BIO: H. Wilson MAXWELL, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JO Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************** __________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, pages 352-353. __________________________________________________________________ H. WILSON MAXWELL, Mount Union, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born at New Germantown, Perry county, Pa., January 15, 1847, son of Andrew and Hannah (Kelley) Maxwell. Henry Maxwell, his paternal grandfather, was a native of Lancaster, and was one of the early settlers of Cumberland county, Pa., having bought the land and begun the settlement of the town now known as Mechanicsburg. He afterwards removed from that point, and commenced the settlement of Newville, same county, where he died. His son, Andrew Maxwell, father of H. Wilson, was born in Cumberland county, and was a tanner for about fifteen years; he then left that business for farming, which he has carried on ever since; he has resided in Toboyne township, Perry county, since 1844. He was married to Hannah, daughter of John Kelley, of Perry county. She was of an excellent and highly respected family; her father, a farmer, had formerly been a school teacher. He was a native of the Isle of Jersey, in the British channel, and a Presbyterian. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Maxwell were seven in number, four of whom are deceased: John A., died at the age of thirty-five years; Lyman, died aged twenty- two years; Albert J., died aged thirty-five years; J.W., died in infancy. Their surviving children are: H. Wilson; Alexander; and Sarah E., wife of Samuel Seibert, of Juniata, Blair county, Pa. Mrs. Maxwell died March 9, 1867, at the age of fifty-four. H. Wilson Maxwell attended the common schools until he was seventeen years old. He then began an apprenticeship of three years at tanning, in Perry county, in which business he continued for about four years in that county, and over twenty years in Mount Union, the greater part of the time filling the position of foreman. In 1886 Mr. Maxwell embarked in the hardware business in Mount Union, which he has ever since carried on with gratifying success. Mr. Maxwell is a member of Mount Union Lodge, No. 250, of the Knights of Maccabees of the World. He is a Republican, and has served as a member of the borough council of Mt. Union. H. Wilson Maxwell was married, April 8, 1875, to Rosetta, daughter of Henry and Hannah (White) Wicks. They have two sons, Woodburn and Paul. Mrs. Maxwell was born at Freeport, Ill., April 7, 1857. Her parents were natives of Huntingdon county, Pa.; her father was all his life a farmer. He was married first to Hannah, daughter of John White. They had a family of six children; two infants died, and the survivors are: Abraham V.; Arabella (Mrs. Henry Ripple); Catherine, unmarried, a life- long invalid; and Rosetta (Mrs. Maxwell). Mrs. Wicks afterwards returned with his family to Huntingdon county, Pa., where he too, passed away. Mrs. Maxwell's maternal grandfather was a native of Maryland, where he passed his boyhood; he was of English descent. In early manhood he came to Pennsylvania, and settled in the vicinity of Shirleysburg.