Mary M. Young, married to Edward Hilyard? then to Isaac Brittson; and then to James Madden

Mary M. (Young) Hilyard Brittson Madden

From my research outside this source, Mary was born Mary M. Young, to parents, Johnson M. Young and Sarah A. Imbody. She was born in Ohio (probably Lucas County). Mary had these siblings: Samantha, Lydia, Cyrus, Nancy, James, Emma Alice, and William Young (probably William Allie Young).

Mary's first known relationship was with the elusive Edward Hilliard, and is thought to be a common-law relationship, possibly adulterous. (He was probably married to someone else). Mary had at least two children by Edward Hilliard: Franklin Hilliard, born 1878; and Sadie Helen Hilyard, born 1881. (The surname spelling varies in different documents.)

In 1882, Mary married a much older man, Isaac Brittsan, in Adams, Indiana. (Her name on the marriage register is listed twice: once as Mary M. Young, and once as Mary M. Hilyard.) She had three children by Isaac: James, born 1883; Mary Catherine, born 1885; and Bessie May, born 1887. These three children have the Brittson surname, which is helpful in identifying Mary in later census listings.

Isaac Brittson died in 1892. Mary then married or took the name of James Madden. She appears in census in 1900 as Mary Madden, with offspring, Edward T. Hilliard; and the three Brittson children, James, Mary Catherine, and Bessie Mae Brittson.

Mary's daughter, Sadie Helen Hilyard, married Charles Furrer. Later, in Charles' household, James Brittson is found, as the brother-in-law--once again helping cement the identification of Mary's children.

Mary Madden died in 1924 in Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio. This is an extract of her death record. (This copy was from an image of the county register, and did not have a state file number):

Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001, (typed register) page 50. Lucas County Reg. Dist. 769. Primary Reg. Dist. no. 8349. Registered no. 3048. State File no. ----. Full Name: Mary Madden, aged 71 years, 3 months; widowed white female, deceased; resided at 1312 Nevada, (Toledo, Lucas, Ohio). Occupation: housewife. Birth: 25 July 1853, Cairo Ill. Death: 25 Oct 1924, St Vincent's Hosp, Toledo, Lucas, Ohio. Cause: Diabetes mellitus (2 yrs); pneumonia, 1 day (contrib.) Signed: Walter W Randolph, M.D. Name of spouse: James. Name of Father and Mother: unknown. Informant: Edward Hilyard, of 627 Church st. (presumably in Toledo). Burial: 28 Oct. 1924, Memorial Park. Undertaker: H H Birkenkamp, 1003 Broadway. [Extract by D.K. Pritchett, Family Search contributor.]

Places associated with this family: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri. (One descendant marriage had a Tennessee connection).