JOSHUA4 MAXFIELD, Jr. (Joshua3, Joseph2, John1) was born at Weare, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, on 28 February 1775[1] a son of Joshua Maxfield and his wife Sarah Currier. He married first about 1800 SARAH ________, who died between 18 January 1803 and 29 March 1804. He married second at Henniker, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire on 28 March 1804 ASCENATH YOUNG,[2] who was born probably between 1780 and 1784.
Joshua Maxfield grew up with his parents in Weare, and later in Fishersfield, Hillsborough County. Later their address became Bradford, Hillsborough County, however this may have been caused by moving the Town Line rather than moving the family.
Joshua Maxfield married Sarah, and in their brief marriage they had three children, only one of whom survived childhood. The two whose names we know were born at Bradford in 1801 and 1803. Sarah probably died soon after the birth of their third child, as Joshua remarried three months later.
Joshua Maxfield of Bradford married Ascenath Young at Henniker, on 28 March 1804. Moses Sawyer, a clergyman, presided at the service at Henniker.[3] Joseph and Ascenath would have at least seven sons and one daughter in their long married life. They gradually moved west, to Chester, Windsor County, Vermont, briefly to Springfield, Windsor County, and then to Fort Ann, Washington County, New York. Of their seven known children, David would remain at Chester, Ira, Mitchell, Rebecca and Oliver would remain in the vicinity of Fort Ann, and Hiram and Varnis would go west to Michigan. James, a possible eighth son, migrated to Michigan, then to Ontario, and then to California. Phila, Joshua's daughter by his first wife, married and moved to north-central Vermont.
Joshua Maxfield, Jr., joined his father in signing a petition on 21 November 1796 to have a portion of Fishersfield transferred to Bradford,[4] which was done. Following that date, he participated in several land transactions in Bradford:
This last transaction may have been part of their preparation to move, as they appeared at Chester, Vermont, in the 1820 census. The 1830 census reported the Joshua Maxfield family at Springfield, Vermont. The 1835 New York state census reported them at Fort Ann, Washington County, New York. Their appearance in the 1840 census at Fort Ann is the last reference I have found to Joshua and Ascenath Maxfield.
Census records before 1850 only list the head of household and the numbers in the household in various age and sex groups. The census reports for this family, with a possible explanation of who the persons were, follows:[9]
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This designation leaves some questions. In 1820, where were Phila, 19, Hiram, 14, ands Varnis, 12? In 1830, where were Hiram, 24, Varnis, 22, Ira, 20, and Mitchell, 17? Perhaps some were working out on other farms?
The 1835 New York state census reported the Joshua Maxfield household at Fort Ann, listed after the Hiram and Varnis Maxfield households. Joshua's household consisted of 1 male and 3 females, the male being subject to the military and entitled to vote. I cannot identify the other two females.[10]
On what basis can I claim that these eleven persons were children of Joshua? Elizabeth Wright, in her John Maxfield of Salisbury, Massachusetts, 1652, and Some of His Descendants[11], and Harry Dana French, in his notes on the Maxfields, know of Joshua, Jr., his two wives, and only two children, Phila and the first David.[12] The evidence for all these children belonging to this family is not conclusive, but very suggestive.
Fort Ann is a town in Washington County, New York, which grew with the construction of the Champlain Canal in 1823, connecting Lake Champlain with the Hudson River. Sons Ira and Oliver both worked as "boatmen" on the canal.
Joshua Maxfield, Jr., and his first wife Sarah had the following children:
Joshua Maxfield, Jr., and his second wife Ascenath probably had the following children:
1New Hampshire, State of, Division of Vital Records, Concord, New Hampshire, New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, index card, Birth, Joshua Maxfield, 1775; digital images, New England Historical and Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 30 December 2016).
2Ibid., index card 9926, Marriage, Maxfield-Young, 1804.
3Ibid.
4Nathaniel Bouton et al, eds, Documents and Records Relating to New Hampshire, 1623-1800, 40 (Concord, Manchester, Nashua and Bristol, New Hampshire: n.p., 1867), 12:669.
5Hillsborough County Registry of Deeds, : 100:557-59; FHL microfilm .
6Ibid., 99:58-59.
7Ibid., 110:470-71
8Ibid., 110:471-72
9Third Census of the United States: 1810, population, Bradford, Hillsboro Co., NH, 24:522; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012); Fourth Census of the United States: 1820, population, Chester, Windsor, VT, 128:405; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012); Fifth Census of the United States: 1830, population, Springfield, Windsor Co., VT, 187:138; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2011); Sixth Census of the United States: 1840, population, Fort Ann, Washington Co., NY, 348:236; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012).
10Anna Gallagher, to Charles A. Maxfield, e-mail, 25 May 2013, "Joshua Maxfield, Jr., & Hiram and Varnis," privately held. Included tif of census record.
11Elizabeth Wright, "John Maxfield of Salisbury, Massachusetts, 1652, and Some of His Descendants," The Nebraska and Midwest Genealogical Record (1928–1930): 8:16.
12French, Harry Dana. Descendants of John Maxfield of Salisbury, Mass., New Hampshire Historical Society Library, Concord, New Hampshire, about 1952.
13New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, Birth, Phila Maxfield, 1801.
14Maple Street Cemetery, Hardwick, Caledonia County, Vermont, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 6 November 2017), Phila Hamblin; Created by: David Edsall; photo Added by: Richard Bailey.
15French, Harry Dana. Descendants of John Maxfield of Salisbury, Mass.
16Maple Street Cemetery, Hardwick, Joel Hamblin; Created by: David Edsall; photo Added by: Richard Bailey. Marriage date from French, Harry Dana. Descendants of John Maxfield of Salisbury, Mass.
17New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, Birth, David Maxfield, 1802.
18Seelye Cemetery, Queensbury, Warren County, New York, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 23 December 2018), Rebecca Phelps; Created by: Leah. Photo added by jim miller.
19Brian Phelps, Phelps Family History in America (www.phelpsfamilyhistory.com : accessed 2 February 2013). Seelye Cemetery, Queensbury, Find a Grave, Samuel H. Phelps; Created by: Leah. Photo added by jim miller.
Bouton, Nathaniel et al, editors. Documents and Records Relating to New Hampshire, 1623-1800. 40. Concord, Manchester, Nashua and Bristol, New Hampshire: n.p., 1867.
French, Harry Dana. Descendants of John Maxfield of Salisbury, Mass. New Hampshire Historical Society Library, Concord, New Hampshire, about 1952.
Gallagher, Anna. "Joshua Maxfield, Jr., & Hiram and Varnis." E-mail from , to Charles A. Maxfield. 25 May 2013. Privately held.
Hillsborough County Registry of Deeds. Land Records. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts. FHL microfilm, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Little, William. The History of Weare, New Hampshire, 1735-1888. Lowell, Massachusetts: by the Town, 1888.
Maple Street Cemetery, Hardwick, Caledonia County, Vermont. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2017.
Phelps, Brian. Phelps Family History in America. www.phelpsfamilyhistory.com : 2013.
Seelye Cemetery, Queensbury, Warren County, New York. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2012.
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 : 2016.
United States Department of the Census. 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.
________. Fifth Census of the United States: 1830, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2011.
________. Sixth Census of the United States: 1840, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2012.
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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