James Thomas Braddock, a prominent Greenwood county cattleman, and the present mayor of Madison, Kan., is a native of Ohio. He was born on a farm in Knox county, November 16, 1850, and is a son of David and Katherine (Headington) Braddock. The father was born November 8, 1813, in Pennsylvania, a son of Joshua Braddock, who was a descendant of General Braddock of French and Indian war fame. David Braddock was a farmer throughout his life time and practically spent his life in Ohio. He died at Charleston, Ill., in 1883. James Thomas Braddock was one of a family of eight children: Joshua and Arena, both deceased; David, Stockton, Cal.; John S., Little Rock, Ark.; Ruth, wife of George Cook, LeRoy, Kan.; Rebecca, wife of Sherman Popham, of Charleston, Ill.; Eliza, now the wife of Joshua Babbs, Charleston, Ill., and James Thomas, the subject of this sketch.

James Thomas Braddock was educated in the public schools of Mount Vernon, Ohio, and began teaching at the age of nineteen, and taught six years in Ohio and Missouri. He was also engaged in farming between his school terms. In 1884 he came to Kansas and bought a farm six miles east of Madison, where he followed farming about eighteen years. He also raised, fed and shipped large quantities of cattle. He bought land from time to time, until he now owns several hundred acres in Greenwood county. He was elected a member of the board of county commissioners in Greenwood county in 1890, and was reëlected, serving until 1896. In the fall of that year he was elected State senator from the Twenty-fourth senatorial district, including the counties of Greenwood and Lyon. In 1912 he was elected mayor of Madison, which office he holds at the present time. He has been instrumental in making many improvements during his administration, a municipal water works and electric lighting system being installed, and many other municipal improvements have been inaugurated. He stands for progressive municipal government, and is getting practical results. Mr. Braddock was married March 5, 1874, to Miss Lois Cook, a daughter of Hiram Cook, late of Bates county, Missouri. Mrs. Braddock was born in Kalamazoo, Mich., December 10, 1851. To Mr. and Mrs. Braddock have been born three children: Ella, born December 10, 1874, graduated at the State Normal School of Emporia, in the class of 1898, was a teacher for a number of years, and is now a stenographer in Kansas City, Mo. Charles, the second child, was born May 24, 1877, was educated in the public schools of Greenwood county, and is now a substantial farmer and stockman. He married Miss Hilah Mayes, of Lyon county, Kansas. Edith Katherine, the third child, was born September 25, 1882. She attended the State Normal School two years at Emporia, taught school for a number of years in Greenwood county, and is also a stenographer in Kansas City, Mo.

Mr. Braddock has made Madison his home since 1905, but is still extensively interested in the cattle business. He is one of the substantial men of Greenwood county who, by his own efforts, has made a success. His is the type of citizenship that has made Kansas the great State that it is. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a Democrat.