Harrison County, WV: Bios - Hon. Edwin Maxwell
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Submitted by Valerie Crook

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III, 
pg. 7
Harrison County

HON. EDWIN MAXWELL. One of West Virginia's most
gifted native sons was the late Hon. Edwin Maxwell, who
as lawyer, judge and legislator impressed his abilities on the
early state government and a wide range of important affairs
for a period of half a century. His home for many years
was at Clarksburg, a community that cherishes his memory
and in which his son Haymond has attained most marked
distinction as a lawyer and judge.

Edwin Maxwell was born at Weston, Lewis County, July
16, 1825, son of Levi and Mary (Haymond) Maxwell. His
father was a successful farmer of Lewis County. His mother
was a daughter of Colonel John Haymond, of West Virginia.
Edwin Maxwell was the oldest of four children, the others
being Rufus, John and Mary Jane.

While a youth on his father's farm his associations with
nature and practical work gave him lessons invaluable in
later years. From an early age he showed an independence
and initiative that enabled him to rise above circumstances
of a very modest education and achieve his own opportunities
for greatness. He never had the advantages of a college
training, but the love of books and knowledge was innate.
With exceptional natural qualifications for the law he began
to study under his uncle, Lewis Maxwell, and in 1848, at
the age of twenty-three, was admitted to the bar. Five years
later, in 1852, he located at West Union in Doddrige County,
and subsequently served that county two terms as prosecut-
ing attorney. At the beginning of the Civil war he espoused
the Union cause, and in 1863 was elected on the Union ticket
to the first State Senate of West Virginia. He was one of the
very resourceful and able leaders in that party until after the
close of the war. In 1866 Governor Boreman appointed him
attorney-general of the state. In the fall of 1866 he was
elected judge of the Supreme Court of Appeals, and he was
with this court until December 31, 1872, and in that time
many cases of great importance involving the interpretation
of the early statutes of the state came before him for decision.
In 1880 Judge Maxwell was republican candidate for judge of
the Supreme Court of Appeals, and in 1884 was candidate of
the republican and greenback parties for governor. In that
campaign he was referred to as "OLD HONESTY." In
1888 he was elected to the State Senate and in 1892 to the
House of Delegates. His last political honor came in 1902,
when he was in his seventy-eighth year. He was elected a
member of the House of Delegates, and while at his post of
duty at Charleston he contracted pneumonia and died Febru-
ary 5, 1903. A period of forty years had intervened from his
first service in the Legislature of West Virginia and his last
legislative service. He imparted his wisdom in legislative
ability to the making of some of the soundest laws of the
state. For fifty-four years he ranked as one of the foremost
lawyers of the state, and his associates have repeatedly testi-
fied to his comprehensive knowledge of the law, and, above all,
to the dignity and depth of his character.

In 1872 Edwin Maxwell married Loretta Shuttleworth,
who died in 1905. Her father, Colonel John Shuttleworth,
was one of the prominent citizens of West Virginia. The two
sons of Edwin Maxwell and wife were Edwin Maxwell, Jr.,
and Haymond Maxwell.

Judge Haymond Maxwell, son of Edwin and Loretta
(Shuttleworth) Maxwell, had the prestige of his father as an
example, and since completing a liberal education has rapidly
achieved honors both in his practice as a lawyer and on the
bench. He was born at Clarksburg, October 24, 1879, was
educated in the public schools, completed his literary educa-
tion in West Virginia University in 1900, and received his law
degree from the same source in 1901. He immediately began
practice at Clarksburg, and in 1905 was elected on the repub-
lican ticket to the House of Delegates. May 7, 1909, eight
years after he entered practice, he was appointed judge of the
Criminal Court of Harrison County, serving until December
31, 1912. In 1912 he was nominated and elected judge of the
Circuit Court for the district comprising Harrison and Lewis
counties, and at the close of his first term of eight years he was
reelected, in 1920.

Judge Maxwell in 1905 married Miss Carrie Virginia
Maxwell, daughter of Porter and Columbia (Post) Maxwell,
of Harrison County. Their five children are: Edwin, Hay-
mond, Jr., Carrie Virginia, Emily Frances and Porter Wilson
Maxwell.
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