Collateral Family: The STRONG Connection

With two daughters married to Maddens, at least one a relative and common interest in vessels on the Great Lakes, it seemed prudent to investigate the Strong family of Tonawanda, New York.  Here are the basics.

The patriarch, Thomas Nicholas Strong, was born about 1820 in Ireland. He died in 1886 at the age of 66 in Tonawanda, Erie, New York and is buried in St. Francis Cemetery (1).  He married Eliza Hammond who was born on 25 Aug 1831 in Liverpool, England. She died on 23 Jun 1907 at the age of 75 in Tonawanda and was buried in St. Francis Cemetery.  Thomas is listed as a sailor in the 1860-80 census.(2)

They had the following children

A. Belinda Caroline Strong was born in 1852 in New York. She died on 29 Jan 1925 at the age of 73 in Tonawanda.  Belinda married John Rhadigan, a sailor born in Canada, about 1879.  In 1880 they were living in Port Huron, MI. (3) They had three children.  John bn about 1881 married (1) Delsia Brighton and (2)Catherine.  He also followed a maritime career.  William married Pearl and had at least one child. Belinda married Raymond Ball and had children.  

B. William H Strong was born in 1854 in New York. He died in 1908 at the age of 54. He was buried in 1908 at St. Francis Cemetery. By 1880 William had followed his father into the maritime business. He is listed as a sailor in the census.

C. Thomas N Strong Jr. was born in 1856 in New York. He died in 1865 at the age of 9 in New York, United States. He was buried in St. Francis Cemetery. 

D. Eliza A Strong was born in 1859 in New York.. She died in 1881 and is buried in St. Francis Cemetery.  Eliza married .... McInnis.  No further information has been found to date.

E. Clara Strong was born in 1862 in Tonawanda, New York. She died on 12 Mar 1936 at the age of 74 in Tonawanda.  Clara married William L Misner who in 1900 is listed as Clerk of Canal.  They had James, William, Rosette and Matthew.  The Misner's had an interest in at least one of the Strong vessels plying the Great Lakes. Clara and William sued other Strong family members over interest in the Emory. (Misner research). 

F. Isabella "Belle" Strong was born on 22 Oct 1863 in Tonawanda, New York.  She died on 2 Jul 1946 at the age of 82 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan and was buried on 4 Jul 1946 in Saginaw, Saginaw, Michigan, United States. Isabella "Melle" Strong and Michael Madden were married about 1884 in Tonawanda.  See Great Lakes: Captain Michael Madden of Saginaw

G. Emma Strong was born in 1866 in Tonawanda, New York and in 1934 at the age of 68. She was buried in 1934 at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Kenmore, Erie, New York.  Emma married Philip Heppner who was born in 1864. He died in 1917 at the age of 53 and is also buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery.  They had Elizabeth 1895-1976, who married David Reid 1895-1976 and Mary E. 1896-1985. Also see  Family: John J. Madden for information on Capt. Heppner being injured in 1905.

H. Dora Strong was born on 24 Aug 1870 in Tonawanda, New York.  See Family: John J. Madden

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(1) All Cemetery Links for St. Francis Cemetery and Mt. Olivert Cemetery are found on FindAGrave

(2) Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.  Tonawanda, Erie, New York; Roll: M653_750; Page: 566; Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Tonawanda, Erie, New York; Roll: M593_931; Page: 565A; Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. onawanda, Erie, New York; Roll: 827 pg 174A

(3)Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.Port Huron, St Clair, Michigan; Roll: 605; Page: 323A

The Ships - Fred Meyers

Originally built by the Detroit Dry Dock Company for the J. Emory Owen Transportation Co, the freighter was launched (US 76731) in 16 May 1888.  With a screw propulsion and three sails the ship was 256.4' long 38.5' beam and had a hold depth of 19.8'.  Gross tonnage was 1739.53 and capacity was 2700 tons.

It burned near Manitowoc, WI on Lake Michigan on 5 Dec 1903.

Rebuilt as a steam-barge, it's dimensions changed only in it's depth which was now 15.8' and gross tonnage, down to 1264.  Renamed the F.A. Meyer, it was  purchased by William H. Strong and John J. Madden in 1905.  The listed owner was William H. Strong Transportation Co.

In June of 1906 the Meyer struck the steamer Ruth while in the Buffalo dock.  In August of that year it carried a record load of 1,500,000 board feet of lumber from Duluth to Tonawanda.

On 18 Dec 1909 the FA Meyer was sunk by ice.  The ship had been sold in the interim and was owned by Adam Hartman at the time it sank.  Bound from Boyne City, Michigan to Buffalo, New York the crew was rescued by the propeller MAPLETON.  Attempts were made to raise the ship through 1910, when it was finally abandoned.

