Appling County Records (and letterheads found in Madison’s old desk) show that he was, in the early 1900’s, in a business partnership, first with his cousin Benjamin Newton Medders. He soon bought out (before 1904) B.N’s interest in a store in Alma and was joined in business by his brother in law (husband of Mary Belilia “Lillier) Melvin Thomas. The Company was called. ¹¹Medders, Thomas & Company.

A sale bill for an auction at the residence on February 25^th 1902 also allowed, “part cash and balance time ‘til December 1^st 1902 listed the following items; one horse to Mrs. Mary Medders ($110), one mule to Mary ($100). She paid one-half in cash. M. G. Thomas bought 1 cane mill for $10, a “biler” for $7, and the foot adz for .80 cents. B. R, Medders bought the organ for $25,75, W. J. bought the crosscut saw for $1 and the square for .70 cents. L. W. Nelson bought two planes for $2; L. V. Crosby bought the one-horse wagon for $8.75. Madison not surprisingly, bought on the books for .65 cents and the gun for .25 cents.

When young Doctor E. C. Perkins had just returned to his Broxton, Georgia home, he had completed his Doctorate at the University of Georgia and wasn’t certain where he would hang his shingle. A group of Alma citizens led by Madison Medders and T. B. Taylor rode over to Broxton and urged E. C. to come to Alma to begin his practice. Perkins already had a lucrative offer to associate with an established physician in Brunswick, Georgia. He agreed however, to come to Alma and look it over, he chose the fledgling town.

Madison was a town petitioner in 1904. He bought a store in the hamlet of Alma before 1904. The business letterhead indicates that he was in partnership with Lillier's husband Melvin.

On September 12^th 1904 Madison took out an insurance policy on himself, naming S. America Medders, wife as beneficiary. The carrier was the Mutual Life Industrial Association of Georgia located in Athens, Georgia. His annual premium was $7.05. Jesse Altman died in 1905, according to information Madison gave in applying for insurance nine years later. Altman’s age at his death was given as ninety. Though Jesse’s death was given in a later application (1920) as in 1896 at age 81, this 1914 data is older and perhaps more reliable. On insurance applications later made by Mad he indicated, “he didn’t know” when Jessie died.

Deed Book, page 51 includes an entry for the sale in 1904 by J. M. Medders to B. N. Medders. For $20, Mad sold on February 2, 1904 one-quarter acre of lot 271, fifth district, “being in nearly northwest corner of said lot, bounded on the south by the B&B Railroad right of way, west by B. N. Medders, extending thence 50’ eastward and from the railroad right of way northerly 179’ and on the east by J.D. Kinlaw; said tract being east and west 50’ wide, beginning at the east boundary of land now owned by Ben Medders”. J. M. Barber and W. Riley Medders witnessed the sale.

On Tenth Street Madison built what was later to be known as the Hayden House. He sold it later to Paul Hayden who reared his family there but it is no longer standing. Madison served as Clerk of Town Council for the town of Alma in 1906 he was hired for a one-year term.

In 1911, Mad built another house on lot 106 in the second district (Warnock section), moving his family into it and he turned to farming. The first child born in this house was Estelle Fleming “Flip”, the farther of Roderick Gene Medders. It would be the last house he built.

Political Life
State and Local Government - positions held
Clerk of Town Council – 1906
Mayor – Alma Georgia – 1907, 1908
Bacon County, Tax Collector – 1924 to 1932
Trustee, Secretary and Treasure – Bacon High School District – 1930’s
Georgia State Legislator – Georgia General Assembly – 1943 to 1946

Mayor of Alma, Georgia
The Baxley News Banner carried the news that on 1^st February 1907 Madison Medders has beaten Mr. Cockman in the election for Mayor of Alma. The Georgia Statistical Registrar, 1945-1950 on (page 112) includes a comprehensive biography of James Madison, which adds that, “he was active in church work all his life and that he helped organize the First Baptist Church of Alma”.

James Madison Medders is living in Warnock, Appling County, Georgia on ⁶16^th April 1910 as a Farmer with his wife Susie and family, The children living with them at this time are; Carrie Lee age 9 - Rena Aline age 7 - Eva Minta age 5 - Judson Yates age 3 and Oliver J age 8months. James is recorded on (page #10, line 72, household #28).

On ¹⁵18^th September 1918 James Madison Medders registered for the World War I draft in Alma, Bacon County, Georgia. His Registration Card number was 10-2-2-C and signed by a J. N. Johnson.

James Madison "Meadows" Medders is living in Warnick, Bacon County, Georgia on ⁷26^th February 1920 as a farmer with his wife Susie A. and family. The children living with them at this time are; Carrie L age 18 - Rena A age 16 - Effie M age 14 - Judson Y age 12 - Oliver J age 10 - Estelle F age 8 - Sherwood S age 6 - Jennie age 4 and Terrell W age 1. James is being recorded as James M “Meadows” and is recorded on (page #13B, line 51, household #202).

