Descendants of John Maxfield
of Salisbury, Massachusetts
Fifth Generation

NATHAN NORTON⁵ MAXFIELD (Nathaniel⁴, Eliphalet³, Nathaniel², John¹) was born at Loudon, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, on 3 August 1786 a son of Nathaniel Maxfield and his first wife Mehitable Rowe. He died at Francestown, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, on 2 April 1873.^[1] He married first at Canterbury, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, on 13 November 1808 HANNAH HILL.^[2] She was born at Manchester, Hillsborough County, on 11 July 1789, a daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Longley) Hill. She died at Manchester on 2 September 1851.^[3] Nathan married second at Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island on 4 May 1853 SOPHIA BAYLEY. She was born at Barre, Washington County, Vermont, about 1819-20.^[4] Nathan married third at Deering, Rockingham County, on 12 September 1857 MARY ESTHER GILBERT.^[5] She was born at Francestown on 31 December 1815, a daughter of Joseph and Hannah (Roby) Gilbert. She died at Francestown on 11 October 1884.^[6]

Nathan Maxfield moved several times in his long life. He grew up in Loudon, and land records and the birth records of his children place him there through 1822. He then had children born at Exeter, Penobscot County, Maine, from 1823 through 1829. He was from Goshen, Sullivan County, New Hampshire, in land records of 1838 and 1839. The 1840 census found him in Lowell, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, and the 1850 census found him in Manchester. His marriage record in 1853 described him as from Francestown, where he farmed for the rest of his life.

Nathan Maxfield participated in the following land transactions in Loudon and Goshen:

13 June 1806, Nathaniel Maxfield of Loudon, cordwainer sold to [his son] Nathan N. Maxfield of Loudon, yeoman, for $1,000, a parcel of 10 acres in Loudon, more than one half of his homestead farm according to quality and quantity, to be taken off the whole length of lot 138 1st division of 100 acre, with house and half the barn, also cider mill and press together with all neat stock and farming utensils.^[7]
31 January 1809, Nathan N. Maxfield of Loudon, husbandman, sold to [his brother] Stephen Maxfield of Loudon, cordwainer, for a valuable consideration, land in Loudon out of lot 138 1st division, also another piece of land, including the garden on the west end of Stephen Maxfield's house and half of barn, reserving widow's thirds which is to be property of Stephen Maxfield at widow's decease.^[8]
14 March 1822, Nathan N. Maxfield of Loudon, yeoman, sold to David Clifford of Loudon, trader, for $34, a parcel in Loudon, adjoining property of Maxfield. Hannah Maxfield wife of Nathan N. Maxfield relinquished right of dower. Signed by Nathan N. Maxfield and Hannah Maxfield.^[9]
26 March 1822, Stephen Maxfield and Nathan Maxfield of Louden, yeomen, sold to David Clifton of Loudon, yeoman, for $18, a tract in Loudon.^[10]
12 October 1822, Hannah Maxfield of Loudon [Nathan's step-mother], widow woman, for $300, and Eleanor Maxfield of Loudon [Nathan's sister], single woman, for $150, surrendered to Nathan N. Maxfield of Loudon, husbandman, their rights to the homestead of Nathan N. Maxfield by right of dower and a condition on the back of a deed from Nathaniel Maxfield late of Loudon deceased, to Nathan N. Maxfield, dated 13 June 1806.^[11]
On the same date Nathan N. Maxfield of Loudon, husbandman, sold to Josiah Sargent of Loudon, husbandman, for $937, a parcel in Loudon, lot #138 1st division, except a small piece which was previously sold to David Clifford. Hannah Maxfield wife of Nathan N Maxfield relinquished her right of dower. Signed by Nathan and Hannah.^[12]
30 March 1838, John Piper of Goshen sold to Nathan N. Maxfield of Goshen for $900, a parcel in Goshen, part of lots #7, #8, #9, 2d range; 75 acres.^[13]
26 January 1839, Nathan N. Maxfield of Sullivan County, sold to Moses and Ezra Cilley of Merrimac County for $600, part of lots #7, #8, #9 Goshen. This was evidently a mortgage as it was discharged 7 October 1858.^[14]

Nathan N. Maxfield did not appear on census records as head of a household until 1840. However, on examination of the age and sex designations, the entry in 1810 at Loudon listed under the name of his late father, could include Nathan's family. I cannot find him in the 1820 or 1830 censuses. "N. M. Maxfield" appeared in the 1840 census at Lowell, head of a household of sixteen persons.^[15] Perhaps Nathan and Hannah were in charge of a boarding house in this growing mill town. The members of his family could easily fit into the age and sex categories listed. The 1850 census reported N. N. Maxfield, 64, and Hannah Maxfield 61, head of a household of 36 persons, mostly young adult females, at Manchester.^[16] The most likely explanation is that they managed a boarding house of mill operatives. By this time, all of Nathan and Hannah's children had married.

