by Bernard Monaghan, 1985; edited by Patricia Balkcom, April, 2019
Family of Anthony Madden and Eleanor Calback
Anthony Madden and his wife Eleanor Calback must have been married in Ireland and arrived in Valcartier in the early 1800s. They settled on a lot on the back end of the Fourth Range, not very far from where George Atkins used to live. Anthony was a soldier and a veteran of the battle of Waterloo, in Southern Belgium. He fought against Napoleon’s forces and lost a leg in the engagement. He walked with an artificial leg. One wonders how he managed to clear the forest, handicapped as he was, or could he have been the recipient of a pension, however small? They arrived in Valcartier with four children whom we believe were born in Ireland. Anthony died April 2, 1850, at the age of 60 years. Ellen Calback, his wife died on March 3,1861, aged 64 years. Both are buried in Valcartier. The names of the children believed to have been born in Ireland are as follows:
Eleanor: Married John Monaghan, August 8, 1840. He was the son of Edward Monaghan and Elizabeth Young.
Thomas: Married Sarah Connors, May 25, 1843. Sarah was the daughter of Hugh Connors & Anne O’Toole.
Matty (Martha): Married James McElrone, October 4, 1845. Martha was the daughter of Charles McElrone & Bridget Monaghan.
Martin: Married Marguerite Reilly, June 6, 1869.
Additional children born in Valcartier:
SARAH – Born August 3, 1832.
ELLEN – Born March 1, 1835. Married John Monaghan, August 31, 1855. He was the son of Owen Monaghan & Jane Quinn; consequently, Anthony Madden & Eleanor Calback, Owen Monaghan & Jane Quinn, would be great, great Grandparents of James, Clarence & Lorne Monaghan.
MARGARET– Born December 12, 1836. Married Thomas Crow, January 28, 1862. We know that their daughter, Maggie, married William Dawson of Laval, Quebec. As his wife had white hair early in life, Mr. Dawson used to say that he married a white crow. Mr. Dawson’s name may have been Jim, (not sure). At any rates his wife, Miss Crow, was a first cousin of Albert Monaghan of Valcartier.
GEORGE -BornDecember24, 1838. Married Ellen Crotty of St.Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier on February 2, 1862. I am aware of five children born of this marriage – Ellen became Mrs. Joseph Plamondon; Mary Jane; Margaret; Bridgit Ann became Mrs. Charles Griffin; Martin who married a Miss Drolet. George moved to Quebec and became a prosperous coal merchant. He dabbled in politics and was Alderman in St. Sauveur Ward for a number of years. George died in November 1921, at the age of 82 years. His son, Martin, also took an active part in politics and at his death in May 1925, Martin was a Cabinet Minister, without portfolio in the Liberal Government, headed by the then Premier L. A. Taschereau.
ANTHONY & CATHERINE, TWINS – Born August 3, 1841. Anthony died April 6, 1845. Catherine died September 3, 1845.
ROBERT – Born February 28, 1844. Additional information on the family of Anthony Madden & Eleanor Calback Their daughter, Eliza Jane, married (1860) George Brownrigg , a carter, in Quebec City, whose daughter was married to John Water Ousler, of Philedelphia. They left a family.
Family of Thomas Madden and Sarah Connors
ELLEN – Born March 26, 1844.
JOHN – Married Mary McKeown, May 24, 1992.
ANTHONY – Born February 9, 1846. Died April 1, 1846.
SARAH – Born September 12,1850. Married John Murphy, November 11, 1871
MARY ANN – Born April 10, 1852. Married William Hayes, April 28,1875.
JANE – Born January 19, 1854.
THOMAS – Married Margaret Fitzpatrick, September 29, 1891.
HUGH – Born August 11, 1858. Married Nina Littlejohn, April 6, 1892.
GEORGE – Born October 11, 1860. Married Mary Jane 0’Reilly, October 25, 1856. George Madden died May27, 1941. His wife, Mary Jane O’Reilly died February 10, 1935. (Children listed below)
ELIZABETH – Born November 5,1862. Married Thomas Cummings, October 11, 1887.
MARTIN – Born August 1, 1864
MARTHA – Born 1865
ANTHONY – Born September 21, 1866
ROBERT – Born April 9, 1868. Married Julia Fitzpatrick on February 2, 1904.
JAMES – Born September 18, 1870
MARGARET – Born July 18th, 1872. She was the youngest of the family and was known to her family as Sis. She married Joseph H. Labbe, on the 7th of November 1892. She was widowed and the name of her second husband was Carey. She lived in Edmonton Alberta.
