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Note: When Edward's family moved to Catawba, Price County, Wisconsin, he went back and forth between Oldham and Catawba, until he married Clara Olson in 1909. They settled in Oldham briefly before moving to Catawba.
He was the mailman there and possibly sold motorcycles as well, according to the Oldham paper. As mailman, he wrote what was called "route news" for the paper, news he collected while making his rounds. The Madson family continued to take the Oldham paper, even after they moved to Wisconsin. In one postcard to Ed, they admonished him to write more in the way of "route news." He also would run errands for the people on his route and deliver messages back and forth. One item in the paper indicated he was delivering mail by motorcycle. In the summer, when he was working other jobs, his wife Clara delivered the mail for him.
Ed and Clara corresponded frequently with their relatives in Wisconsin, especially with postcards, which they collected and put into scrapbooks. From the postcard collection, it appears that Ed would deliver messages back and forth, especially between the sisters Clara and Ella, as these postcards would not have stamps on them. One message to Clara from Ella asked her to come over the next day to tie a quilt. It also asked her to bring along needles, as Selmar was always using hers as awls.
Halvor Stenson wrote about Ed Madson in "Oldham: Our Town History" by Regina Kattke(1987), saying he remembers Ed running alongside the horses in the coldest weather, delivering mail (see Notes for Clara Olson for the text). Milo Madson recalls that he always wore thin leather gloves, even in the coldest weather.
Ed and Clara moved to Wisconsin sometime after 1914. They lived in a chicken coop for a short while before their house was moved to its present site. There he farmed, delivered heating gas, kept bees, and grew strawberries. He was very fond of strawberries and ice cream and always had some on hand, much to the delight of his grandchildren. Milo said he would make his own ice cream from whey cream that came from the cheese factories. Ed always had lots of books around, especially Reader's Digest Condensed books.
After moving to Wisconsin, Ed would ship in wild horses from Dakota. They would break them by attaching a long rope to them and running them in circles until they were tired and could be approached. According to Milo Madson, the last bunch was a matched set that sold for $500.
Milo recalls that Ed was fond of practical jokes. He had a break-away spoon that he would always give to a guest.
Local Column, Oldham Register:
April 17, 1908: " Edwin Madsen and Ben Jacobsen arrived Wednesday from Catawba, Wis., intending to spend the summer at this place."
October 1909: "Mrs. M. I. Madson of Wisconsin arrived Monday to attend her son's wedding. She will visit in town and vicinity a couple of weeks before returning to her home."
October 22, 1909: "Edwin Madson and his wife are moving into rooms over the meat market."
February 11, 1910: "Edwin Madson has rented W. H. Pester's land north of town."
May 12, 1911: "Jens Jensen and Ed Madson were at Arlington and Hetland Tuesday, and at Winfred and Junius Wednesday looking up motor cycle sales."
September 23, 1910: "Edwin Madson now rides a motor cycle when delivering mail on No. 2."
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OBITUARY: Edward M. Madson
Phillips Bee, February 1965
Funeral services for Edward Martin Madson, 80, of Catawba, were held at the Catawba Lutheran Church at 1:3 p.m., Tuesday, March 1, with the Rev. Reuben Drefs officiating.
Mr. Madson died at the Sacred Heart Hospital in Tomakawk at 10:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 26.
Born in Oldham, South Dakota, Sept. 15, 1885, Mr. Madson came to Catawba in 1918 where he served as a mail carrier, a farmer and an oil dealer. He was married to Clara S. Olson in Oldham, S.D., Oct. 6, 1909; she preceded him in death in 1939. His second marriage was to Mary B. Johnson in 1940. Mr. Madson was a member of the Catawba Lutheran Church.
Surviving are his wife, Mary B.; a daughter, Mrs. Mildred Dvergsdal, Waukesha; two sons, Elwood, Lombard, Ill., and Milo, Milwaukee; five sisters, Mrs. Hilda Hitzler, Mrs. Malva Netland, Mrs. Ida Pierrard and Mrs. Edna Pierrard, Catawba, and Mrs. Minnie Clark, Tomahawk; two brothers, Melvin of Kennan, and Harold of Catawba; seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
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