JOHN6 MAXFIELD (William5, David4, Eliphalet3, Nathaniel2, John1) was born at Fairfax, Franklin County, Vermont on 11 June 1791, a child of William Maxfield and his wife Amanda Belcher.[1] He died at Sycamore, DeKalb County, Illinois, on 25 May 1877.[2] He married at Middlebury, Knox County, Ohio, on 27 November 1816 JOANNA POND,[3] who was born at Vermont on 4 March 1799[4] and died at Sycamore on 27 June 1878.[5]
Thanks to Mike Maxfield for all his help with this family, and for sending me the relevant pages of the DeKalb County Album.
John Maxfield grew up in northwestern Vermont, the fourth of ten children. Like his older brother Gilbert, his younger brother Harvey, and his sisters Susannah and Eliza, he moved west to Ohio.
Like the rest of his family, John was a Baptist. On 9 June 1810 the Baptist Church of Fairfax voted to receive John Maxfield by believer's baptism. He was dismissed from the church on 18 June 1812.[6]
John Maxfield served in the Army during the War of 1812. He was drafted into Captain Wilson's Artillery company, Col. Williams' regiment, at Fairfax on 1 June 1812 (17 days before war was actually declared) for the term of six months and was honorably discharged at Swanton Falls, Franklin County on 8 December 1812. During that time he was mainly engaged in guarding the frontier between Vermont and Canada. Afterwards he volunteered to assist in defending Plattsburg, and was at the battle at that place in 1814. He was later described as height near 6 feet, hair dark brown, eyes blue, complexion light.[7]
John Maxfield went west soon after the War, as he was married in Ohio in 1816. According to his widow's testimony at a later date, they lived in Richland County, Ohio, until 22 February, 1821, when they took up residence in Crawford County, Ohio, and remained there until moving to Sycamore on 5 June 1837.[8] The Portrait and Biographical Album of DeKalb County, reported:
He was a pioneer of Crawford County, where he settled after marriage on a tract of timbered land which he bought of the Government. With his wife he took possession of a log house which he built on his farm and entered with energy upon the work of clearing away the forest.[9]
The 1830 Census reported the John Maxfield family at Liberty, Crawford County. The family consistred of a male-female couple in their 30s, a young man in his 20s, a young man between 15 and 20, a boy between 5 and 10, and a boy under 5.[10] William's age could have been overestimated; the young man in his 20s is not identified.
The Portrait and Biographical Album of DeKalb County described the next portion of this family's pilgrimage:
In 1837 he sold his property in the Buckeye State, and, equipped with five yoke of oxen, two wagons, a horse and carriage, and the household goods, the family came to DeKalb County, camping at night while on their way hither. On arrival, Mr Maxfield, senior, made a claim on section 16, in town 41, range 5 east, which is now Sycamore Township. The family lived in tents and in wagons until a log house was built for their accommodation. The doors were constructed of lumber which was purchased in Chicago when they passed through the city. For a number of years the nearest market and place of supplies was Chicago. A large farm including nearly 400 acres was placed under excellent improvements by the father, on which he resided until a short time previous to his death.[11]When they migrated to Illinois, the family consisted of John, 48, Joanna, 38, and children ages 19, 13, 9 and 4.
On 14 May 1840 John Maxfield and Joanna his wife sold to his brother Harry Maxfield, land in Fairfax formerly of their father William Maxfield, for $30.[12]
The 1840 Census reported this Maxfield family at DeKalb County, consisting of the two parents, four surviving sons, and an unidentified female in her 20s.[13] By 1850 the John Maxfield family of Sycamore consisted only of the couple, John, age 60, and Joanna, age 52, and a 13 year old immigrant girl from Ireland, Catherine Eamis.[14] Son William M. Maxfield, who married in 1846, was living in 1850 at Sycamore Township, age 32, tavern keeper, with his wife Caroline, 27, and their two year old son Lyman.[15] Son John N. Maxfield, who married in 1847, also lived at Sycamore Township, 25, with his wife Mary, 20, and their one year old son Carlos.[16] Son Gilbert had left for California in January 1850 and was not reported in the census. Son Carlos had died in 1847 at the age of fourteen.
In 1854 John Maxfield divided his property among his three surviving sons.[17] John and Johanna then lived with their son John, where they were reported in the 1860 and 1870 censuses.[18] After son John died in 1873, John and Johanna moved in with surviving son Gilbert.
