Descendants of John Maxfield
of Salisbury, Massachusetts
Sixth Generation

MATTHEW NATHANIEL6 MAXFIELD (Richard5, probably Benjamin4, Joseph3-2 John1) was born at Tully Township, Marion County, Ohio, on 26 December 1847, a child of Richard Maxfield and Elizabeth Coon his wife. He died at Belvidere, Montcalm County, Michigan, on 16 March 1930.[1] He married at Spencer, Kent County, Michigan, on 5 July 1874 ALICE LUCILLE SPRAGUE,[2] who was born at Michigan on 4 February 1857 and died at Belvidere on 30 March 1940. She was a daughter of James Sprague and Adelaide Kilmer.[3]

Matthew was the ninth of nine children of his parents. When he was a small child - sometime before the age of two - his father died. Sometime later in his childhood his mother remarried. The 1850 Census reported Matthew N. Maxfield age 2 at Tulley Township, with his mother and six siblings.[4] In 1860 Matthew, age 12, lived at Oakfield Township (Spencers Mills Post Office), Kent County, with his mother and step-father, Betsey and Elias Markley, ages 52 and 46 respectively, and his siblings Harriet, 17, Rachel 15, and an unidentified girl, Laura Thompson, 5. Elias was a farm laborer.[5]

Matthew Maxfield served in the Army in the Civil War. Although he claimed to be 18 years old when he enlisted in Company B of Michigan 3rd Infantry Regiment on 28 August 1864, according to other records he was only 16. He was mustered out at Victoria, Texas, on 25 May 1866.[6]

The 1870 census reported Matthew Maxfield living in the household of William and Almina Powell at Cedar Springs Post Office, Spencer Township. Matthew was 22 years old, born in Ohio, working as an engineer in a saw mill. William Powell was proprietor of a saw mill.[7]

Matthew and Alice married in 1874. I have not found them in the 1880 Census. The 1890 Veteran's Census reported Matthew Maxfield at Montcalm Township, Montcalm County. It noted he had an injury to his right eye.[8]

The 1900 census reported this family at Spencer Township:[9]

Name Related Race Sex Born MS B FB MB Occupation
Maxfield, Mathew head W M Dec 1852 M OH NY NY farmer
Maxfield, Alice wife W F Feb 1859 M MI OH MI
Maxfield, Frank son W M Oct 1880 S MI OH MI farm laborer
Maxfield, Emel son W M Jun 1888 S MI OH MI
Maxfield, Grace daughter W F Jul 1890 S MI OH MI
Maxfield, Lois daughter W F Dec 1892 S MI OH MI
Maxfield, Mathew son W M Feb 1894 S MI OH MI
Maxfield, Albert son W M May 1897 S MI OH MI

This record also reported that Alice had ten children, all still living. Their oldest daughter, Gertrude, had married in 1896 and lived in the household reported immediately after her parents. Her household consisted of her husband, Chester Holland, 31, farmer, Gertrude, 23, two children of Chester by previous marriage, Frances, 12 and Otis 10, and their child, Palmer, age 1.[10] Son James, 22, worked as hired help on the farm of Beriah and Mary Parks in Spencer Township.[11] Son Glen, 16, worked as a farm laborer in the household of George and Hattie Oliver of Montcalm Township.[12] I have not found daughter Edna in this census.

Of the children, Edna married in 1906, Glen and Grace in 1908. The 1910 census reported this family at Belvidere Township. Although some of the children had left home, others had returned. Mathew, 62, was a general farmer. His wife Alice was 53. This was their first marriage, they were married 35 years, and Alice had ten children, all living. Other members of the household, all single and born in Michigan, included: James S., 32, lumberman; Frank E. 27, laborer in the woods; M. L., 21, laborer on the home farm; Lois M., 17; Mathew, 15; and Albert, 12.[13] Gertrude lived at Spencer, where her husband farmed. With them were the two children of their marriege, Palmer, 11, and Glenn, 4.[14] Glen, 26, farmed at Home Township, Montcalm County, with his wife Flossie and son Clyde.[15] Edna had married in 1906, but her husband, Dodge B. Johnson, died in 1910 a week before the census. The census reported her, Edna Johson, 24, widow, childless, at Douglass Township, Montcalm County, where she farmed.[16]

Edna Alice (Maxfield), Johnson, married at 20, widowed at 24, died at the age of 25 from second degree burns. According to her death record she ws a nurse.[17]

Draft registration records from 1917 and 1918 provide us with more information on the sons of this family:

Matthew actually did serve in the military in World War I, according to his cemetery inscription, in the 104th Field Artillery Regiment.[24]

