Madison County, Virginia: History
Madison County was established in December 1792, created from Culpeper County. The county is named for the Madison family that owned land along the Rapidan River. President James Madison is a descendant of that family.
One of Madison County's most well-known residents was John Hoffman (1692-1772). He lived along the Robinson River, where he owned 3,525 acres. He established the Hebron Lutheran Church on his property, which is still in use today. He had five children with his first wife, Anna Haeger; and 12 children with his second wife, Maria Sabina Folg. Two of his daughters, Margaret Hoffman and Elizabeth Hoffman, married two brothers, John Back and Henry Back, who were the sons of his neighbor, John Henry Back. After Margaret and Elizabeth became widows, they moved to nearby Rockingham County, where they lived out the rest of their lives along Wolf Run, and were buried there. John and Henry Back's other brother, Joseph Back, married Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard; they migrated to southeastern Kentucky in 1791 and founded the Bach (Back) family there. This has been documented in many books, including The Bach (Back) Family from Southeastern Kentucky by Dr. Mary Back Simpson,