Bacon County Tax Collector
In 1924 he was elected was elected for his first four year term as tax collector, beating J. C. Rigdon. The Alma Times reported in 1928 that though “J. C. Rigdon had defeated him in the Democratic Primary, Madison Medders ran as an independent and won reelection,” Rigdon was finally able to defeat him in 1932, and Madison yielded the office on January 1^st 1933.

James Madison Medders is living in Warnock, Bacon County, Georgia on ⁸10^th April 1930 as a farmer with his wife Susie and family. The children living with them at this time are; Carrie L. age 28 – Aline age 26 – E. Minta age 24 – Judson Y age 23 – O. Jennings age 20 – E. Flemings age 18 – S. Sherwood age 16 – J. Lorine age 14 – W. Terrell age 12 – E. Clarence age 9. Also living in his household is his widowed mother, Mary Ann Altman Medders age 83. James is recorded on (page #6A, line 17, household #99)  

During the thirties, he bought the interest that his brother Riley and Joseph Hymick had in their parent’s land in Appling County, Georgia and began operating two farms. In the thirties Madison’s Mother came to live with him except in the summers, when she stayed with Lillier and Melvin in Savannah.

Georgia State Legislature
In 1942 Madison was nominated by the Democratic Party to represent Bacon County without opposition, thus ensuring his election.  One Historian wrote of the period during which he was in the legislature: “When Ellis Arnall became Governor of Georgia at the age of thirty-five the magnolia-scented traditions of that demagogue-ridden state went out the rear door of the capitol and a fresh political breeze swept through the corridors. The State’s finances were overhauled and its debt was paid off for the first time in over a century. A new, streamlined constitution was adopted, the poll tax eliminated and the vote given to youth at the age of 18. Monopolies were attacked where it hurt them most. In short, a political cyclone hit Georgia, ripping out musty ways and institutions. Upon the old foundations a new concept of local government, by and for the people, was built.”

Letters and files found in the desk of Madison indicate that Madison pushed hard for voting reform. Madison was proud of taking part in both abolishing the poll tax and in granting eighteen-year-old soldiers the right to vote, later touting this in political flyers. The same history records “the Modernization and changing of the notorious Georgia penal system” and Madison’s letterhead indicates he served on the Penitentiary Committee. Some of the other committees listed on his letterhead are:

      ·        Ways and Means
·        Veterans Affairs
·        Public Highways
·        Education
·        General Agriculture
·        Game and Fish
·        Conservation
·        Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committees

According to correspondence between James Madison Medders and the then Governor of Georgia, Ellis Gibbs Arnall, Madison was one of his most staunch supporters.

Ellis Arnall's four years as governor of Georgia (1943-47) are considered to be among the most progressive and effective in the modern history of the state. Arnall undertook an ambitious ten-point reform program that was approved by the legislature within twenty-four days of his assuming the governorship—a record still unequalled in Georgia. He accomplished these and other democratic reforms and, in the process, paid off a state debt of $36 million. (The New Georgia Encyclopedia)

Madison attempted to play a role in other of Arnall’s accomplishment. He pushed, due to a known voter fraud problem, for the abolition of permanent voter registration, and the requiring of annual registration. ¹²Governor Arnall responded favorably, in a letter, to Madison’s draft, calling suggestions made in the memorandum “very splendid” and indicated he had turned it over to the Attorney General’s office for implementation. ¹³The Governor’s legal staff, however, found that the assignment would ”require the full time of a corps of lawyers and would take at least thirty days to do the job in a satisfactory and safe way. On account of the magnitude of the work, it could not be done in the remaining time of the session.” The Governor wrote Madison again, that while he had hoped ”we could get a bill through this session, it was impossible apparently because of the tremendous time it would take. I hope we can draft such a measure and have it ready for the next assembly.”

It is know that Governor Arnall was genuinely fond of Madison. Years later Rod Medders had the opportunity to meet the ex-Governor when he played in the band at a dance he was attending. He expected age to have taken its toll on Madison's health, as it had on his. He was surprised and delighted when he was told that Madison was still climbing poles in his tobacco barns but hadn’t been seen turning any flips lately. Arnall outlived Madison, though Rod has in his possession a condolence wire he sent Rod’s father on learning of Madison’s death.

Death Place ¹⁰History-Future 
James Madison Medders died on 16^th February 1958 in Bacon County, Georgia. The Georgia Statistical Registrar included “At the time of his death he was a member of the Unity Baptist Church and was teaching his Sunday school class when he was stricken.