RUSSELL6 MAXFIELD (Zadock5, Edmund4, Timothy3-2, John1) was born at Dartmouth, Bristol County, Massachusetts, on 5 October 1802,[1] son of Zadock Maxfield (son of Edmund) and his wife Susanna Soule. He died at New Bedford, Bristol County, on 1 March 1892.[2] He married first at New Bedford on 21 September 1830 HANNAH R. SAWYER,[3] who was born at New Bedford on 5 November 1807, and died there on 21 January 1848[4], a daughter of William T. and Rebecca Sawyer.[5] Russell married second, at Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, on 25 April 1850 MARY A CLUNY,[6] who was born at Dartmouth on 17 December 1829, a daughter of Patrick and Sarah A. Cluny, and died at New Bedford on 14 May 1879.[7]
Russell Maxfield grew up in Dartmouth, the sixth of twelve children. As his father died when Russell was still a minor, about 19, the court appointed Seth Russell to be his guardian.[8]
Russell and Hannah lived in New Bedford; all records refer to Russell as a sailor, mariner, or master mariner. They had five children, three of whom lived to adulthood.
The 1840 Census mentioned a Russell Maxfield household in New Bedford consisting of one male and one female ages 30-39.[9] It is a mystery why the three living sons were not mentioned. Hannah (Sawyer) Maxfield died at New Bedford at the age of forty, leaving Russell with children ages 15, 11, about 9, and 4.
Two years after Hannah's death, Russell married Mary Cluny. He was 47, she 20.
The 1850 Census reported Russell at New Bedford with his young wife and children by his first wife:[10]
| Name | Age | Sex | Occupation | R.E. | Birthplace | Other |
| Russell Maxfield | 47 | M | sailor | $ 3300 | Mass | |
| Mary A. Maxfield | 20 | F | Mass | |||
| William S. Maxfield | 17 | M | none | Mass | school | |
| Charles R. Maxfield | 13 | M | Mass | school | ||
| Alexander S. Maxfield | 11 | M | Mass | school | ||
| Olive P. Maxfield | 6 | F | Mass | blind, school |
Russell and Mary had children born in 1851 and 1852; in 1853, Charles, a son by his first wife, died at the age of 16. The 1855 Massachusetts state census reported this evolving family as follows:[11]
| Line | Name | Age | sex | Occupation | Birthplace | Other |
| 3 | Russell Maxfield | 52 | M | merchant | MA | |
| 4 | Mary A Maxfield | 26 | F | Ireland | ||
| 5 | William S Maxfield | 22 | M | mariner | MA | |
| 6 | Alexander Maxfield | 16 | M | school | MA | |
| 7 | Olive Maxfield | 11 | F | MA | blind | |
| 8 | Russell Maxfield Jr | 4 | M | MA | ||
| 9 | Mary E Maxfield | 3 | F | MA | ||
| 10 | Bridget O'Neil | 30 | F | Ireland |
The 1860 census reported Russell and Mary at New Bedford with their two children, also William, his eldest son by his first marriage, and two servants:[12]
| Name | Age | Sex | Occupation | R.E. | P.E. | Birthplace | |
| Russell Maxfield | 58 | M | master mariner | $6,000 | $10,000 | Mass | |
| Mary Maxfield | 30 | F | Mass | ||||
| Russell Maxfield | 9 | M | Mass | school | |||
| Mary E. Maxfield | 8 | F | Mass | school | |||
| William S. Maxfield | 27 | M | seaman | Mass | |||
| Mary Driscoll | 24 | F | domestic | Ireland | |||
| Elisabeth Viton | 57 | F | nurse | England |
The 1865 state census reported Russell and Mary at New Bedford with their three children, also Russell's three surviving children by his first wife, a domestic servant, and two other persons probably lodging with them.[13] These people were probably not all present at the same time, as William was in the Navy, and the two boarders may have often been at sea.
| Line | Name | Age | sex | Birthplace | M.S. | Occupation | Other |
| 17 | Russell Maxfield | 62 | M | MA | M | mariner | |
| 18 | Mary A. Maxfield | 35 | F | MA | M | ||
| 19 | William S. Maxfield | 32 | M | MA | S | Navy | |
| 20 | Alexander S. Maxfield | 26 | M | MA | S | Agent | |
| 21 | Olive P. Maxfield | 21 | F | MA | S | blind | |
| 22 | Russell Maxfield, Jr. | 14 | M | MA | S | ||
| 23 | Mary E. Maxfield | 13 | F | MA | S | ||
| 24 | Charles H. Maxfield | 4 | M | MA | S | ||
| 25 | Emily M. Peck | 22 | F | MA | S | domestic | mulatto |
| 26 | Edward M. Cluney | 20 | M | MA | S | mariner | |
| 27 | John C. Cluney | 25 | M | MA | S | mariner |
By 1870 the census reported a Maxfield household in New Bedford reduced in size, consisting of Russell, 67, with no occupation, Mary A., 40, Olive P., 27, blind, Russell, 19, and Charles H., 9, in school.[14] Son William had married in 1867 and moved to New York City where he worked as a watchman.