Hannah (Hill) Maxfield died at Manchester on 2 September 1851, and is buried at Valley Cemetery, Manchester.^[17]

Nathan N. Maxfield married Sophia Bayley at Providence, Rhode Island, on 4 May 1853. It is not known why they married at Providence, as Nathan was recorded as a farmer from Francestown and Sophia was a resident of Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.^[18] It was a second marriage for both, so Bayley was probably not Sophia's birth name. He was 66, she was 33. This marriage did not last long; I do not have information on how it ended.

Nathan N. Maxfield married Mary Esther Gilbert at Deering, New Hampshire, on 12 September 1857.^[19] They were both from Francestown. He was 71, she 41; this was her first marriage.

The 1860 census reported Nathan N. Maxfield, 74, farmer, Mary E. Maxfield, 44, and Mary's mother, Hannah Gilbert, 80, composing a household at Francestown.^[20] The 1870 census reported Nathan N. Maxfield, 83, farmer, and Mary E. Maxfield, 54, keeping house, at Francestown.^[21] Nathan N. Maxfield died at Francestown on 2 April 1873, age 86 years, and is buried at Valley Cemetery, Manchester.^[22]

The 1880 census reported Mary E. Maxfield, 64, a servant doing housework in the home of Isabel McLane, 86.^[23] Mary died at Francestown, suffering from dropsy, on 11 October 1884, at the age of 68.^[24]

Nathan Norton Maxfield and his first wife Hannah Hill had the following children:

ASA⁶ MAXFIELD b. at Loudon on 16 May 1812.

MARY S.⁶ MAXFIELD b. at Loudon on 30 November 1814; d. at Loudon on 23 April 1894; m. ________ CHASE.^[25]

NANCY EVANS⁶ MAXFIELD b. at Exeter on 21 June 1823,^[26] d. on 10 May 1907;^[27] m. at Manchester on 19 March 1845 HORACE HOLT,^[28] b. at Pembroke, Rockingham County, on 23 September 1820, d. on 27 May 1898.^[29]

HANNAH HILL⁶ MAXFIELD b. at Exeter on 30 July 1826;^[30] d. at Chelmsford, Middlesex County, on 6 January 1903;^[31] m. (1) at Manchester on 24 November 1845 WILLIAM L. TALBOT,^[32] b. at Francestown on 15 December 1820, d. at Dracut, Middlesex County, on 1 September 1880.^[33] She m.(2) at Chelmsford on 2 February 1885 SAMUEL PROCTOR PERHAM,^[34] b. at Wilton, Hillsborough County, on 5 December 1815, d. at Chelmsford on 29 January 1899, child of Samuel and Nancy (Nichols) Perham.^[35] This was his fourth marriage. he had m.(1) at Chelmsford on 30 March 1853 MARY LEWIS.^[36] He m. (2) at Chelmsford on 14 September 1844 ASENATH LEWIS.^[37] He m. (3) at Chelmsford on 9 April 1868 OLIVE A. (HOLT) GRAY,^[37] b. at Lyme, Grafton County, New Hampshire, about 1827-8, d. at Chelmsford on 13 August 1844.^[39]

SOPHRONIA GILMAN⁶ MAXFIELD b. at Exeter on 20 May 1829;^[40] d. at Manchester on 13 July 1866;^[41] m. at Manchester on 16 March 1849 MYRON EDWARD S. DOW,^[42] b. at Hanover, Grafton County, on 14 April 1829, d. at Manchester on 6 April 1895, child of Benjamin Dow and Sarah Woodworth.^[43] He m. (2) ELLA FRANCENA YOUNG, b. at Ossipee, Carroll County, New Hampshire, on 6 August 1855, d. at Goffstown, Hillsborough County, on 22 November 1907.^[44] For a description of Myron's hawking see below

MYRON EDWARD DOW^[45]
from The Book of Dow by Robert Piercy Dow
as transcribed at findagrave.com

Myron Edward Dow a 'jack of many trades', good husband and father, was, in his way, a genius. He traveled many years as a peddler with span and wagon. In his youth, he had been apprenticed and learned plastering and masonry; he broke lose as soon as he could.

