Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 2. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 485.
 
MADISON CALHOUN

     who has had most interesting and eventful experiences in the west, and was
the friend of many man of the noted pioneers, among them Kit Carson, Carson, now
resides at Phoenix, Jackson county, engaged in selling mining machinery and in
the real-estate business. Although seventy-seven years of age, he is still an
active and enterprising man, imbued by a fearless spirit and an optimistic view
regarding the future of this great state. He was born in Richland county,
Illinois, December 2, 1834, a son of Hugh Calhoun and a grandson of Hugh
Calhoun, Sr., who was the first cousin of John C. Calhoun, the noted statesman.
The grandfather and John C. Calhoun boarded together with a Miss Caldwell, an
aunt, in Abbeyville, South Carolina, where they attended school. Hugh Calhoun,
Jr., married Miss Ann Hull, a native of Urbana, Ohio, and both died in New
Mexico.
     Madison Calhoun was reared at home, acquiring his education, which was
limited to six months in school altogether, by self-application, and he became
one of the well informed men of his community. At the age of eighteen years, up
to which time he lived with his parents in Wisconsin, he left home and engaged
in boating \ wood from Grant county, Wisconsin down the Platte river to Dubuque,
Iowa.  At the age of twenty-two years, in 1856, he went into the pineries where
with a brother and a Mr. Bascom he did logging for one season. Beginning in
1848, when only fourteen years, he ran with an elder brother a threshing machine
every fall up to March, 1859, with the exception of the one season he spent in
the pineries, and then withdrew from that line. He was next engaged at the
carpenter's trade during the summer months and in the lead mines during the
winter for a time. In 1862 he removed from Wisconsin, crossing the plains to
Oregon with ox teams. Remaining in this state for only one year, however, he
went, in 1863, to Idaho and settled on the Piatt river some eight miles above
its mouth, where he built a log house and opened a road house. He also engaged
in the general mercantile business there and built a ferry across the river
which he operated for a time. After one year in Idaho he sold his interests and
returned to Wisconsin, where he remained until January 1, 1865. He next went to
Omaha, stopping there until April 18, and then continued his journey westward to
Denver and on to New Mexico, where he remained until August 15, 1866. At that
time he went to Arkansas, where he resided for nine years, and while there built
two sawmills, two gristmills and owned five river bottom farms. In 1872 the
flood carried away all of his mill properties and in 1875 he again went to New
Mexico, where he was employed at selling mining machinery, prospecting and other
work. He also became heavily interested in the cattle business in that state,
having with another man in partnership
sixty-four thousand acres of public land under fence, a tract of ten miles
square. During the time he lived in New Mexico he had various experiences and
made and lost fortunes. He became an expert miner and was at that time one of
the best informed men on that subject of his section in New Mexico, Leaving that
territory in 1900 he removed to Jackson county, Oregon, and settled in Phoenix
where he has since made his home. He is now engaged in selling mining machinery
and real estate, and despite the fact that he is seventy-seven years of age he
is one of the alert, enterprising business men of the county.
     Mr. Calhoun was married March 4, 1858, to Miss Kate L. Potts, of Iowa
county, Wisconsin, and to them have been born six children, five of whom
survive: Henry H., of Medford, Oregon; John C., a ranchman residing near that
city; Anna, the wife of John B. Rice, of Jackson county; Ida Belle, who married
H. D. Rice, of Trinidad, Colorado; and Kate L., who wedded J. F. Pratt, of
Phoenix, Oregon. In his political faith Mr. Calhoun is a socialist and pays
considerable attention to matters of state. He is one of the well informed and
highly respected men of his community, is conducting a thriving business and is
greatly esteemed by a large number of people with whom he is intimately
acquainted.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in August 2007 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.