Daughter Mary Maxfield married in 1873, but by 1880 was a widow. Mary (Cluny) Maxfield died in 1879 from consumption at the age of 49.[15] The Russell Maxfield family was recorded at 80 Maxfield Street, New Bedford in the 1880 Census, consisting of Russell Maxfield, 77, widower, laborer in city common; Olive P. Maxfield, 35, daughter, blind; Russell Maxfield, Jr., son, 29, at home; and Mary E. McCollough, 28, daughter, widow, at home.[16] Son William Maxfield had moved to Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey, where he worked as a receiving clerk and his family continued to grow.
Russell Maxfield, master mariner, died in 1892 from pneumonia.[17]
Alexander Maxfield was reported in the 1900 and 1910 censuses living at the Insane Asylum in Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. He died there in 1912. His death record described him as a laborer and sailer, formerly a "whaler." He died from organic heart disease; a contributing cause was paranoia.[18]
Olive Maxfield was reported in 1900 at New Bedford boarding in the home of William and Lydia Hawes. In 1920 she was boarding with George and Mary Wood. She died in 1929 at the age of 86.[19]
Russell Maxfield, the son, was reported in censuses from 1900 through 1940 as a resident of the Insane Asylum at Taunton, Bristol County.[20]
Charles Maxfield, the second son so named, moved to Saint Louis, Missouri, where he was described in 1900 as a "capitalist," in 1910 as a commerical traveler selling fire works, in 1920 an insurance agent, and in 1930 as manager of a wholesale fire works company.[21]
The Russell Maxfield family experienced abundant difficulties. Of eight children, one died in infancy, another as a teenage; two sons spent most of their adulty lives in insane asylums, a daughter was blind, another daughter was widowed after a short marriage. To the best of my knowledge, only one of the eight children had children.
Russell Maxfield and his first wife Hannah R. Sawyer had the following children:
1Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts: to the Year 1850 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1929,1929,1930), v. 1, p. 159.
2Massachusetts Archives, "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," digital images, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 12 September 2017), vol. 427, p. 214, e. 182, New Bedford Deaths, 1892, Russell Maxfield.
3Vital Records of New Bedford, Massachusetts: to the Year 1850 (Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1932. 1932, 1941), v. 2, p. 366.
4Vital Records of New Bedford, Massachusetts, v. 3, p. 114.
5"Tiverton Probate," Rhode Island Genealogical Register, 10 (1987): 101.
6Janes N. Arnold, Vital Records of Rhode Island: 1636-1859 (Providence: Narragansett Historical Publishing Co., 1891–1906), v. 2, Providence Co., pt. 1, Providence, p. 116, Malfield-Cluly.
7"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," vol. 310, p. 117, e. 243, New Bedford Deaths, 1879, Mary A. Maxfield.
8Bristol County, Massachusetts, Probate Records, 59:243-44; Court House, Taunton, Massachusetts.
9Sixth Census of the United States: 1840, population, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, roll 178, p. 425, Russell Maxfield; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 25 September 2012); NARA microfilm publication M704, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
10Seventh Census of the United States: 1850, population, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, roll 309, p. 332A, household 1942, Russell Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2 October 2012); NARA microfilm record group M432, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
11Massachusetts, Secretary of the Commonwealth, 1855 Massachusetts State Census, population, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, v. 6, p. 105, household 152, Russell Maxfield family; digital images, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 5 April 2018); Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, Massachusetts.
12Eighth Census of the United States: 1860, population, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, roll 490, p. 474, household 186, Russell Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2 November 2012); NARA microfilm record group M653; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
13Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, 1865 Massachusetts State Census, population, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, v. 6, p. 93, household 408, Russell Maxfield family; digital images, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 16 August 2013); Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, Massachusetts.
14Ninth Census of the United States: 1870, population, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, roll 605, p. 78B, household 406, Russell Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 4 February 2013); NARA microfilm record group M593; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
15"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," vol. 310, p. 117, e. 243, New Bedford Deaths, 1879, Mary A. Maxfield.
