Tremadoc is a Welsh village whose shape suggests that several centuries ago, it looked, as actually it is, to grow someday into a town. The main street leads to Port Madoc, a mile away. Madoc ap Owen Gwynnedd, a prince was a member of a family of great wealth. He grew tired of the wrangling of his brothers over their father’s domain and determined to seek some new country where peace would rule. Madoc was evidently as great a navigator as he was a colonist, and sailed westward in search of a new world, about the 11th Century. Richard Deacon in his book, Madoc and the Discovery of America, writes, Young Prince Madoc of Wales may have discovered America in 1170, 322 years before Columbus arrived. Richard Deacon is a British historian. Prince Madoc ab Owain Gwynedd son of a King of Wales was born in 1150 the story goes. He sailed from Wales and landed near the present site of Mobile, Alabama. He returned home, and then made another voyage to the continent. This time he sailed up the Alabama River and other streams, and then disappeared in the wilds of what is now Tennessee. Traveler’s accounts of the 1800’s tells of fair-skinned Indians in that area who spoke Welch words and put sentences together in the way Welsh people do.
There is an old Welsh Ode, which translates as follows. Madoc am I, the son of Owain Gwynedd with statue large and comely grace adorned, no land at home, nor store of wealth, my mind was whole to search the sea. This was written by Robert Southey, an English poet in 1805. In addition, there is a Welsh poem of the 15th. Century, which tells how Prince Madoc sailed away in 10 ships and his countrymen long, supposed that he discovered a new land.
In his very interesting book, Mr. Deacon gives facts for and against his conclusions, but he seems to believe the evidence is in the Prince’s favor. Mr. Deacon himself served in the British Royal Navy in World War II and sailed a small flat-bottomed boat from Norfolk, Virginia to North Africa. He concluded that if we could cross the Atlantic in a keel less craft, such a voyage was perfectly possible in Madoc’s day.
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) have put a marker at the place where Prince Madoc landed, inscribed, “ IN MEMORY OF PRINCE MADOC, A WELSH EXPLORER, WHO LANDED ON SHORES OF MOBILE BAY IN 1170 AND LEFT BEHIND, WITH INDIANS, THE WELSH LANGUAGE.
This above account of the family history was research and compiled by Larry W. Maddox of Liberty, Missouri. Larry has been to Wales on several trips researching the Maddox Family. Larry is not in our direct lineage, but he is in the total lineage. Larry is a descendant from Matthew Maddox, Sr. by his son, Rozzel Maddox, Larry Maddox (10), Arnold Maddox (9), Samuel Everett Maddox (8), Samuel R. Maddox (7), Arnold Maddox (6), Rozzel Maddox (5), Matthew Maddox, Sr. (4), John Maddox (3), Notley Maddox (2), Samuel (Madoc) Maddox (1) generations in America
This topic has also been searched and researched by several genealogist and the findings mostly agree.
Here is information on some of the family that lived in Wales, Madog, Madoc, Maddock, Maddocks and Madocks.
Madog ap Maredudd (died 1160), King of Powys, son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn ap Cynfyn. He was the last of his dynasty to rule as king over the whole Powys, for a time, the Fitzalan lordship of Oswestry. Succeeding his father in 1132, his main pre-occupation, particularly between the years 1149 to 1157, was the defense of Powys against the aggression of Owain Gwynedd. He is buried in the mother church of Powys, Tysilio, Meifod, Wales.
Madog ap Gruffydd (died 1236) Lord of Powys, he succeeded Gruffydd in 1191, and on Owens death in 1197, became the sole ruler of Powys. After his death, the unity of Powys was disrupted by partible succession of his five sons. He is buried at his own foundation (church) of Valle Crucis, the last Cistercian monastery to be founded in Wales.
Madog ap Llywelyn, rebel of 1294, son of Llywelyn ap Maredudd, the last vassal Lord of Meirionydd. He went against the English control, in 1294, he placed himself as the leader of the rebels and claimed to be the Prince of Wales. The revolt lasted 1294-1295 and the English were kept at bay. In March 1295, he suffered heavy losses and was defeated on the field of Macs Meidog. He barley escaped with his life and was a fugitive until his unconditional surrender to John de Havering late in July or early August 1295. He was taken to London, and though he did not suffer the supreme penalty, his fate is unknown.
Others were Thomas Maddocks, died, 1706, William Alexander Madocks (1773-1828) who was an industrialist, Madog ap Gwallter, dates unknown, was a poet and Madog Benfras (1320-1360), a poet, writer and teacher.
There are four different lineages of the Maddox family who came to America from Wales/England.
The first was Alexander Mattocks (1613-1659) who came on the Ship Abraham in the year, 1635 and landed in Virginia. The second was Samuel (Madoc) Maddox (1635-1684) who landed on the Southern shores of Maryland in 1665. This Samuel is the father of our lineage in America The third was Cornelius Maddox (1660-1707) who landed in Charles County, Maryland in 1680. The last was John Maddox (1667-1717) who landed on the shores of Virginia in 1681.
Our lineage within the Maddox family was contained in Southern Wales,Scethrog, Brecon and the Bucklands. The family was of great means and standing in Wales, they owned very large tracts of land, large houses and castles; they were Lords of the land.
