Descendants of John Maxfield
of Salisbury, Massachusetts
Fourth Generation

RICHARD4 MAXFIELD (Michael3, John2-1) was born at Salisbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, on 20 September 1763,[1] a son of Michael Maxfield and his wife Susannah Carr. He died sometime between 4 December 1840 (will) and 23 March 1841 (probate). He first married (intentions at Amesbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, on 2 March 1792) on 12 June 1792 MERCY JAMES,[2] who was born about July-August 1767, and died on 18 May 1829.[3] Richard married, as his second wife, on 21 August 1829 ISABEL ________,[4] who was born about March 1762, and died at Chichester, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, on 15 October 1849.[5]

Richard Maxfield was baptized at Second (Congregational) Church, Salisbury, on 4 December 1763.[6] He grew up in Salisbury, the fifth of seven children who survived infancy. The Battle of Lexington and Concord occurred when Richard was eleven, and his brother John went off to fight the following day. Their mother died when Richard was twelve. Because the father was incapable of caring for the family on his own, Richard went to live with a Doctor Samuel Ordway. When Richard was thirteen his second brother, Robert, joined the war effort.

At age sixteen, Richard ran away from Dr. Ordway, and went to Capt. Timothy Barnard, the local recruiter, and signed up.[7] Richard Maxfield served in the Continental Army for about a year and a half, mostly at West Point, also in New Jersey. John and Robert did not like the idea of their younger brother serving in the Army; perhaps they thought three from one family was too many. When Robert went to West Point to take Richard's place, Richard refused. Richard's military service has been reported as follows:[8]

  • Maxfeild, Richard. Payroll for 6 months, men raised by the town of Amesbury for service in the Continental Army during 1780; marched from home June 28, 1780; discharged Dec. 27, 1780; service 6 mos, 11 days including travel (240 miles) from West Point to Amesbury.
  • Maxwell, Richard, Amesbury. Descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the Continental Army for the term of 6 months agreeable to the resolve of June 5, 1780; returned as received of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Maj. Peter Harwood, of 6th Mass. regt., at Springfield, July 6, 1780, age 16 years, stature 5 ft 3 in; complexion fresh; engaged for town of Amesbury; marched to camp July 6, 1780 under command of Lt. Taylor, of 2d Mass. regt.;
  • also [Richard Maxwell], list of men raised for the 6 months service and returned to Brig. Gen. Paterson as having passed muster in a return dated Camp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780.
    Maxfield, Richard, Salisbury. Private, Capt. Joshua French's co., Lieut. Enoch Putnam's regt.; enlisted Sep 22, 1781; discharged Dec. 4, 1781; service 2 mos 20 days, near West Point, including 13 days (260 miles) travel home; regiment raised to reinforce Continental army for 3 months.

The following transcriptions of his pension applications fill in more of trhe details of his service:

Richard Maxfield's Pension Records[9]

Richard Maxfield's Declaration, 1832

Declaration
Seventh of November [1832] Court of Common Pleas sitting at Concord, appeared Richard Maxfield of Chichester, aged seventy:
In the spring of 1780 he enlisted a soldier in the War of the Revolution at Amesbury in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts ... was then and there enlisted by a Capt. Timothy Barnard, who was recruiting officer. And immediately, or soon after said enlistment, he went to West Point and served under Capt. Smith in Col. Jackson's regiment and he recollects that a man of the name of Clements was his orderly Sergeant. After tarrying about two months at West Point he crossed the Hudson and marched with a detachment down to King's Ferry where he recrossed the river and entered the Jerseys, where he spent the summer in the service. Most of the time off against Staten Island detached on guard and marched from place to place, and afterwards returned to West Point when he was discharged, on the last of November (he recollects it was after Thanksgiving) having served six months and upwards under that enlistment.
Afterwards, to wit, in the Fall of 1781, he enlisted under a Capt. Joshua French at Salisbury in the said state or commonwealth of Massachusetts aforesaid and served in the continental service in said war for three months at West Point aforesaid, when he was discharged. He was discharged honorably in both instances but both the discharges are lost if he had any.
And said Maxfield declares that he was born in Salisbury (Mass.) aforesaid. And the said Maxfield further states that his mother died when he was 9 or 10 years of age, and his father not providing for him, he lived with a Doctor Samuel Ordway, of Amesbury aforesaid, from whom he ran away when he entered the service of the U.S. as aforesaid, and that after his return from said service, he lived with the said Capt. Barnard about three years. And that he removed from said Amesbury. into the said state of New Hampshire, when he was about thirty years of age, and has lived in said Chichester ever since, say about forty years. And the said Richard Maxfield is positive and declares on oath that he is certain that he served under the said enlistments upwards of nine months; namely upwards of six months under the first, and three on the last.
X Richard Maxfield his mark