16Tenth Census of the United States: 1880, population, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, enumeration district (ED) 111, roll 525, p. 151B, household 754, Russell Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 8 March 2013); NARA microfilm publication T9, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
17"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," vol. 427, p. 214, e. 182, New Bedford Deaths, 1892, Russell Maxfield.
18Twelth Census of the United States: 1900, population, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, enumeration district (ED) 1802, roll 670, p. 9, household B, Medfield Insane Asylum; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 13 April 2013); NARA microfilm group T623; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration; Thirteenth Census of the United States: 1910, population, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, enumeration district (ED) 1121, p. 7B, Medfield State Asylum; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 1 October 2013); NARA group T624, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.; Massachusetts, Commonwealth of, Registry of Vital Records and Statistics, "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915," American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 19 January 2023), 1912 Deaths v. 66, p. 215;Alexander S. Maxfield.
191900 Census, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, ED 186, roll 637, p. 11, household 267, William Hawes family; Fourteenth Census of the United States: 1920, population, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, enumeration district (ED) 132, p. 3A, household 68, George F. Wood family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 11 December 2013); NARA microfilm record group T625, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.; Oak Grove Cemetery, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts. H3.
201900 Census, Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, ED 1829, roll 639, p. 10, household 1, Taunton Insane Hospital; 1910 Census, Taunton ward 8, Bristol County, Massachusetts, ED 247, p. 6B, household 553, Taunton State Hospital; 1920 Census, Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, ED 202, p. 9A, , Taunton State Hospital; Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, population, Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, enumeration district (ED) 237, p. 3B, Taunton State Hospital; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 14 December 2013); NARA record Group T626; Sixteenth Census of the United States: 1940, population, Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, enumeration district (ED) 3-142, p. 6B, Taunton State Hospital (Insane); digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2013); microfilm record group T627.
211900 Census, Saint Louis, Missouri, ED 380, p. 1A, household 267, Winfield S. Carroll family; 1910 Census, Saint Louis, Missouri, ED 362, p. 9A, household 161, Winifred S. Carroll family; 1920 Census, Saint Louis, Missouri, ED 448, p. 5B, household 95, Chas. Maxfield family; 1930 Census, Saint Louis, Missouri, ED 29, p. 12A, household 227, Charles H. Maxfield family.
22"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," vol. 75, p. 76, e. 98, New Bedford Deaths, 1853, Charles R. Maxfield.
23"Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915," 1912 Deaths v. 66, p. 215;Alexander S. Maxfield.
24Vital Records of New Bedford, Massachusetts, v. 3, p. 115; Oak Grove Cemetery, New Bedford.
25"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," vol. 4, p. 89, l. 380; New Bedford Births 1843-4; Olive P. Maxfield.
26Oak Grove Cemetery, New Bedford.
27"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," vol. 51, p. 95, e. 99, New Bedford Births, 1851, Russell Maxfield, Jr.
28"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," vol. 63, p. 150, e. 106, New Bedford Births, 1852, Mary E. Maxfield.
29Oak Grove Cemetery, New Bedford.
30"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," vol. 253, p. 141, e. 204, New Bedford Marriages, 1873; McCullough-Maxfield.
311900 Census, Saint Louis, Missouri, ED 380, p. 1A, household 267, Winfield S. Carroll family.
321930 Census, Saint Louis, Missouri, ED 29, p. 12A, household 227, Charles H. Maxfield family.
Arnold, Janes N. Vital Records of Rhode Island: 1636-1859. Providence: Narragansett Historical Publishing Co., 1891–1906.
Bristol County, Mssachusetts. Probate Records. Court House, Taunton, Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Archives. "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910." Digital images. American Ancestors. americanancestors.org : 2017.
Massachusetts, Commonwealth of,. Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915." American Ancestors. americanancestors.org : 2023.
Massachusetts, Secretary of the Commonwealth, 1855 Massachusetts State Census, population. Digital images. American Ancestors. americanancestors.org : 2018.
________. 1865 Massachusetts State Census, population. Digital images. American Ancestors. americanancestors.org : 2013.
Oak Grove Cemetery (New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts). Grave marker data.
"Tiverton Probate." Rhode Island Genealogical Register 10 (1987): .
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.
________. Twelth Census of the United States: 1900, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2013.
________. Thirteenth Census of the United States: 1910, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2013.
________. Fourteenth Census of the United States: 1920, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2013.
________. Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2013.
________. Sixteenth Census of the United States: 1940, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2013.
Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts: to the Year 1850. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1929,1929,1930.
Vital Records of New Bedford, Massachusetts: to the Year 1850. Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1932. 1932, 1941.
Return to Maxfield Genealogy
Go to Maxfield Outline Index