Michael Madara ¹

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1840 in Schuylkill Twp., Schuylkill, PA. ² Michl Medary
Males - Under 51
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 143
Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 491
Free White Persons - Females - Under 51
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 91
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 391
Persons Employed in Mining1.

2. Book: Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania; genealogy, family history, biography : containing historical sketches of old families and of representative and prominent citizens, past and present V. 1, 1916. ³
The Madara family is of French extraction, and the name is found variously spelled\emdash Maddeira, Madera, etc. Sebastian Madery, the ancestor of the family in Berks county, where it was originally settled on coming to this country, died at Reading in 1775. It is not known how many children were in his family, but we have record of Michael, Casper, Samuel and Nicholas. All of these but Samuel served in the Revolutionary war. Michael, who was in Captain Will's Company, died in 1823. He was the ancestor of Zaccur P. Madara.

Nicholas Casper Madara, grandfather of Zaccur P. Madara, was born and reared in Berks county, Pa. He was a stonemason by trade. Coming to Schuylkill county in 1806, he was one of the early residents of Pottsville, and much of the most important construction work was entrusted to him in his day; the buildings he erected included the Episcopal church and the old Parvin mill, which later was torn down. He died in Pottsville when fifty-seven years old. Mr. Madara married Mary Dreher, and they became the parents of eight children, namely: Jacob, Charles, James, Nicholas, George, Maria, Elizabeth and Catherine Eliza. Of this family Charles built the stone wall as well as all the mason work, including the chapel, at the Charles Baber cemetery, Pottsville, a notably fine sample of masonry.

Jacob Madara, son of Nicholas Casper Madara, followed the business of stonemason and plasterer, and like his father was regarded as one of the leading men of the day in the borough and county. The construction work of the Henry Clay monument, of which the community is justly proud, was awarded to him, and stands as a monument to his conscientious and efficient workmanship. He died in March, 1884, at the age of seventy-six years. He was a Republican on political questions and a Lutheran in religious connection. His wife, whose maiden name was Abigail Hart, also lived to the age of seventy-six years. Zaccur P. is now the only survivor of their six children, namely: William George; Zaccur P.; Maria, wife of Frank Schulze; Nicholas; and Georgiana and Henrietta, both of whom died young.

Zaccur P. Madara was born March 27, 1840, at Port Carbon, Schuylkill county. He received a public school education and learned the trade of brick and stone mason with his father, being first employed in that line of work. Later he went to work in the rolling mills as a roller, and remained there for about fifteen years, after which for about ten years he was engaged as section boss on the Philadelphia & Reading railroad. In 1885 he became a member of the police force of Pottsville, with which he was connected for twenty-five years, retiring from the service at the end of that period. Meantime, in 1907, he had been elected a member of the council of the borough, in which he served two terms (six years). Since 1910 Mr. Madara has conducted a grocery store at No. 329 North George street, where he also resides. His various business and official associations have brought him into contact with an unusually large number of his fellow citizens, by whom he is well and favorably known. He is a member of the Knights of the Golden Eagle and the Grand Army of the Republic, having served one year during the Civil war as a member of Company G, 202d Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. Politically he is a Republican.

On Feb. 8, 1860, Mr. Madara married Harriet E. Dobbins, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Davis) Dobbins, of Minersville, this county, the former of whom died when his daughter was but five years old. Mr. and Mrs. Madara became the parents of the following children: William George is deceased; Laura L. married Edgar Wilson, a brother of Kimmel Wilson, of Pottsville; Ida E. married John Murray; Katie married Robert Rogers; Walter Paul, a resident of Pottsville, married Irene Mader; Nellie is deceased; Abbie L. married William Woodward; Annie E. is deceased; Matilda, twin of Annie, died young; Harriet E. married Fred Schulze. Zaccur P. is located in Pittsburgh, Pa.; Bessie died young; Bessie (2) married Weston Bruner (his first wife was her sister Annie E.). Mr. and Mrs. Madara are members of the Episcopal Church.

Michael married Rebecca Poff. (Rebecca Poff was born in 1808.)