Susan Jane Greenwood was born in Kentucky in December 28, 1830 to Joseph H. Greenwood and Nancy Peggs. She married John W. Maddox on March 20, 1851 in Trimble County Kentucky. They had twelve children, two girls and ten boys. One son died at age 13, and one girl at age 8. The other ten children grew to be adults with their own families.

The 1860 Trimble County census states that John W. was a farmer age 38 born in Kentucky. His wife was Susan J. age 30 born in Kentucky. It lists the first 5 of their 12 children.

The complete list of children, their dates and spouses was compiled in a family history document hand written about 1920 by Ernest Greenwood Maddox. It has been past down through the family and copied many times. We are very grateful for the history it captured.

1. Ira Owen born Feb. 15, 1852 and died December 8, 1914. He is buried in Strow Cemetery in Marshall County, Kentucky. He married Mary Viola Sanders.
2. Joseph W. born July 29, 1853. He married twice. His first wife was Mollie Flowers. His second wife was Amma Mae Beasley..
3. Ben Frank born Sept 12, 1854 and died Nov. 24, 1917. He married Lee New
4. Robert E. born March 8, 1856 and died Aug 9, 1869.
5. John F. born April 8, 1858. He married Rhoda Fitzgerald. He died 4/22/1939 in Summit county Ohio.
6. Tyrone Moses "Beaver" born May 11, 1860 and died Oct 22, 1891. He married Addie Gholston.
7. Andrew Jackson born Oct 20 1862. He married Ada White.  He died 10/4/1904 in Mississippi County Missouri.
8. William H born Sept 22 1864 and died Aug 14, 1889.
9. James Eli born Oct 5, 1866 and died July 2, 1949. He married Betty Burgess in 1910.
10. Virginia born Sept 30, 1868 and died Sept 22, 1876.
11. Ruthie Alice born Sept 30, 1871 and died June 20 1958. She Married Doctor J.W. Robinson and lived in Grand Rivers Kentucky.
12. Maude Moran (male) born March 6, 1873 and died after 1958. He married Mamie Miller and lived in Cairo Illinois.  He died 1/26/1955 in Jefferson County Texas, but is buried in Pulaski County Illinois.

After 1866 Susan Jane and John W  moved to Marshall County in western Kentucky with their children. The 1880 Marshall County census lists six children still living at home. They were at that time: Ben F age 25, Andrew J age 17, William H. age 15, James E age 13, Ruthic A age 8 and Maude M age 7. The next two listings are of Joseph W. Maddox and his family, and Ora Maddox, his family and his brother John F. Maddox.   The only one missing is T. Moses Maddox.  So far I have not found him listed in the 1880 census.

Re Marshall county Ky Deeds 1886 Susan Jane Maddox became active in buying property.   That year she bought 28 acres near Calvert City from her son Ben Frank Maddox.  She paid him $300.   Now why Susan J. and not her husband.  It is possible he was in ill health. it was reported in the Benton Ky News, On Wednesday, 4/18/1894, "Ordered that the following named infirm and aged persons be released from paying poll tax:  John Maddox, Sr."   He was 73 at that time.  That was 8 years after the property transfer, but may shed some light.  John W. Maddox died in 1895.  Their 9th child or 12, James Eli lived with his mother most of her remaining life.

In 1901 Susan J. sold 31 acres to John T. Hale. the original 28 acres, plus perhaps some they had owned before, or the acreage numbers were wrong.   The previous year Susan J bought a lot on the I.C. Railroad line in 1900.  Son James Eli was a barber.   I believe it very likely that the lot on the railroad line was for his barbershop.  Near the center of transportation.

 Susan Jane Maddox - who some called Jennie was now in her seventies.   They hired a young women from Livingston County to come live with them, keep house, cook, etc.   Her name was Betty Burgess.   The story goes that Jim met her at the train station and when he saw her, turned to his friends and said, there is the woman I'm going to marry.  Betty was bright eyed, dark haired, and half his age.  I don't know what year she went there but it was probably not long before 1910.  The 1910 Census has her listed in the household as Betty Burdos, age 20, servant, cook for private family.

James made his home with his mother until his marriage in 1910, and then his young family continued to live in the Maddox home until they moved to Paducah about 1916/17.   in 1916 the County Deeds show that she sold the Railroad lot to J.E. Maddox, or possibly her home or both.  He then sold the property in 1920 to Dr. Smith.

After they settled in Paducah she moved to the big city to live with them.  She had a gleeful sense of humor. On Saturday nights the family would dress up and walk the streets of Paducah greeting all they met.  Susan Jane was confined to a wheel chair, but enjoyed the excursions and often invited her young grandchild to ride with her.

Susan Jane Greenwood Maddox died on August 10, 1921, age 91.  She outlived all but three of her twelve children. Julia Mortensen, a web cousin, has copies of Susan Jane's death certificates. There seems to be two for some reason. The place of death was given as Livingston County. It is just north and east of Marshall County and McCracken County where Paducah is found.  She was in Grand Rivers to visit her daughter Ruth Alice Robinson when she died.  Grand Rivers today is the gateway to Land Between the Lakes , Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake.  But in 1921 there were no lakes but two rivers, the Cumberland River and Tennessee River.  One or both were flooded when she died, so Susan Jane was buried not by her husband in Calvert City, but in a cemetery in Grand Rivers, Livingston Ct.KY.  Her grave is near that of her youngest daughter Alice Maddox Robinson who died in the 1950s.

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Last Saved on: 4/16/2003
Date edited 6/25/2021
Date edited 1/27/2023