On 9 July 1852 John Maxfield began a process of petitioning for bounty land he should have received as a veteran of the War of 1812, but had not received. The pension records associated with that appeal provide much information about the family. There is no indication that he ever received it. Following John's death, his widow petitioned for a widow's pention, but she died shortly after filing the request.[20]
The Portrait and Biographical Album of DeKalb County described John Maxfield:
In his political belief and connection he was originally a Whig, and on the expiration of the issues of that element became a member of the Free-Soil party and later a Republican. The first abolition meeting held in this county convened at his house. The candidate of the Free-Soil element for Representative in the State Legislature who was then in the field received only seven votes in Sycamore.
John Maxfield and his wife Joanna Pond had the following children:
1Letter from Julia Maxfield Lamb to William Cullen Maxfield, 27 August 1902; held in by Jack Bilow, Plattsburgh, New York. copy included with correspondence to Charles A. Maxfield, 31 October 2012.
2United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Pension and Bounty Land Application Files Based on Service between 1812 and 1855, microfilm publication Record Group 15: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Archives, Washington D. C., Photocopies provided by John Bilow (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, ), War of 1812: John Maxfield.
3Ibid.
4Julia Maxfield Lamb to William Cullen Maxfield, 27 August 1902.
5Portrait and Biographical Album of DeKalb County, Illinois (Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1883), p. 671. Scanned and sent as electronic mail attachment from Michael Maxfield to Charles A. Maxfield, 15 March 2001
6"Membership Records of the Baptist Church, Fairfax, Vermont," Vermont Genealogy, 4: p. 35.
7Pension and Bounty Land Application Files War of 1812: John Maxfield.
8Ibid.
9Portrait and Biographical Album of DeKalb County, Illinois, p. 671.
10Fifth Census of the United States: 1830, population, Liberty, Crawford County, Ohio, p. 172, John Maxfield; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 1 December 2011); NARA microfilm publication M19, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
11Portrait and Biographical Album of DeKalb County, Illinois, p. 671.
12Fairfax Town, Franklin County, Vermont, Deeds, v. 10, p. 515; Fairfax Town Clerk, Fairfax, Franklin County, Vermont.
13Sixth Census of the United States: 1840, population, DeKalb County, Illinois, p. 7, John Maxfield; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 24 September 2012); NARA microfilm publication M704, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
14Seventh Census of the United States: 1850, population, Sycamore, DeKalb County, Illinois, p. 391A, household 118, John Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 28 September 2012); NARA microfilm record group M432, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
151850 Census, Sycamore, DeKalb County, Illinois, p. 385A-385B, household 26, Wm. M. Maxfield family.
161850 Census, Sycamore, DeKalb County, Illinois, p. 388A, household 75, J. N. Maxfield family.
17Portrait and Biographical Album of DeKalb County, Illinois, p. 671.
18Eighth Census of the United States: 1860, population, Sycamore, DeKalb County, Illinois, p. 49-50, household 120, J. N. Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 23 October 2012); NARA microfilm record group M653; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration; Ninth Census of the United States: 1870, population, Sycamore, DeKalb County, Illinois, p. 604B, Household 160, John N. Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 24 January 2013); NARA microfilm record group M593; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
19Pension and Bounty Land Application Files War of 1812: John Maxfield.
20Portrait and Biographical Album of DeKalb County, Illinois, p. 671.
21Blowers Cemetery, Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 7 February 2019), James M. Maxfield; Created by: Kathy Swartzfager Scott, Photo added by Donna M Drake.
22Elmwood Cemetery, Sycamore, DeKalb County, Illinois, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 25 April 2023), Carlos K. Maxfield; created by Steve, Photo added by Mark Huff Dav.
Blowers Cemetery, Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2019.
Elmwood Cemetery, Sycamore, DeKalb County, Illinois. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2023.
Fairfax Town, Franklin County, Vermont. Deeds. Fairfax Town Clerk, Fairfax, Franklin County, Vermont.
Lamb, Julia Maxfield. Letter. 27 August 1902, to William Cullen Maxfield. Privately held by Jack Bilow, Plattsburgh, New York.
"Membership Records of the Baptist Church, Fairfax, Vermont." Vermont Genealogy 4: 32-37, 83, 127.
Portrait and Biographical Album of DeKalb County, Illinois (Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1883), p. 671. Scanned and sent as electronic mail attachment from Michael Maxfield to Charles A. Maxfield, 15 March 2001
United States Department of the Census. 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.
________. 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.
United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Pension and Bounty Land Application Files Based on Service between 1812 and 1855. Microfilm publication Record Group 15: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Archives, Washington D. C., Photocopies provided by John Bilow. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
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