The 1920 census reported Matthew and Alice Maxfield at Belvidere Township. Sons Albert and Jim were at home, engaged in farming, as was their father.[25] Gertrude, 44, lived at Spencer with her husband, Chester Holland, 60, farmer, and their son, Glenn, 13, in school and farm laborer.[26] Glenn farmed at Rolland Township, Isabella County, Michigan, with his wife and two children.[27] M. L., who married in 1915, farmed at Richland Township, Montcalm County, with his wife and two children.[28] Grace lived at Home Township with her husband James E. L. Showers. A native of Canada, James came to the United States in 1890 and was naturalized in 1904.[29] Mary Lois. who married in 1915, lived at Home Township, where her husband William H. Ross, 44, farmed. The household included sons Merlin, 3 and Carl, 2, and William's uncle, also named William Ross, 72, widower, a native of Sweden.[30] Matthew, 24, single, worked in a labor camp at Elk Township, Price County, Wisconsin.[31] I have not found Frank in this census.

Grace (Maxfield) Showers died in 1922 from acute nephritis, complicated by pernicious anemia.[32] Matthew Nathaniel Maxfield died in 1930, at the age of 86, from apoplexy.[33] Two weeks later the 1930 Census reported widow Alice Maxfield, 71, living at Belvidere with son Frank, 44, and daughter Gertrude Holland, 54, widow, housekeeper.[34]

Alice (Sprague) Maxfield died in 1940 at the age of 83, from arteriosclerosis, complicated by influenza.[35]

The children of Matthew and Alice who had children surnamed Maxfield, are described on other pages of this genealogy. Some additional information is available regarding other children of Matthew and Alice who survived them:

Gertrude (Maxfield) Holland, was living in 1940 with her brother Frank.[36] She died in 1947 from senility.[37]

James Claire Maxfield, never married, was reported in 1930 at Spokane, laborer in lumber.[38] In 1940 he was reported at Four Lakes Township, Spokane County, farming. He had been there at least since 1935.[39] The 1950 Census reported him, age 72, at Spokane, living alone.[40]

Frank Maxfield, was reported in 1940 at Belvidere, a farmer. The household included his sister, Gertrude Holland, and a nephew, Merlin Ross,[41] who was also reported with his parents, William and Mary Louis (Maxfield) Ross. The 1950 Census reported Frank at the same place, living alone, age 69.[42]

Mary Lois (Maxfield) Ross was reported at Home Township in the 1930 and 1940 censuses, with her husband, William Ross, farmer. They had five children at home in 1930, two remained in 1940.[43]

Matthew Nathaniel Maxfield and his wife Alice Sprague had the following children:

  1. GERTRUDE MAY7 MAXFIELD b. at Kent County on 12 July 1875, d. at Cadillac, Wexford County, Michigan, in 16 April 1947;[44] m. at Spencer on 2 November 1896 CHESTER HOLLAND, b. at Kent county on April 1859.[45] Children of Gertrude and Chester:[46]
    1. Palmer Holland b. at Michigan on June 1898.
    2. Glenn Holland b. at Michigan about 1906.
  2. JAMES CLARE7 MAXFIELD b. at Montcalm on 25 August 1877.[47]
  3. FRANK EARL7 MAXFIELD b. at Gowen on 5 October 1881.[48]
  4. GLEN D.7 MAXFIELD b. at Montcalm on 13 January 1884
  5. EDNA ALICE7 MAXFIELD b. at Michigan on 13 September 1885; d. at Stanton, Montcalm County, on 30 January 1911;[50] m. at Greenville, Montcalm County, on 19 May 1906 DODGE JOHNSON[1] b. at Kent County 5 May 1873, d. at Douglass on 7 April 1910.[51]
  6. M. L.7 MAXFIELD b. at Montcalm on 13 June 1888
  7. GRACE7 MAXFIELD b. at Gowan on 20 July 1890, d. at Homer, Montcalm County, on 13 October 1922;[52] m. at Stanton on 27 July 1908 JAMES SHOWERS[53] b. at Canada on 24 May 1872, d. on 1951.[54]
  8. MARY LOIS7 MAXFIELD b. at Montcalm on 31 December 1892,[55] d. at Belding, Iona County, Michigan, on 30 December 1970;[56] m. at Edmore on 24 March 1915 WILLIAM HENRY ROSS[57] b. at Chicago, Cook County. Illinois, on 13 June 1875, d. on 1 September 1955.[58] Children of Mary Lois and William:[59]
    1. Merlin M. Ross b. at Michigan about 1916.
    2. Carl J. Ross b. at Michigan about 1917.
    3. Edna A. Ross b. at Michigan about 1919-20.
    4. Hilna L. Ross b. at Michigan about 1922-3.
    5. Gertrude M. Ross b. at Michigan about 1924-5.
  9. MATTHEW7 MAXFIELD b. at Montcalm on 28 February 1895.
  10. ALBERT7 MAXFIELD b. at Montcalm on 2 May 1897.

