THE MADARA FAMILY TREE
Ancestors and Descendants of
Charles Franklin Madara (1885-1974) & Anna Louise Ney (1894-1983)

Parent - Grand Parents - Great Grand Parents - 2nd GG Parents - 3rd GG Parents

4th GGParents - 5th GG - 6th GG - 7th GG

8th GGParents - 9th GG - 10th GG - 11th GG

12th GGParents - 13th GG - 14th GG - 15th GG - 16th GG

Who did we come from? Where did we come from? What's our History?

I first became interested in my genealogy in September 1977, when I received a letter from Bruce Charles Madara from Pottstown, PA, wondering if we were related. I had just moved in to my first apartment, and Bruce had found my name in the telephone book. I didn't know anything past Pop-Pop and Grandma, so I passed the letter on to my Mom, Florence Madara, who began a two-year correspondence with Bruce. In 1979 Mom received a 77-page, typewritten book entitled "The Madara Family of Pennsylvania, 1749-1978, Zunzgen-Reading-Pottsville" by Bruce Charles Madara.

I was excited to learn that the Madara family came from Zunzgen, Switzerland, but when I read Bruce's book, I couldn't make the connection to our Madara line. With the help of Aunt "Babe" and Kay, I was able to trace back to Uriah Madara, our Great-Great-GrandFather, but that's where we hit a wall. It wasn't until the LDS Church (Latter Day Saints/Mormons) put their records on line that I was finally able to break through the wall and complete our family line to Zunzgen, and beyond.

​Ancestry.com has allowed me to organize all my information, collect documentation, tap into other family trees, and test my DNA, all which help me to continue to build OUR family tree. Along the way I have learned some fascinating history about our family, which I would like to share here. This website is a work in progress, so check back from time-to-time for new information. And if you have any stories, history, or pictures that you would like to have included, please contact me.

Madara Family Stories
Click on title to view story

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Our Swiss Madara Ancestors

​Take a 480 year documented journey from Switzerland to Pennsylvania, starting in 1545, with our 12th Great-Grandparents, Sebastian & Margreth Madöri, and continuing through the Madara family immigration to Pennsylvania in 1749, and their settlement in Colonial Reading, PA.

Revolutionary War Ancestors

So far I have been able to identify two of our ancestors who served during the Revolutionary War, which would make us either DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) or SAR (Sons of...). Learn about our 5th Great Grandfathers, Christian Madeira and Johann Georg Herring Sr, and their service during the War.

A Gilberton Sensation

Pop-Pop's parents, Franklin Louis Madara (1857-1934) & Anna Violet Louise Fritz (1858-1931) were involved in a scandal that rocked the little town of Gilberton, PA, in December 1892, 125 years ago. Learn about Frank's salacious discovery. 

Joseph Madara Sr WWII
The Forgotten Theater of WWII

My father, Joseph H Madara Sr, enlisted in the Army of the United States on June 27, 1941, five and one half months before Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, which caused the US to enter World War II. On May 10, 1943 he departed for India, as part of the CBI, or China-Burma-India Theater, where he remained until the end of the war.

Of the 12,300,000 Americans who took up arms during WWII, only about 250,000 (2%) served in the CBI Theater, also known as The Forgotten Theater of World War II.

Madara Family Reunions 1964 - 1997
​Madara Family Reunions 2013-2017

We all have so many wonderful memories of the many family reunions we had growing up, whether it was a day trip to Phoenixville, Lititz, or Hatboro, or camping for the weekend at Echo Valley, Baker Park, or the place that gave us all the "runs". We enjoyed those times so much! Take a look back at some of those fun times over the years. Please contact me if you have any pictures to add.