Joseph F. Malden (1849-1921)

MALDEN

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/3/2023 at 13:44:01

Joseph F. Malden
(December 10, 1849 - January 22, 1921)

J. F. Malden
J. F. Malden is the enterprising proprietor of a lumber yard in Malden, where he is also conducting a meat market. He owes his success entirely to his own efforts, for he had no influential friends or pecuniary aid to assist him at the outset of his career. He was born near Norfolk, Virginia, December 10, 1849, and is a son of Dwight and Elizabeth (Linn) Maiden. The father was of French Huguenot lineage, while the mother was of English descent, although her people had for many generations been residents of America. Both the great-grandfathers of our subject served in the Revolutionary War under General Washington. The father, Dwight Malden, was a planter and conducted his home place in Tennessee until the Civil war broke out, when true to his loving southland he enlisted in the Confederate army, serving as a colonel on the staff of General John Morgan throughout the entire period of the conflict, or until he was captured near Xenia, Ohio, at the time Morgan made his raid into that state. He was wounded in an engagement, but survived for a few years, and eventually died of his wounds about 1868. He was buried in Winona, Minnesota, by the side of the colonel of the First Minnesota regiment. Both were Masons of high standing and Mr. Malden died at the home of his friend, the northern colonel. After the death of her first husband Mrs. Malden became the wife of Henry Root and her death occurred in Quincy, Illinois, in 1893.
The subject of this review is the only child of Colonel and Mr. Malden. He pursued his early education in the common schools of the Old Dominion and in Sheffield Academy in Sheffield, Connecticut, where he remained for two terms. Later he continued his studio in Lee, Massachusetts, and thus gained a broad general knowledge as a preparation for the practical duties of life. He too joined the Confederate army, serving for two years and eight months by his father's side, being only twelve years of age when he entered the war. After its close he secured a position as brakeman on the Illinois Central Railroad, and was afterward fireman, then conductor and also station agent. For eighteen year he remained in railroad service, spending about five years in Iowa. While breaking on a freight train he became caught in a switch and had his leg run over by a train which necessitated the amputation of the member. He was station agent at Manson for three years, and then left the railroad company to engage in the lumber and grain Business. He still conducts a lumber yard here, although he has retired from the grain trade. He is likewise proprietor of a meat market and in both branches of his business is gaining good success.
On the 31st of August, 1875, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Mr. Malden was united in marriage to Miss Lena E. Thompson, who was born in Wisconsin in 1857. Her mother is still living at Fonda, Iowa, and since the death of her first husband she has become the wife of David Stines. Mrs. Malden had two brothers and one sister: Thomas, who is a resident of Fonda: Gilbert, who makes his home in Tacoma, Washington; and Mrs. R. Cleeberger, of Aurelia, Iowa. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Malden has been blessed with five sons, namely: Eugene, who is living at home and assists his father in the lumber yard and meat market: Claude, who is a grain dealer at Rock Rapids, Iowa: Earl, Lloyd and Leslie, the three last named being at home and attending schoo1 in Manson. After his marriage Mr. Malden went to Dubuque, Iowa, where he acted as night operater and ticket agent for a few months, and then came to Manson, where he has since made his home. Having prospered in his business undertakings, he erected an elegant
residence here, in which his family is comfortably located. He attends the Methodist Episcopal church, and connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, while in his political views he is a stalwart Republican. Dependent upon his own resources at an early age, he has steadily advanced in the business world, winning desirable success through capable management, untiring industry and honorable dealing. [Source - Biographical Record of Calhoun County, Iowa, by S. J. Clarke, 1902, p.548]