Madame Mattie Gladden and The Gladden House coins

The Washington County Historical Society is happy to announce the arrival of the 8th coin in the Washington County Heritage Coin Collection. This uniquely designed coin was designed for a unique and intriguing Salem native. The price for this beautiful pewter coin is $15, and all proceeds go towards the future preservation efforts of the John Hay Center.

The coin is in honor of the most well-known residence in Salem; The Gladden House on North Main Street, currently owned and operated as a bed and breakfast.

In the late 1890s, Salem native Martha Jane Johnson returned to her hometown to live after residing in Tennessee for several years.  Martha lost her father at a young age and by the time she was 15, she was a housemaid, in the home of Lee Sinclair on the public square.  At 17 years of age, she married the mysterious Augustus Shultz and the following year they had a son, Herbert.  Prior to 1890, Martha had divorced or was widowed by Mr. Shultz and married again to a Barton man in Tennessee, but she had left this second husband prior to moving back to Salem. 

Rumors abound about Martha or “Mattie”, as she was more commonly known, and her time in Tennessee.  Some accusations were asserted that she was a prominent Madame of Bordellos in both Nashville and Chattanooga and that she was quite possibly the one-time mistress of celebrated showman P.T. Barnum (some claim he assisted with financing her home’s construction).

When construction of her fine home began in 1897, it was noted in our local paper that all the town was impressed with the ornate example of the new Queen Anne style. Just as quickly, a large segment of our citizens’ fascination fizzled with the completion of the house, when Mattie decided to open an upscale brothel in the residence. Soon after, she married Percy Gladden, a colorful character from Watertown, New York, who claimed to have been a rancher from Montana, and seemed to have relocated here specifically for Mattie. He owned and operated several saloons on South Main Street and opened the first Motion Picture Theatre in Salem. 

Gradually enough city ordinances were passed to severely restrict Mattie’s ability to operate her cathouse. To announce her displeasure to the “respectable women” of Salem, she placed a large nude Grecian Goddess statue in her front parlor window for all of North Main Street’s viewing pleasure. After all how could cultured citizens criticize art?

Percy and Mattie Gladden had a tumultuous relationship and divorced in 1905. In 1906, it’s reported that a highly intoxicated Percy Gladden returned to Salem on the Monon Train and called on his ex-wife. When he was refused admittance to the home, he attempted to gain entry through a rear window when he was shot in the face with a .38 Special, just below the left eye, by Mattie. Percy miraculously recovered from this injury and the couple re-married in 1909 in New Albany, but were divorced again by 1912.

In 1913, she lost her only son, Herbert Shultz to Bright’s Disease. In November of 1914, she married Frederick Meyer, a wealthy farmer from Vallonia. The following March, Mattie passed away at 59 years of age, due to complications of Bright’s Disease. All of her estate was auctioned off and the profits went to her grandson, who was living with his mother back east.  Ironically, most all of Mattie’s prized possessions were purchased by her ex-husband Percy Gladden.