Children of George Madden and Mary Jane O’Reilly
ELIZABETH Married Martin Murphy, Oct 27, 1915
THOMAS – Married Julia Conway, October 15, 1915
MARY– Married James Roarke, October 1935
ELLEN – Born June 24, 1894. Married William Dawson, October 27, 1915
SARAH – Born July 18,1899. Married George Thomas
MARTHA – Born September 27,1901. Married Jack Olen in Los Angeles California; second marriage to Holthouse. Died in Los Angeles and buried in Valcartier.
HANNAH – Born 1898. Died April 18, 1910
STELLA – Born June 1905. Married Edmund J. Wright, September 3, 1924, in St.Patrick’s Church, Quebec City.
Here ends George Madden’s family information. At this point in our research into the family of Thomas Madden we are puzzled, because in the Valcartier records we find the following Acts:
Marriage of James Madden and Julia Fitzpatrick On the 29th day of October 1902, whereas the publication of three banns of marriage having been published at the prone of the of the parochial mass of Valcartier between James Madden, son of age of the late Thomas Madden and the late Elizabeth Connors, formerly of this parish, but now residing in British Columbia; and Julia Fitzpatrick, daughter of age of Charles Fitzpatrick, farmer of this parish and Phoebe Ann Maher, also of this parish on the other part. Having received full proof of the groom’s liberty to contract marriage and. having discovered no impediment to this marriage, we the undersigned, parish priest, have received their mutual consent to Marriage and have given the nuptial blessing in the presence of Edward Blanchet, the groom’s friend and Teresa Fitzpatrick, the bride’s sister, who with the contracting parties and other friends signed. This Act was duly read. Signed: Teresa Fitzpatrick, George White, Julia Fitzpatrick, E. G. Blanchet H. McGratty, priest.
On the next page, we copy the following act:
MARRIAGE OF ROBERT MADDEN & JULIA FITZPATRICK On the 2nd day of February 1904, whereas the dispensation of one ban of marriage having been obtained from Mgr. C. A Marois, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Quebec, whereas also the publication of two banns of Marriage having been made at the prone of the parochial mass of Valcartier, between Robert Madden of Trout Lake, British Columbia, son of age of the late Thomas Madden and Mary Connors, also deceased, formerly, farmer of this parish on the one part; and Julia Fitzpatrick, daughter of age of Charles Fitzpatrick and Phoebe Ann Maher, farmer of this parish on the other part. Having discovered no other impediment to this marriage, and having received ample proof that the groom was free to contract marriage, we the undersigned, parish priest, have received their mutual consent to marriage and have given them the nuptial blessing in the presence of Georges White, Charles Fitzpatrick, Mrs. George White, William Fitzpatrick, Tessie Fitzpatrick, who with the contracting parties signed. This Act was duly read. Signed: Julia Fitzpatrick, Robert Madden, George White, William Fitzpatrick, Tessie Fitzpatrick, Charles Fitzpatrick, Mrs. Geo. White H. McGratty, priest.
(Note added by Patricia Balkcom in June, 2014: In another copy of the church records, it states the following, which seems to be more accurate, because Julia Fitzpatrick married Robert Madden in 1904.) On the second day of October 1902, whereas the publication of three banns of marriage having been published at the prone of the parochial mass of Valcartier and St-Ambroise de Lorette, whereas also the dispensation of two banns of marriage having been granted by Monseigneur C. A. Morris, Vicar General of this diocese of Quebec between George White, son of age of George White and Marie Catherine Dugal of the parish of St-Ambroise on the one part; and Theresa Fitzpatrick, daughter of age of Charles Fitzpatrick, farmer of this parish and Phoebe Ann Maher, of he parish of Valcartier on the other part. Having discovered no other impediment to this marriage, we the undersigned, parish priest, have received their mutual consent to marriage and have given them the nuptial blessing in the presence of Elzear Blanchet, the groom’s friend and Julia Fitzpatrick, the bride’s sister, who with the contracting parties and other friends signed. This act was duly read. Teresa Fitzpatrick, George White, Julia Fitzpatrick, Elz. Blanchet, H. McGratty, priest.)
