Biography of Alpheus W. Madden, pages 376/377/378.  History 
of DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., 
Indianapolis, 1914.



Practical industry, wisely and vigorously applied, never 
fails of success. It carries a man onward and upward, bring 
out his individual character and acts as a powerful 
stimulus to the efforts of others.  The greatest results in 
life are often attained by simple means and the exercise of 
the ordinary qualities of common sense and perseverance. 
The every-day life, with its cares, necessities and duties, 
affords ample opportunities for acquiring experience of the 
best kind and its most beaten paths provide a true worker 
with abundant scope for effort and self improvement. 
Alpheus W. Madden, the present efficient and popular 
auditor of DeKalb county, and successful business man at 
Auburn, is a native of the old Hoosier state, having been 
born in Eel River township, Allen county, on February 19, 
1856, and is a son of William and Rachel (Taylor) Madden. 
The father, who was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, came 
to Indiana in the early forties, and settled in Allen 
county, where he formed the acquaintance of and married 
Rachel Taylor, the daughter of Abraham and Roxey Taylor.  
They spent all their lives and died in that township, where 
he had followed the vocation of farming during all his 
active years. Alpheus W. Madden remained on the home farm 
in Allen county until twenty-two years of age and received 
a fair practical education in the common schools. At the 
age mentioned he started in life for himself, working as a 
farm hand for fifteen dollars per month, and during this 
period while employed in splitting rails, he was disabled 
by and accident.  Thus finding himself disqualified for 
heavy manual labor, he felt the necessity for further 
education, and to this end went to Fort Wayne and took a 
course in the commercial college at that place. He then 
engaged in  the insurance business for about a year and a 
half and then became a salesman of marble and granite work, 
which he followed for about three years.  In 1882 Mr. 
Madden moved to Auburn and engaged in the marble and 
granite business in partnership with Walton R. Smith. His 
business was prosperous from the start and in 1886 he 
bought the place at the corner of Jackson and Seventh 
streets now occupied by the Jenkins grocery store, but 
which at that time was occupied by a frame building which 
he used for their work. In1892 Mr. Smith died and he was 
succeeded in the partnership by Mr. Madden’s two brothers, 
Joseph R. and Charles E., who continued together about 
fourteen years when the subject of this sketch bought his 
brothers’ interests and took in as a partner his son, 
Frank. They have continued the business together and have 
been eminently successful in their work.  In 1888 Mr. 
Madden and Mr. Smith, his former partner, built the present 
block in which the Jenkins grocery store is located and 
continued their business there until about 1893. Soon after 
the erection of his building, Mr. Madden bought a farm of 
eighty acres adjoining the city of Auburn on the northeast 
and about three years later he erected here a handsome 
residence fronting on East Seventh street, where he now 
resides, combining with the advantages of city life the 
profit and pleasure of a country home. In 1903 Mr. Madden 
bought ground and built another business block on east 
Seventh street between his home and the postoffice, and 
here the monument business is carried on today. In 1906 he 
bought land at the corner of Ninth and East streets, where 
he erected a large barn, now occupied by Green’s livery 
business. On one corner of Mr. Madden’s home farm is 
located the Auburn base ball park. While in partnership 
with Mr. Smith, they also bought the old farm in Allen 
county, where Mr. Madden was reared, but he has since 
disposed of it. He has also built other residence 
properties in Auburn, one north of his monument works which 
is occupied by his son, Frank, and a house across Seventh 
street from his home, which is now occupied by his 
daughter, Mrs. Nelson. Possessing marked business ability, 
energetic and hustling, Mr. Madden has long enjoyed the 
major part of the business in his line in this county and 
community, and because of his success and his personal 
worth he is numbered among the leading men of the county. 
Mr. Madden has for many years been an active supporter of 
the Democratic party, and in 1893 was elected trustee of 
his township, holding the office four years. In November, 
1910, he was elected auditor of DeKalb county, and is the 
present incumbent of that office. His nomination was 
secured after an unusually hard fight, but this course in 
office has proved the wisdom of the choice. He is 
distinctly a selfmade man in the fullest sense of the term 
and is entitled to the fullest meed of credit for his 
accomplishments. He is always to be found in the auditor’s 
office at six-thirty o’clock in the morning and keeps hard 
at his official duties until closing time in the evening. 
His courteous treatment of all who have dealings with him 
have won for him a deserving popularity with the people.  
On December 25, 1884, Mr. Madden was married to Katie fox, 
daughter of Charles and Margaret (Quillen) Fox.  She was 
born in Marshall, Texas, came to DeKalb county with her 
parents in 1866. Her father was a native of Germany and her 
mother of Georgia, and after locating in Auburn her father 
was engaged in the butcher business up to the time of his 
death, which occurred on June 19, 1878. Mrs. Fox now makes 
her home with Mrs. Madden.  To Mr. and Mrs. Madden have 
been born seven children: Frank, who is engaged with his 
father in the marble and granite business, was married to 
Myrtle McClellan, and they have one son, Richard; Leona is 
the wife of Stanley P. Nelson, deputy county auditor; Effie 
is also assisting her father in the auditor’s office; Inez, 
Mabel, Grace and Homer are all at home. Fraternally, Mr. 
Madden is a member of the Knights of Pythias and takes a 
lively interest in the workings of the order. Genial and 
approachable in manner, he is deservedly popular throughout 
DeKalb county.

Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com