In Manchester he put in all his time, when not out peddling, at building houses, being his own plumber, mason, carpenter, in fact doing every bit of the work with his own hands. However, the peddler's wagon was the joy of his life.

As a lecturer, he was sure he excelled; he spoke on astronomy or any other subject that came into his head.

His wife, Ella, wrote graphically about their travels together; how the lecture lasted about 20 minutes and the selling began with 2-foot folding rules at 10 cents each. Then followed the razors, patent medicines, anything, everything, until after 3 hours they had taken in $70.00 gross.

I attended one of the evening entertainments given by Dow and the Lady. They came into town about 4 o'clock: we heard music and looking out saw a Lady driving a span of blooded horses while a gentleman sitting beside her was not only making music but scattering bills while the Lady called our attention to the fact that the Open Air Lecture was for one evening only. At 7:30 we all went out into the Square where the cart stood, three large lights were lighted which for brilliancy excelled anything I ever saw; the carriage was very fancifully painted and covered with masonic and other emblems on a platform which let down; from the back end of the cart stood the Lady and after Dow had delivered a spirited lecture of about 10 minutes length, he performed several jugglers' tricks very cleverly and exposed spiritualism to the great amusement of the crowd which grew larger and drew nearer until every man, woman, and child in the place that could was there. Mrs. Dow then addressed the people and recited several selections and the crowd grew more and more interested and excited at her as she gave them, with a perfect Dutch dialect the comical selection, Sockery setting a hen.

Human nature could keep quiet no longer, and shout after shout rent the air. Three cheers were given for Dow and Lady, and the business commenced. Mr. Dow dwelt long with pride on the favorite nickname applied to him - 'The Edison of the Peddlers'.

