice married. On January 28, 1868, near Springfield, he was united in marriage to Zeruiah J. Laybourne, daughter of Reed and Mary (Skillens) Laybourne, and to that union were born three children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others having been Anna B., born on January 28, 1869, who died on August 17 following, and Whitelaw L., May 21, 1877, who died on January 29, 1878. The mother of these children died on January 28. 1883, and on May 6, 1885, Doctor Madden married Hattie Brown, daughter of Nixon G. and Hannah (Wilson) Brown, which union was without issue. Having been but a small child when his parents moved from Missouri to Cedarville, Reed Madden received his early schooling in the schools of that village and after the removal of the family to Xenia attended and was graduated from the Xenia high school. He then took a year of further instruction at the Ohio State University at Columbus and then entered the Eclectic Institute at Cincinnati, from which he was graduated in 1894, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Upon receiving his diploma Doctor Madden returned to Xenia and became engaged in the practice of his profession there in association with his father. In 1895 he took a special post-graduate course in the study of diseases of the ear, eye, nose and throat and has ever since then devoted his practice to those particular lines. In 1912 he went to Europe and at Paris, Berlin and Vienna took a further course of instruction in his specialty. The Doctor is a member of the Greene County Medical Society, of the Ohio State Medical Society and of the American Medical Association, and is a member of the medical staff of the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home at Xenia. He is a member of the board of directors of the Shawnee Refrigerator Company of Xenia. His offices are in the Allen building.
In 1898 Dr. Reed Madden was united in marriage to Grace Wolf, who was born in this county, daughter of D. K. and Margaret Ann Wolf, now both deceased. The Doctor and Mrs. Madden are members of the Presbyterian church. Politically, the Doctor is a Republican, with "independent" leanings. He is a Roval Arch Mason and a member of the local council. Royal and Select Masters.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918