Great Lakes Maritime Database
Maritime History of the Great Lakes - The J. Emory Owen (images 1) (images 2)

The Ships - Tracy J. Bronson

The TRACY J. BRONSON was built in 1857 by Jones & Bissett at Cleveland, OH U.S.A wood hulled schooner with 2 masts, a length of 137 feet, and a width of 26 feet. It displaces 381 tons. The ship was remeasured in Erie, PA on 25 April 1865 and the dimensions listed as 137.25' by 26.5' with a hold depth of 11.5'.  Gross tonnage was listed as 277.22. (1)

In 1899 the schooner was owned by John Murphy of Cedar River Michigan.  The 1900 & 1901 issues of BlueBook of American Shipping, Marine and Naval Directory of the United States lists the owner as John J. Madden of Tonawanda. (2) And in 1902 the owner was listed as Dora S. Madden. (3)

The vessel was removed from service with the following notation: Final enrollment surrendered at Buffalo, NY, March 18, 1903, and endorsed "Out of Commission."  The Blue Book continues to list the vessel for years listing the owner as Buffalo Dredging Co., Buffalo, NY, out of Commission. (4)

(1) Historical Collections of the Great Lakes , BGSU, Wisconsin's Great Shipwrecks
(2) Blue Book of American Shipping, Marine and Naval Directory of the United States 1901

(3) Blue Book of American Shipping, Marine and Naval Directory of the United States 1902

(4) Blue Book of American Shipping, Marine and Naval Directory of the United States 1905

Family: Captain John Madden

Son of James Madden and Anna Fitsimmons

( 1859  Albany NY - 10 Dec 1907 Tonawanda NY)

Like his brother, Thomas, John grew up working on the river in Albany.  He was still living with his father at the time of the 1880 census, and it is unknown when he settled in Tonawanda, NY or if he had lived anywhere else in the interim.

John married Theodora Strong on 8 Jan 1894 in Tonawanda, NY with his brother James Madden in attendance. Dora's sister Isabella had married Michael Madden of Saginaw some years before.  At this time no connection has been found between Michael and the family of James Madden of Albany.  We are looking for a direct male line descendant to provide a DNA sample.


While Thomas handled the ship logistics and James handled the lumber side, John was a respected Great Lakes Captain.  It appears that they worked together throughout their lives and owned some ships in partnership.  At least one reference was found to "Madden Bros."

North Tonawanda Evening News 31 Oct 1900

Newspapers and ship directories throughout the Great Lakes area give information on the ships he sailed and throw in a few hints about his personality.  For example, the Tonawanda Evening News on 26 May 1904 reported that "The genial Captain has a new supply of jokes."

It appears that John and Dora lived with her mother and brother in a house at 409 Niagara Street, which was just one street from the Niagara River waterfront.  The house is still standing today, although it is possible that changes have been made.  Eliza was a widow and William H. Strong, also a ships Captain, never married.  With eight months of the year spent on the lakes, shared accommodations made sense.

John has not been found as the Captain of any particular ships before 1901 and family references said he was a pilot.  It is unknown at this time when he first was in charge. In 1901 J Madden was Captian of OW Blodgett's Sophia Minch. In 1902 of SR McLaren's AA Carpenter.  It is possible these two listings are for a different J. Madden.  We do know for certain that from 1903 to 1905 he was Captain of the Mautenee, in which he held 1/3 interest.  He is also listed as the owner manager of the Tracy J. Bronson in 1901. (1)  

North Tonawanda News

The New York Red Book 1906 p162

Like his brother James in Ashland, John became involved in the politics of the town he lived in,  and beyond.  He served on the Health commission, was a member of the Hose Company and ran for Assemblyman in 1903 losing with 44% of the vote.

North Tonawanda Evening News
24 April 1905

John's wife Dora also became involved in the shipping business.  Like many of the shipping wives, she was listed as one of the owners of the vessels.  In fact they were both part of the Strong Transportation Co. of Long Island that was formed in 1900.  That year, John and William H. Strong were sued by William Misner (married to another sister, Clara Strong) over ownership of the N.K. Fairbank (which had been re-enrolled as the Eliza H. Strong).  In the appeal to the court case (NY Court of Appeal 1905 v24)  it was shown that John had transferred his rights, title, and interest to Dora prior to 27 May 1899, he was released from the suit.  William Strong who had similarly transferred his interests to his mother was not.  The suit which had been brought to recover a fair share of the 1899 seasons profits and William was not excluded because he was manager of the vessel that year.

This is not the only ship that John might have had an interest in. He may have had partial interest in the HJ Webb, ownership was sometimes stated as TF Madden and sometimes as John F Madden.  In addition to the Tracy Bronson there may have been others, including the Mautenee.

John began the fateful year of 1905 first in directing the rebuilding of the Fred Meyer and then as Captain of the Mautenee which along with the Noquebay was in tow of the Lizzie Madden.  They arrived in port in N. Tonawanda on June 4th with a load of ore, John stating that the lumber in the northern lake ports was still too green to ship [Buffalo Express 4 Jun 1905].  

North Tonawanda Evening News
13 Nov 1905

Mary N Bourke

The terrible hurricane blowing through the Great Lakes before dawn on 20 October 1905 sank the Mautenee along with many other vessels. John, fortunate enough to save his life and crew, but without a ship, was available to bring the Mary N. Bourke home after yet another brother-in-law Capt. Phillip Heppner  (husband of Emma Strong) was injured.

Shipping on the lakes was not an easy life.  The strain of lost ships, lost cargos, and family discord takes its toll.  John, like his brother Thomas, died too early.  He passed away unexpectedly on 12 Dec 1905 at the age of 46 in his home in Tonawanda.  He is buried in St. Francis Cemetery.

North Tonawanda Evening News 12 Dec 1905

Dora lived to the age of 69.  She died quietly in her home on 6 Feb 1940 and is buried next to John in St. Francis Cemetery.  They had no children.

(1) 1901 BlueBook of American Shipping, Marine and Naval Directory of the United States. p107  Although the entry states he lived in Tonawanda it is assumed he is the same John that is listed in Bay City as owning one schooner.

Thank you to the Historical Society of the Tonawandas and St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church for their help in researching John Madden. 

See Old Fulton NY Postcards.for newspapers.