Madison, Isaac, came to Virginia in 1608, only a year after the founding of Jamestown, and was employed in exploring the country and probably in making maps, etc. He went to England in 1620 and while there, on July 10, 1621, the Virginia Company, in recognition of his services in the colony, presented him with two shares in the company.
He seems to have returned to Virginia shortly, for immediately after the massacre of 1622, we find him actively employed against the Indians and becoming one of the best known soldiers of the colony. About the first of July, 1622, the governor sent Capt. Isaac Madison with thirty odd men to the Potomac, where it was thought corn could be purchased from the friendly Indians and a possible alliance with them be formed against the hostile tribes. Madison conducted the affair very badly, and, notwithstanding orders to the contrary was soon at odds with the well disposed savages. He was led into this by tales of a conspiracy on the part of the Indians which, though quite unfounded, moved him into an indefensible treachery against them whereby he captured the chief and his son and killed many of their unfortunate tribesmen. The captive were finally ransomed for a quantity of corn. Such perfidy did not pass altogether unnoticed by the better men among the colonists, and a complaint was taken to court which bitterly denounced Madison and his confederates. Proceedings were about to be instituted against them, but Madison left for England at about this time. But Madison's act was not as unpopular as it deserved to be. After the massacre of 1622, people felt that there was nothing too bad for the Indians and they lacked discrimination to except the tribes who were not responsible for the outrage. It thus happened that Madison became quite a hero with a large element of the populace.
Madison's stay in England was a short one and he soon returned to Virginia and once more took part in the colony's affairs, being even employed again against the Indians. He was commissioned a member of the council, Aug. 26, 1624, but probably died before his commission reached him.
