Randolph County, West Virginia Biography of WILSON BONNIFIELD MAXWELL This biography was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 559 Randolph WILSON BONNIFIELD MAXWELL was admitted to the bar in 1874, soon after the adoption of the new constitution, and he has practiced and performed the varied service of an attorney for nearly half a century. The two counties which have been the scene of his professional achievement have been Tucker and Randolph, and his time has been quite equally divided between the two. His home for many years has been at Elkins, county seat of Randolph County. He is a native of that county, born at the home of his maternal grandfather, April 17, 1853. He represents some old and honest families of the state, and a number of them were distinguished in the professions and in public affairs. At the time of his birth his parents, Rufus and Sarah Jane (Bonnifield) Maxwell, lived in Lewis County. Rufus Max- well was born in that county, son of Levi and Sarah (Hay- mond) Maxwell. Levi Maxwell was also a native of Lewis County. His parents, Thomas and Jane (Lewis) Maxwell, came to West Virginia from Pennsylvania and were pioneers in Lewis County. The Maxwells were of Scotch and the Lewis family of Welsh lineage. The children of Thomas Maxwell and wife were Abner, Levi, Lewis, Robert, Amy and Mary. Levi Maxwell had the following children: An- gelina, Edwin, John, Rufus, Semira and Mary Jane. Rufus Maxwell was a lawyer by profession, and had the distinction of serving as the first prosecuting attorney of Tucker County, entering that office in 1857. Tucker County was organized in 1856. He had located at the original county seat. Saint George, and he practiced law there for many years. He made the record of a thorough lawyer and a very capable citizen. Rufus Maxwell died at the age of seventy-nine, and his wife at sixty-nine. Sarah Jane Bonnifield, his wife, was born in Randolph County, daughter of Dr. Arnold Bonnifleld, granddaughter of Sam- uel Bonnifield and was of Holland Dutch ancestry. Samuel Bonnifield was one of the very early sheriffs of Randolph County. Dr. Arnold Bonnifield is recalled as one of the prominent country physicians of Randolph County. The children of Rufus Maxwell and wife were: Wilson B., Mary Angelina, Dorcas Angelica, Hugh, Cyrus H., Thomas E., John Franklin, Levi Hendron, Charles J. and Robert R. When Wilson B. Maxwell was a child his parents moved from Lewis to Tucker County, and he grew up at Saint George. At the age of sixteen he again lived at Weston in Lewis County. A good common school education was sup- plemented by courses in West Virginia University and he began the study of law under his uncle, the late Edwin Maxwell, one of the prominent lawyers of the state. He was admitted to the bar in 1874, and for twenty-five years practiced in Tucker County. Then, in 1899, he removed to Elkins, which about that time became the county seat of Randolph County. Mr. Maxwell has made a success as a lawyer, and has never sought the aid of the handmaid of the law, politics. He has done his duty as a voter in the democratic ranks. Mr. Maxwell has been affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows since 1876, and has always carried a card of good standing in that order. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias. In 1876 he married Miss Carrie H. Lindsay. They reared the following children: Claude W., Bessie Jane, deceased, John Hugh, deceased, Mary Eugenia, John Franklin, de- ceased, Earl L., Joseph H., Lena E. and Norman. The mother of these children died in 1917. In 1919 Mr. Maxwell married Mrs. Lydia A. (Coberly) Taylor. While one of the honored members of the state bar, Mr. Maxwell prob- ably derives his greatest satisfaction in life from the fine family of children who grew up in his home, and several of whom have made successful careers on their own account. His son Claude W. Maxwell was born at Saint George, July 28, 1877, graduated from Saint George Academy in 1894, from the Pairmont State Normal School in 1895, pur- sued both literary and law courses in West Virginia Uni- versity, graduating LL. B. in 1897, and for two years practiced at Parsons in his native county, but since 1899 has been one of the able lawyers of the Elkins bar. In 1903 he married Miss Nell M. White, and they have seven children, May, Charles, Dorothy, Wilson, Margaret, James and Grace. The second son, John Hugh Maxwell, recently deceased, was a soldier in three wars. He was in the Spanish- American war, then in the Philippine insurrection, and was a volunteer at the time of the World war, though he did not go overseas. The oldest living daughter, Mary Eugenia, is the wife of W. E. Alcott. The third son, John Franklin Maxwell, now deceased, was a civil engineer. Earl L. Maxwell, who was born at Saint George, Sep- tember 7, 1887, was educated in public schools, the Davis and Elkins College and West Virginia University, gradu- ating in law at the university in 1909. Since then he has practiced with his father. He was county prosecuting at- torney in 1917-20, is a democrat and Odd Fellow, and in 1919 married Nellie E. Rexstrew. Another son, Joseph H. Maxwell, was with the colors at the time of the war, but was held in home camp. The daughter Lena E. is at home. Norman E. Maxwell, the youngest son, is a doctor of dental surgery in McDowell County.