We do know that James Madden was married and had a family. We don’t know how many children he had, but are aware of one daughter Molly, who married an American of Italian descent called Augustino. They lived in California. The Augustinos had a daughter named Kay who married Delbert Stayner. They in turn had five children: Cory, Cary, Jody, Cathy, and Steven. Stephen was kidnapped in 1972 at the age of 7 years old, and lived with his kidnapper until he was able to escape seven years later. Molly was in Quebec about 1973 and at that time she never expected to see her grandson alive. Several newspapers carried stories of the kidnapping and the boys’ return home. Bridget Hilda Griffin (daughter of Martin Madden and Margaret Reilly), married (1896) to Michael Griffin (son of Thomas Griffin and Phoebe Ann Fitzpatrick), had a family and lived at 821 St. Valier Street, Quebec City. Hilda’s cousin, Bridget Ann Madden, daughter of George Madden, the coal merchant, was married to Charles J. Griffin. They had three children: Helen, Herbert and Harold Griffin. Charles operated and ran the Imperial Laundry. Charles and Michael Griffin were the grandchildren of Charles Fitzpatrick & Phoebe Bethel. George Madden of Riviere-aux-Pins, who died in 1941, was the last Madden in Valcartier.
Further information on some of the children of Thomas Madden and Sarah Connors: (Beginning text missing)…in the city of Lardeau, British Columbia, because of mines like the Silver Cup and Great Northern while John opened up in Slocan City. He died young but his brother Anthony took over the Two Friends Hotel.
Hugh was the most restless and venturesome of the brothers. He cooked awhile for Tom in Nelson, specializing in fish dinners and omelets. In 1892, he had a stopping place in Nakusp with his brother, Bob. Then in 1895, with a partner named Carr he opened the Madden House at Trail Creek Landing. It was there that he provided the banquet for the Christmas Ball. A year later he was up In the hills above Burton City. Six miles up Caribou Creek in the midst of uncleared forest he erected a log house with nine bedrooms upstairs and two downstairs, along with dining room, kitchen and bar. Water was carried by hand from the nearby creek.
He didn’t stay long, however, and in the summer of 1898 was in Glenora, head of navigation on the Stikine River and one of the routes to the Klondike. It was also the southern terminus of a projected railway to the Yukon goldfields. Here Madden built the Glenora Hotel but the railway project died and so did Glenora. Madden moved to Alaska and late in November 1900 was reported to have died in Nome. But accounts of his death proved to be exaggerated. Six months later a Seattle dispatch claimed that he had returned to that city from Nome with $50,000 in gold. In November, 1906, newspapers again reported his death, only this time it was final. He was forty-eight.
The year that Madden left Trail to begin testing the various mining camps of BC. and Alaska, one new business that opened in the community was a brewery which became a hotel and which is still serving the public. In 1896, Fritz Sick installed a copper kettle and was soon delivering his sudsy product to local bar rooms, first in a basket on his arm but as business expanded in a wagon drawn by a sleek gray horse. However, the town grew so rapidly he decided to turn the brewery into a hotel called the Kootenay. Later he sold out to Fritz Mueller.
In the mid-twenties the Kootenay was bought by Emilio Pisapio, an outgoing, sports-loving Italian whose luxuriant hair brought him the nickname of “Curly.” With local Italian women presiding in dining room and kitchen, the Kootenay Hotel soon became famous for food cooked in the out of doors.
Christmas of 1895 was celebrated with a Grand Ball and elaborate supper provided by Hugh Madden in his new hostelry, the Madden House. The menu card ran to four pages, the first one picturing Trail and the new smelter. On a vivid green cover the citizens of Trail sent greetings to all the guests, urging them to “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry, This Gladsome Xmas Night!” The last page contained the “Programme of the Discussion” whose motto was “Man Cannot Live By Bread Alone,” The caterer was asked to oblige and Hugh Madden certainly did himself proud. Oysters and bouillon, dressed Lake Winnipeg whitefish or BC. salmon with Golden Sherry introduced a main course of turkey, ham, ox tongue, saddle of mutton, and prime ribs of beef or suckling pig stuffed with chestnuts. Zinfandel accompanied this course while Pomeroy and Greno blended with the dessert of either mince or lemon cream pie, fruit cake, lady fingers or port wine jelly. French coffee, chocolate or tea topped off the feast, along with oranges, bananas, figs or grapes, assorted nuts and candies.
Hugh was one of six Madden brothers who ran hotels in six different Kootenay towns. Tall, handsome men, they had Irish blood in their veins but had come to British Columbia from Riviere aux Pines in the province of Quebec. Lured by the excitement of the Riel Rebellion and the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway, they gravitated to the Kootenays in the days of the mining boom. Tom, the eldest, came west with a railway survey crew and in 1887 went to Nelson when the Silver King mine was discovered. There he built a stopping place which would be known to the public as the Madden House until its demolition In 1958. Tom, himself, died in 1912 but his widow and sons continued as proprietors.
His brother, James, chose for his hostelry the site of Ainsworth, then the bustling Hotsprings mining camp. Robert Madden went to Trout Lake. This list of the Madden family is very far from being complete, however, it will give the reader an idea of the presence of the Madden family in Valcartier.
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