NOTES

¹New Hampshire, State of, Division of Vital Records, Concord, New Hampshire, New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, index card, Birth, Nathan Nortin Maxfield, 1786; digital images, New England Historical and Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 30 December 2016); New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, index card 6175, Death, N. N. Maxfield, 1873; Valley Cemetery, Manchester, Hillborough County, New Hampshire, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 17 November 2017), Nathan N. Maxfield; Originally Created by: Yvonne Gowen, Maintained by: Ralph Gowen, Photo added by Pat Van Den Berghe.
²New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, index card 9928, Marriage, Maxfield-Hill, 1808.
³New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, index card 6158, Death, Hannah Maxfield, 1851.
⁴Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, "Rhode Island Marriages, 1724-1916," database, Family Search (familysearch.org : accessed 4 February 2017), Maxfield-Bayley, 1853.
⁵New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, index card 9930, Marriage, Maxfield-Gilbert, 1857.
⁶New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, index card 6171, Death, Mary E. Maxfield, 1884.
⁷Deeds, 183:217; digital images, Rockingham County Registry of Deeds (nhdeeds/rockingham : accessed 28 August 2012).
⁸Ibid., 234:424.
⁹Ibid., 232:300.
¹⁰Ibid., 232:302.
¹¹Ibid., 236:120.
¹²Ibid., 232:303.
¹³Deeds, 21:431; digital images, Sullivan County Registry of Deeds (nhdeeds.com/sullivan : accessed 29 August 2012).
¹⁴Ibid., 24:408.
¹⁵Sixth Census of the United States: 1840, population, Lowell, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, roll 187, p. 19, N. M. Maxfield; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 25 September 2012); NARA microfilm publication M704, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
¹⁶Seventh Census of the United States: 1850, population, Manchester, Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, roll 432, p. 32A, household 1577, Nathan N. Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 10 October 2012); NARA microfilm record group M432, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
¹⁷Valley Cemetery, Manchester, Hannah Maxfield; Originally Created by: Yvonne Gowen, Maintained by: Ralph Gowen, Photo added by Pat Van Den Berghe.
¹⁸"Rhode Island Marriages, 1724-1916," Maxfield-Bayley, 1853.
¹⁹New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, index card 9930, Marriage, Maxfield-Gilbert, 1857.
²⁰Eighth Census of the United States: 1860, population, Francestown, Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, roll 673, p. :809, household 856, Nathan N. Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 9 November 2012); NARA microfilm record group M653; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
²¹Ninth Census of the United States: 1870, population, Francestown, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, roll 842, p. 73A, household 18, Nathan Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 8 February 2013); NARA microfilm record group M593; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
²²Valley Cemetery, Manchester, Nathan N. Maxfield; Originally Created by: Yvonne Gowen, Maintained by: Ralph Gowen, Photo added by Pat Van Den Berghe.
²³Tenth Census of the United States: 1880, population, Francestown, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, enumeration district (ED) 110, roll 762, p. 282C, household 229, Mary E. Maxfield; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 12 March 2013); NARA microfilm publication T9, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
²⁴Francestown Cemetery # 3, Francestown, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : database 17 November 2017), Mary E Maxfield; Created by: James Hadley.
²⁵New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, index card 9328, Death: Mary S. Chase, 1894.
²⁶Genealogical Society of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah, "Maine Births and Christenings, 1739-1900," database, Family Search (familysearch.org : accessed 22 October 2012), Nancy Evans Maxfield, 1823
²⁷Union Cemetery, Laconia, Belknap County, New Hampshire, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 26 May 2018), Horace-Nancy Holt; Created and photo by: Cindy Shepard.
²⁸New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, , Marriage: Holt-Maxfield, 1845.
²⁹Union Cemetery, Laconia, Horace-Nancy Holt; Created and photo by: Cindy Shepard; French, Harry Dana. Descendants of John Maxfield of Salisbury, Mass., New Hampshire Historical Society Library, Concord, New Hampshire, about 1952.
³⁰"Maine Births and Christenings, 1739-1900," Hannah Hill Maxfield, 1826.
³¹Massachusetts Archives, "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," digital images, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 18 August 2014), 540:607.
³²New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, Marriage: Talbot-Maxfield, 1845.
³³W. R. Cochrane, History of Francestown, N. H.: from its earliest settlement April, 1758, to January 1, 1891 : with a brief genealogical record of all the Francestown families (Francestown, New Hampshire: The Town, 1895), 946; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 28 August 2013.
³⁴"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," 362:93.
³⁵Ibid., 493:405. Ibid., 493:405.
³⁶Ibid., 2:392.
³⁷Ibid., 13:35.
³⁸Ibid., 209:153.
³⁹Ibid., 356:77.
⁴⁰"Maine Births and Christenings, 1739-1900," Sophronia Gilman Maxfield, 1829.
⁴¹Valley Cemetery, Manchester, Sophronia Gilman Maxfield Dow; Originally Created by: Yvonne Gowen, Maintained by: Ralph Gowen.
⁴²New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, , Marriage: Dow-Maxfield, 1849.
⁴³Valley Cemetery, Manchester, Myron Edward Dow; Originally Created by: Yvonne Gowen, Maintained by: Ralph Gowen.
⁴⁴Bellevue Cemetery, Lawrence, Essex County, Massachusetts, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : database 27 July 2018), Ella Francena Young Dow; Originally Created by: Yvonne Gowen, Maintained by: Ralph Gowen
⁴⁵Dow, Robert Pierce, The Book of Dow, as transcribed at Find a Grave (findagrave.com : accessed 2011),

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bellevue Cemetery, Lawrence, Essex County, Massachusetts. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2018.

Cochrane, W. R.. History of Francestown, N. H.: from its earliest settlement April, 1758, to January 1, 1891 : with a brief genealogical record of all the Francestown families. Francestown, New Hampshire: The Town, 1895. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2013.

Francestown Cemetery # 3, Francestown, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2017.

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

Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. "Maine Births and Christenings, 1739-1900." Database. Family Search. familysearch.org : 2012.

________. "Rhode Island Marriages, 1724-1916." Database. Family Search. familysearch.org : 2017. "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910." Digital images. American Ancestors. americanancestors.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 : 2017.

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

Sullivan County Registry of Deeds. "Land Records." Digital images. Sullivan County Registry of Deeds. nhdeeds.com/sullivan : 2012.

Union Cemetery, Laconia, Belknap County, New Hampshire. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2018.

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

________. Seventh Census of the United States: 1850, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2012.

________. Eighth Census of the United States: 1860, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2012.

________. Ninth Census of the United States: 1870, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2013.

________. Tenth Census of the United States: 1880, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2013.

Valley Cemetery, Manchester, Hillborough County, New Hampshire. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2017.

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Descendants of John Maxfield of Salisbury, Massachusetts Fifth Generation

Descendants of John Maxfield
of Salisbury, Massachusetts
Fifth Generation