Deposition of John Maxfield in support of Richard Maxfield

I John Maxfield of Chichester, County of Merrimack, State of New Hampshire, a Revolutionary soldier, and pensioner under the Act of June 7th 1832, aged 79 years, do depose and say that Richard Maxfield of said Chichester the same identical Richard Maxfield who is now applying for the benefit of the Act of Congress of June 7th 1832, passed for the benefit of the surviving officers and soldiers of the Revolution, is my own brother and lives and has for a long time lived within a short distance, about three miles from me, and in the same Town. And that although I never saw my said brother Richard in the Revolutionary War, but from many circumstances that have come to my knowledge, and from frequent talk with my said brother Richard and my other brother Robert Maxfield, who is also a Revolutionary soldier and lives in the state of Maine (Cumberland County) I am certain and confident that my said brother Richard is a Revolutionary soldier, and served at least nine months under two enlistments at West Point, and the Jerseys, in the Continental Army. We three brothers were all out in the Revolutionary War. I was myself at West Point, but before Richard was there, and I recollect that when my said brother Robert's enlistment had once expired, he went to West Point, to take my said brother Richard's place, as Richard was the youngest, and we both wished him to return home, but Richard refused to leave the service. This fact, both my said brothers have often told me. I have always understood from Richard that he tarried in the service a little longer than one of his enlistments (which I cannot now recollect) which made the whole time of his service a little over nine months. I believe seven or eight days, but cannot recollect distinctly at present, and don't know if he can.
And I do further depose and say that the Certificate of John Colby, Town Clerk, of Salisbury, in the County of Essex, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts aforesaid, which accompanies these papers, in relation to money paid by Abel Bagley to Richard Maxfield a soldier for Town , 3 months in the year 1781, £ 14/2/1 does refer, and can refer to no other person than my said brother Richard Maxfield, as there was not certainly then (neither to the best of my knowledge was there before, or has there been since any other person in that quarter) of the country of the name of Richard Maxfield.
I knew the said Abel Bagley, who was commonly called Butcher Bagley, from his trade, and he either did, or talked of enlisting, in the United States service, but at last declined, and Richard went on.
And I do further declare and testify that we the said three brothers were all born in the aforesaid Town of Salisbury (Mass.) commonly called Old Salisbury, and that the line dividing the villages of said Salisbury and Amesbury is a narrow, winding, serpentine creek, and our enlistments were sometimes in one town, sometimes in the other, both in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
X John Maxfield his mark
Chichester March 10, 1831

Deposition of Robert Maxfield in support of Richard Maxfield

State of Maine, Cumberland County
I Robert Maxfield aged 71 years do testify and say that in the year 1780 I was a soldier in the militia in Massachusetts State's service at West Point. I know that my brother Richard Maxfield, now residing in the town of Chichester, State of New Hampshire, was a soldier in the service at that time in the Continental troop. I recollect of seeing him and was with him about three days, but cannot recollect what regiment or company he belonged to.
X Robert Maxfield his mark
Cumberland August 17th 1832

On his return from the War, Richard Maxfield, still a teenager, had no place to go. He stayed with the recruiter, Timothy Barnard, for several years. Richard Maxfield purchased property in Chichester, New Hampshire, in 1789,[10] where his older brothers had already settled. Richard Maxfield and Mercy James published their marriage intentions at Amesbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, on 2 March 1792,[11] and were married on 12 June of that year. They moved to Chichester, to settle near his older brother John.

