Nobles County MN Archives Biographies.....Maxwell, James H. 1845 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com October 21, 2006, 8:15 pm Author: Arthur P. Rose (1908) JAMES H. MAXWELL, of Worthington, is one of the pioneer settlers of Nobles county, having arrived with the colonists of 1872, and having made his home here ever since. Mr. Maxwell was born in Lyndon, Whiteside county, Ill., Feb. 19, 1845, the son of Ambrose I. and Artimisia E. (Hulce) Maxwell, of Scotch and German descent, respectively. The father of our subject was born in Delhi, Delaware, county, N. Y., and died at Worthington March 3, 1901. The mother was born in Deposit, Delaware county, N. Y. She died Dec. 12, 1886. J. H. Maxwell was raised on a farm, and during his boyhood days divided his time between farm work and attending school. In the public schools of Lyndon and other points in Whiteside county he secured his education, completing it with a one year's course in the school of Buffalo, Ill. With the exception of one year in Ogle county, Ill., and one year in the army Mr. Maxwell resided in the county of his birth until his arrival in Nobles county in 1872. He enlisted in company B, of the Seventh Illinois cavalry, at Polo, Ill., Sept. 5, 1861, and was immediately sent to the front, seeing service with Gen. Pope in southeastern Missouri. By reason of sickness, his service was short, and he was discharged Feb. 21, 1862. He reentered the army June 4, 1862, when he enlisted at Polo in company K, of the 69th Illinois infantry, for a period of three months. The enlistment of this regiment was for the sole purpose of guarding rebel prisoners in Chicago and for transferring them to Vicksburg for exchange. The regiment took 10,000 prisoners south and successfully managed the exchange. Mr. Maxwell secured his discharge Oct. 6, 1862. After his army service Mr. Maxwell returned to his home in Whiteside county, Ill., and during the year 1863 engaged in farming. In June, 1864, he began learning the carpenter's trade, under his father's tutorage, and followed carpentering during the remaining eight years he lived in Illinois. Mr. Maxwell first became acquainted with Nobles county through the advertisements of the National Colony company in the Toledo Biade, of which publication he was a subscriber. Although the advertisments did not state where the colony was to be located. Mr. Maxwell became interested, and decided to cast his lot with the colony. In the summer of 1872 he made the start, making the trip by team, and bringing with him his wife and two children. He arrived in Worthington August 16, and soon thereafter filed a soldier's homestead on section 12, of Dewald township, where he took up his residence. In 1874 he lost his crop by grasshoppers, and in October he and his family returned to Illinois. There he spent the winter working at his trade, but returned to his claim in the spring of 1875. That year he raised a big crop, but the following year lost all by the hoppers. He and the family again returned to Illinois, making the trip by team, but in August, 1877, he came back to Nobles county, which has been his home ever since. He resided on the farm until 1895, when he moved to Worthington, since which time he has worked at his trade. Mr. Maxwell has taken a prominent part in politics ever since he has lived in the county. He was chosen supervisor of Dewald township at the first annual meeting in March, 1873, and thereafter until his removal from the township, twenty-two years later, he held the office of supervisor or justice of the peace continually. He also served as clerk of the school board of the district in which he resided practically all of that time. He has been a member of the county canvassing board more times than any man now living in the county. In 1892 he was the farmers alliance and democratic nominee for the office of representative from the district composed of Nobles, Murray, Rock and Pipestone counties, and out of a total vote of about 5,500 he came within 65 votes of being elected. At Lyndon, Ill., on May 10, 1864, occurred the marriage of Mr. Maxwell to Sarah L.Scott, to whom was born one daughter, Carrie L. Maxwell, now living in New York. Mrs. Maxwell died in 1870. Mr. Maxwell's second marriage occurred Aug. 23, 1871, at Erie, Ill., when he was united in the bonds of matrimony to Mrs. Nellie Coburn. To this union have been born six children, as follows: Louis (deceased), Maurice, now of Ballard, Wash.; Willie (deceased), Ruth (Mrs. William A. Saxon), of Worthington; Florence (Mrs. Merle Meacham), of Ballard, Wash.; Lucile (deceased). Mr. Maxwell is a member of the First Baptist church of Worthington and of the G. A. R. Additional Comments: Extracted from: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY MINNESOTA BY ARTHUR P. ROSE NORTHERN HISTORY PUBLISHING COMPANY WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA PUBLISHERS 1908 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/nobles/bios/maxwell75gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mnfiles/ File size: 5.3 Kb