Some say that Samuel (Madoc) Maddox was the first born son, but it would appear if he was, he would have stayed in Wales to inherit the vast holdings of his father, John (Madoc) Maddox, Lord of Scethrog, Wales. At this point, we don’t know the birth order of the children of his father, John (Madoc) Maddox, Lord of Scethrog, Wales and the place of his burial is also unknown at this time. The name of the wife of John (Madoc) Maddox is also unknown at this time.
During the American Civil War, very few Maddox family members in our lineage took part. The only reference that we have is Amos Aaron Maddox (1835-1863), son of William Oscar and Anna Maria Elizabeth (Cheuvront) Maddox was reported to have served with the CSA (Confederate States of America). There are two accounts of his death, one that he died of Typhoid Fever and he was buried in the Maddox Cemetery, Jackson County, West Virginia. The other is that he died of Typhoid Fever in Harrison County, Virginia (WV) and he was buried at Good Hope, Harrison County, West Virginia. First, no grave has ever been found in either Harrison County or Jackson County, West Virginia, but that doesn’t mean that he was not buried in one of those cemeteries, just that no gravestone has ever been found.
In 1865 the Maddox Furniture Company was formed in Arstown, New York, they remained in business until 1900. This company produced fine solid wood furniture and the company was later known as Maddox Colonial Productions, Jamestown, New York. The trade name was “Mad-ox” and the name was displayed on a brass plate on the back of the furniture with an “ox” displayed on the tag. This Maddox is not in our direct lineage, but in the Maddox lineage. My family is to inherit a Maddox desk, made by the above company.
English Maddock China was made by John Maddock at the Newcastle Street Pottery at Burslem in Staffordshire District of England between the years 1842 to 1855, this company became known as the John Maddock and Sons, Ltd. Thomas Maddock, son of the above John Maddock came to America, to New York on 15 May 1847. He formed a partnership with William Leigh and went into business in New York City. In 1853 they made china for dinner service for use in the White House, the President was Pierce. James R. Maddox, son of George William and Laura Estella (Robbins) Maddox is in possession of a large plate made by the Maddock China Company.
The Maddox families, from all four lineages, have spread across the United States. They are doctors, lawyers, police officials, small and large business owners, sports players, public officials and so on.
On 11 October 2000 a Maddox, family meeting was held in Vienna, West Virginia. Our relatives came from all over the United States to attend this meeting. All of the families were involved in genealogy and research into the Maddox family. Information was exchanged on our lineage and one branch in our lineage was found. This lineage was from Matthew Maddox, Jr. through his son, Mathew R. Maddox. The descendants of this lineage ended up in Florida and a copy of this lineage was attached to the Maddox Family History master file.
U. S. NAVAL SHIPS NAMED AFTER THE MADDOX FAMILY
There have been three U. S. Naval Ships named after the Maddox Family. The ships were named after Captain William A. T. Maddox, United States Marine Corps.
In 1837, William was commissioned as a 2nd Lt., in the Marine Corps. In 1845, he planted the very first American Flag on the soil of California. In 1846, he commanded a squad against General Alvarado, was later promoted to the rank of Captain, and was commandant of the Middle District of Monterey, California. Captain Maddox was later the commander of Marine Forces in Washington, D. C. and he ordered his troops to open fire on a mob of rioters against congress, the mob was called the “Plug Uglies”. Captain Maddox was from Charles County, Maryland and he is not in our direct lineage, but he is in the total Maddox lineage.
U. S. S. Maddox DD-168 (Number 1) This ship was laid down on 20 July 1918, the launch sponsored by Mrs. Clarence N. Hinkamp, granddaughter of Captain William A. T. Maddox. In 1942, she was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy.
U. S. S. Maddox DD-662 (Number 2) This ship was laid down on 7 May 1942, launched on 15 September 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Ellen-Ventia Browning, great granddaughter of Captain William A. T. Maddox. She was commissioned on 31 October 1942, Lt. Comdr. Eugene S. Sarsfield, Captain and Commanding Officer. On 10 July 1943 during the Sicilian invasion, she was struck from a bomb from a German dive-bomber. The aft magazine exploded, the ship sank in two (2) minutes. Seventy-four of the crewmembers were saved, but the Captain and other Officers and Enlisted men died. The Ships Captain was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously (second only to the Medal of Honor). The ship was taken from the Navy files on 19 August 1943. In her short life, she did receive and she was awarded two battle stars for World War II service.
U. S. S. Maddox DD-731 (Number 3) This ship was laid down on 28 October 1943, launched on 19 March 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Harry H. Without, great granddaughter of Captain William A. T. Maddox and she was commissioned on 2 June 1944, the Captain was Cmdr. James S. Willis. This ship saw a lot of action and patrol duty. This is the U. S. S. Maddox that was fired upon in the Tonkin Gulf by North Vietnamese torpedo boats and she returned fire sinking some of the Vietnamese boats. This action started this countries involvement in the Vietnam War. This U. S. S. Maddox was awarded four battle stars for World War II and six for her Korean service. She was decommissioned on 2 July 1972 and sold to Taiwan on 6 July 1972, renamed the Po Yang, stricken and broken up for scrap in 1985. God bless the old ships.
Researched by Rodney C. Maddox Source: Ships and History of the United States Navy