The Richard Maxfield family farmed at Chichester for the rest of their lives, raised a family, bought and sold property, and were reported in censuses. Richard Maxfield participated in ther following property transactions, all in Chichester:

Census records reported the Richard Maxfield family at Chichester in 1800, 1810, 1820, and 1840. I have not been able to find a record for 1830. These records only give the name of the head of household, with the numbers in the family of various age and sex groupings. The records for this family, with possible identifications of the persons: follows:[19]

1800
male 26-45 Richard, 36
female 26-45 Mercy, 33
female 0-9 Susanna, 8
male 0-9 Jonathan, 6
female 0-9 Sarah, 1
1810
male 45+ Richard, 46
female 45+ unidentified
female 45+ unidentified
female 25-44 Mercy, 43
female 16-24 Susanna, 18
male 10-15 Jonathan, 16
female 10-15 Sarah, 11
male 0-9 Newell, 8
male 0-9 Ira, 5
male 0-9 Davis, 1
1820
male 45+ Richard, 56
female 45+ Mercy, 53
female 16-24 Sarah, 21
male 16-24 Newell, 18
male, 10-15 Ira, 15
male, 0-9 unidentified
female 0-9 unidentified
1840
male 70-79 Richard, 76
female 70-79 Isabel, 78
male 30-39 unidentified

Concerning the last child, Davis, there is no record of him beyond his birth record. Harry Dana French, who is the source of the birth record, speculated that he probably died young. Richard's will retained no memory of him.

Mercy (James) Maxfield died on 18 May 1829, after most of the children were grown. A few months later, on 21 August, Richard married Isabel. Richard's second wife had probably been married before, as in her will she remembered her only child. Meanwhile, the children were leaving home. Susannah married in 1815 but remained in the area. Jonathan married the same year, but moved to Canada some time between 1821 and 1825. Sarah married in 1826 but remained in the area. Newell married about 1825, and moved to Wentworth, Grafton County, New Hampshire, some time between 1827 and 1830. Ira married in 1836; census records and the birth records of his children indicate Ira frequently moved among Chichester, and Salem, Boston and Charlestown, in Massachusetts, eventually settling in Charlestown, Middlesex County.

Richard Maxfield wrote his will on 4 December 1840; it was proved on 23 March 1841.[20] He left his estate to his beloved wife Isabel through her earthly life, to be distributed after her death as follows:

The full text of the will follows:



When Isabel died, 15 October 1849, the Boston Atlas called her "widow Isabel Maxfield," aged 87 years and 7 months.[21] Her will of 3 January 1844, proved 27 November 1849, left to her only child, Nancy Welch, $1.00, the remainder to Lois Marston.[22]

Richard Maxfield and his first wife Mercy James had the following children:

  1. SUSANNAH5 MAXFIELD b. at Chichester on 12 August 1792;[23] d. probably on 1837;[24] m. at Loudon on 8 January 1815 JEREMIAH TOWLE,[25] b. at Chichester on 12 August 1792,[26] d. at Chichester on 27 August 1863.[27]
  2. JONATHAN BARNET5 MAXFIELD b. at Chichester on 12 August 1794.
  3. SARAH MORRILL5 MAXFIELD b. at Loudon on 15 September 1798;[28] d. at Rockingham Co. on 22 August 1879;[29] m. at Pittsfield, Merrimack Co. on 4 May 1826 SAMUEL PERRY[30] (she of Chichester, he of Epsom), b. at Newburyport, Essex Co., on March 1800[31] d. at New Hampshire on 9 October 1845.[32]
  4. NEWELL JAMES5 MAXFIELD b. at Chichester on 16 June 1802.
  5. IRA5 MAXFIELD b. at Chichester on 18 January 1805.
  6. DAVIS5 MAXFIELD b. at Chichester on 3 November 1808.[33]

