Compiled by Teresa
Martin Klaiber 2023
Thomas
J. Maddox was born 13 September 1895 in Elliott County, Kentucky, son of
Charles and Margaret Creech Maddox. He
and his father were both farmers. He had
light brown hair and blue eyes[i]
and possibly had some hearing difficulties according to his draft card.
He
married Matilda Stephens about 1916. Tilda was also from Elliott County. Sadly,
the Elliott County courthouse had a fire on 19 December 1957 which destroyed
some records including early marriages.
Thomas and Matilda had seven children between 1917 and 1929. Matilda died 25 June 1929[ii]
in Elliott County from complications of childbirth of their last child.
According to birth records, a son, Thomas[iii]
named for his father was born 24 June 1929.
According to a death certificate a daughter, unnamed, was born stillborn
on the same date[iv]. Both the infant and Matilda (Tilda) were
buried in Stephens Cemetery. The
cemetery was also called Maddox Cemetery by some. The cemetery is said to be up a hollow
northwest of Wallowhole School and southeast of Little Fork Road, Elliott
County, Kentucky.[v] The family resided on Little Fork, Blaine
Trace Road.
The
following year (1930) Thomas J. Maddox was 34 with children living with his
in-laws Daniel and Phoebe Stephens. He
married 2nd to Amanda Marie Lucas Burke. Amanda Marie Lucas was born 28 October 1908
in Boyd County, daughter of Frank Kane Lucas and Nancy Ann Perkins. Amanda was
also widowed, having married Herman Burke who died 9 March 1930[vi]. She had one daughter Wanda Louise Burke born
in 1927. By the time the 1930 census was
taken she was noted as a widow and living with her parents.
The
family settled on Durbin Road in Boyd County.
Thomas J. Maddox was one of many that got a job doing road work for the
WPA. The WPA (Work Progress
Administration) used crushed rock from a quarry across the road from Klaiber
Cemetery during this time frame. By World
War II Thoma’ hair had turned gray according to the draft taken in 1941.
Son,
Arlie Maddox, born 18 May 1921[vii],
in Elliott County, to Thomas and wife Tilda, was working on the family farm in
1940 and 1941 when he applied for his military draft card. Like his father he was of slim build with
blue eyes and had red hair.
By
1950 Thomas and Amanda were living at Denton (leaving Bolts Fork going over the
hill) in Carter County with Frank and Nancy Lucas. This would be over the southern ridge of
Klaiber Cemetery and a bit to the west. Son,
Arlie, had moved to Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio and married Betty Lou Jones
16 June 1950. This was his first marriage and her second. Betty Lou was sister to Lottie Jones who
married Norman Franklin Lucas. They were children of John and Goldie Ellen
Walker Jones.
Thomas
J. Maddox died 1 August 1960 in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio at the age of
sixty-four. He was brought back to Klaiber Cemetery for burial next to Amanda
Lucas Burke Lucas parents and grandparents.
Arlie
Maddox and Betty Lou Sparkman Maddox were divorced 20 July 1977 in Franklin
County, Ohio. He died 14 August 1978, at
Riverside Hospital, and was brought back for burial in Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd
County, Kentucky beside his father.
His step mother, Amanda Marie Lucas Maddox
died 17 October 1994, at their home on
Durbin Road, in Boyd County. She also is
buried in Klaiber Cemetery.
[i]
WWI Military draft card, Elliott County
[ii]
KY death vital cert 16443
[iii]
KY Birth vol 051 cert 25032
[iv]
KY Vital death cert 16444
[v] http://kykinfolk.com/elliott/ellcem05.htm
[vi]
He is buried in the Elijah Rice Cemetery, Lawrence County, KY
[vii]
KY Birth index cert 29497