NOTES

1Vital Records of Salisbury, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield, Massachusetts: Topsfield Historical Society, 1915), 152.
2intentions reported in Vital Records of Amesbury, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield, Massachusetts: Topsfield Historical Society, 1913), p. 418. marriage reported by French, Harry Dana. Descendants of John Maxfield of Salisbury, Mass., New Hampshire Historical Society Library, Concord, New Hampshire, about 1952.
3Shaw Cemetery, Chichester, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 22 February 2023), Mary “Mercy” James Maxfield; Created and photo by: Amy Maker Levesque.
4Elizabeth Wright, "John Maxfield of Salisbury, Massachusetts, 1652, and Some of His Descendants," The Nebraska and Midwest Genealogical Record (1928–1930): 8:22, date only, from pension record; her given name is from his will.
5"Deaths," Boston Daily Atlas, 26 October 1849; on line images, 19th Century U. S. Newspapers (infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark : accessed 27 December 2012).
6David W. Hoyt, The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1982), 448.
7Selected Records from Revolutionary War Pensions and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files, microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration), Richard Maxfield.
8Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary, ed., Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War (Boston: Wright L. Potter, 1902), 10:365, 368, 371.
9Revolutionary War Pensions. Richard Maxfield.
10Rockingham County Registry of Deeds. Deeds, 130:59; digital images, (nhdeeds/rockingham : accessed 2012).
11Vital Records of Amesbury, Massachusetts, p. 418.
12Rockingham County Registry of Deeds, 130:59.
13Ibid., 165:218-19
14Ibid., 212:324
15Ibid., 217:199
16Ibid., 207:548
17Ibid., 217:137; 221:439
18Ibid., 224:450-51
19Second Census of the United States: 1800, population, Chichester, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, 20:334; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012 ); Third Census of the United States: 1810, population, Chichester, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, 25:315; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012); Fourth Census of the United States: 1820, population, Chichester, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, 60:137; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012); Sixth Census of the United States: 1840, population, Loudon, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, 240:44; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012).
20Merrimack County, New Hampshire, Probate Records, 16:62-63; "New Hampshire, County Probate Records, 1660-1973," digital images, Family Search (familysearch.org: accessed 2014).
21"Deaths," Boston Daily Atlas, 26 October 1849.
22Merrimack County Probate, 25:116.
23French, Descendants of John Maxfield.
24"Towle Family Tree", database, dtowle79, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012); undocumented and unnamed family tree submitted.
25New Hampshire, State of, Division of Vital Records, Concord, New Hampshire, New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, Marriage: Towle-Maxfield, 1815; digital images, New England Historical and Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 31 January 2023).
26"Towle Family Tree."
27Ibid.
28Pine Ground Cemetery, North Chichester, Chichester, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 21 November 2017), Sally M. Perry; Created and photo by: P Welch.
29Ibid.
30New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, , Marriage: Perry-Maxfield, 1797.
31Pine Ground Cemetery, North Chichester, Samuel Perry; Created and Photo by Amy Maker Levesque
32Ibid.
33French, Descendants of John Maxfield.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Boston Daily Atlas. 26 October 1849. Nineteenth Century Newspapers on line images, infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark : accessed 2012.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary, ed. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War. Boston: Wright L. Potter, 1902.

French, Harry Dana. Descendants of John Maxfield of Salisbury, Mass. New Hampshire Historical Society Library, Concord, New Hampshire, about 1952.

Hoyt, David W. The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1982.

Merrimack County, New Hampshire. Probate Records. "New Hampshire, County Probate Records, 1660-1973." Digital images. Family Search. familysearch.org: 2014.

New Hampshire, State of, Division of Vital Records. Concord, New Hampshire. New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages. Digital images. New England Historical and Genealogical Society. American Ancestors. americanancestors.org : 2023.

Pine Ground Cemetery, North Chichester, Chichester, Merrimack County, New Hampshire. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2017.

Rockingham County Registry of Deeds. "Land Records." Digital images. Rockingham County Registry of Deeds. nhdeeds/rockingham : 2012.

Selected Records from Revolutionary War Pensions and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files. Microfilm publication . Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. Onondaga County Library, Syracuse, New York.

Shaw Cemetery, Chichester, Merrimack County, New Hampshire. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2023.

Towle Family Tree." Database. dtowle79. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2012.

United States Department of the Census. Second Census of the United States: 1800, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : accessed 2012.

________. Third Census of the United States: 1810, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2012.

________. Fourth Census of the United States: 1820, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2012.

________. Sixth Census of the United States: 1840, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2012.

Vital Records of Amesbury, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. Topsfield, Massachusetts: Topsfield Historical Society, 1913.

Vital Records of Salisbury, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. Topsfield, Massachusetts: Topsfield Historical Society, 1915.

Wright, Elizabeth. "John Maxfield of Salisbury, Massachusetts, 1652, and Some of His Descendants." The Nebraska and Midwest Genealogical Record (1928–1930): 6:52-56; 7:20-24, 42-47, 61-71, 87-96; 8:15-22.

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