NOTES

1Michigan Department of Community Health, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing, Michigan, Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952, Montcalm County, certificate 59-2816, Matthew N. Maxfield, 1930; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 30 June 2023).
2Michigan Department of Community Health, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867–1952, Kent County, p. 143, e. 4701, Maxfield-Sprague, 1874; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 16 June 2023).
3Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952, Montcalm County, certificate 59-5828, Alice Maxfield, 1940.
4Seventh Census of the United States: 1850, population, Tully, Marion County, Ohio, p. 59A, household 30, Elizabeth Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 14 October 2012); NARA microfilm record group M432, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
5Eighth Census of the United States: 1860, population, Oakfield, Kent County, Michigan, p. 572, household 190, Elias Markly family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 5 November 2012); NARA microfilm record group M653; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
6Historical Data Systems, comp., "U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865," database, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 15 July 2013), Matthew Maxfield.
7Ninth Census of the United States: 1870, population, Spencer, Kent County, Michigan, p. 585A, household 74, William B. Powell family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 6 February 2013); NARA microfilm record group M593; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
8Eleventh Census of the United States: 1890, union veterans and widows, Montcalm, Montcalm County, Michigan, enumeration district (ED) 62, p. 3, household 308, Matthew Maxfield; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 17 July 2013).
9Twelth Census of the United States: 1900, population, Spencer, Kent County, Michigan, enumeration district (ED) 105, p. 4A, household 79, Mathew Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 18 July 2013); NARA microfilm group T623; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
101900 Census, Spencer, Kent County, Michigan, ED 105, p. 244A, household 80, Chester Holland family.
111900 Census, Spencer, Kent County, Michigan, ED 106, p. 2A, household 21, Beriah Parks family.
121900 Census, Montcalm, Montcalm County, Michigan, ED 135, p. 9B, household 210, George Oliver family.
13Thirteenth Census of the United States: 1910, population, Belvidere, Montcalm County, Michigan, enumeration district (ED) 142, p. 10A, household 197, Mathew Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 27 January 2014); NARA group T624, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
141910 Census, Spencer, Kent County, Michigan, ED 141, p. 9B, household 177, Chester Holland family.
151910 Census, Home, Montcalm County, Michigan, ED 157, p. 19B, household 399, Glen Maxfield family.
161910 Census, Douglass, Montcalm County, Michigan, ED 149, p. 3A, household 41, Edna A. Johnson.
17Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952, Montcalm County, certificate 2, Mrs. Edna Johnson, 1911.
18"World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," digital image, United States, Selective Service System, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 26 March 2014), James Clair Maxfield, Spokane, Washington, 12 September 1918; citing , no. 1930.
19"World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," Guy E. Maxfield, Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, 12 September 1918.
20"World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," Glenn D. Maxfield, Stanton, Michigan, 12 September 1918.
21"World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," M. L. Maxfield, Hinton, Michigan, 5 June 1917.
22"World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," Matt Maxfield, Belvidere, Michigan, 5 June 1917.
23"World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," Albert Maxfield, Stanton, Michigan, 5 June 1917.
24Evergreen Township Cemetery, Sheridan, Montcalm County, Michigan, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 20 July 2023), Matt-Frances Maxfield; Originally Created by: Audrey & Larry Staffen, Maintained by: Gail, Photo added by Elda Dickinson.
25Fourteenth Census of the United States: 1920, population, Belvidere, Montcalm County, Michigan, enumeration district (ED) 100, p. 1A, household 7, Matthew Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 21 March 2014); NARA microfilm record group T625, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
261920 Census, Spencer, Kent County, Michigan, ED 111, p. 7A, household 141, Chester Holland family.
271920 Census, Rolland, Isabella County, Michigan, ED 213, p. 2A, household 26, Glen D. Maxfield family.
281920 Census, Richland, Montcalm County, Michigan, ED 138, p. 7A, household 79, M. L. Maxfield family.
291920 Census, Home, Montcalm County, Michigan, ED 127, p. 5A, household 105, James Showers family.
301920 Census, Home, Montcalm County, Michigan, ED 126, p. 8B, household 220, Wm . H. Ross family.
311920 Census, Elk, Price County, Wisconsin, ED 166, p. 4B, , Camp 6.
32Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952, Montcalm County, certificate 59-557, Grace M. Showers, 1922.
33Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952, Montcalm County, certificate 59-2816, Matthew N. Maxfield, 1930.
34Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, population, Belvidere, Montcalm County, Michigan, enumeration district (ED) 1, p. :8A, household 210, Alice Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 24 March 2014); NARA record Group T626.
35Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952, Montcalm County, certificate 59-5828, Alice Maxfield, 1940.
36Sixteenth Census of the United States: 1940, population, Belvidere, Montcalm County, Michigan, enumeration district (ED) 59-1, p. 12B, household 199, Frank Maxfield family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 25 March 2014); microfilm record group T627.
37Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952, Washtenaw County, certificate 183-3745, Gertrude Holland, 1947.
381930 Census, Spokane, Spokane County, Washington, ED 64, p. 7A, household 33, B. Clancy lodging house.
391940 Census, Four Lakes, Spokane County, Washington, ED 32-25, p. 3A, household 51, James Maxfield.
40Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950, population, Spokane, Spokane County, Washington, enumeration district (ED) 41-128, p. 14, dwelling 167, Jim C. Maxfield; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 17 November 2022); Record Group 29. National Archives at Washington, DC., Washington, DC.
411940 Census, Belvidere, Montcalm County, Michigan, ED 59-1, p. 12B, household 199, Frank Maxfield family.
421950 Census, Belvidere, Montcalm County, Michigan, ED 59-1B, p. 12, dwelling 133, Frank Maxfield.
431930 Census, Home, Montcalm County, Michigan, ED 59-22, p. 6B, household 137, William H. Ross family. 1940 Census, Home, Montcalm County, Michigan, ED 59-23, p. 1A, household 6, William Ross family.
44Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952, Washtenaw County, certificate 183-3745, Gertrude Holland, 1947.
45Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867–1952, Kent County, p. 475, e. 10509, Holland-Maxfield, 1896.
461900 Census, Spencer, Kent County, Michigan, ED 105, p. 244A, household 80, Chester Holland family. 1910 Census, Spencer, Kent County, Michigan, ED 141, p. 9B, household 177, Chester Holland family.
47Michigan Department of Vital Records, Lansing, Michigan, "Michigan Births, 1867-1902," database, Family Search (familysearch.org : accessed 13 June 2023), Montcalm County, 1877, p. 119, e. 243,Jim Maxfield.
48"Michigan Births, 1867-1902," Montcalm County, 1800, p. 140, e. 178, Frank E. Maxfield.
49Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952, Montcalm County, certificate 2, Mrs. Edna Johnson, 1911.
50Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867–1952, Montcalm County, p. 201, e. 1045, Johnson-Maxfield, 1906.
51Hillside Entrican Cemetery, Entrican, Montcalm County, Michigan, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 7 September 2018), Dodge B. Johnson; Originally Created by: Audrey & Larry Staffen, Maintained by: Stephen Lawrence, Photo added by Curtiss48858.
52Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952, Montcalm County, certificate 59-557, Grace M. Showers, 1922.
53Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867–1952, Montcalm County, p. 96, e. 1685, Showers-Maxfield, 1908.
54Vinewood Cemetery, Edmore, Montcalm County, Michigan, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 20 July 2023), James E. Showers; Created by: Bonnie Myers, Photo added by Todd A. Gardner.
55"Michigan Births, 1867-1902," Montcalm County, 1892, p. 94, e. 1584, ______ Maxfield.
56Vinewood Cemetery, Edmore, William-Mary Ross; Created and photo by: John C. Anderson.
57Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867–1952, Montcalm County, p. 141, e. 3629, Ross-Maxfield, 1915.
58Vinewood Cemetery, Edmore, Montcalm County, Michigan, Find a Grave, William-Mary Ross; Created and photo by: John C. Anderson.
591920 Census, Home, Montcalm County, Michigan, ED 126, p. 8B, household 220, Wm . H. Ross family. 1930 Census, Home, Montcalm County, Michigan, ED 59-22, p. 6B, household 137, William H. Ross family.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Evergreen Township Cemetery, Sheridan, Montcalm County, Michigan. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2023.

Hillside Entrican Cemetery, Entrican, Montcalm County, Michigan. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2018.

Historical Data Systems, comp. "U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865." Database. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2013.

Michigan Department of Community Health, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing, Michigan. "Michigan Births, 1867-1902." Database. Family Search. familysearch.org : 2023.

________. Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2023.

________. Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867–1952. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2023.

United States Department of the Census. 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.

________. 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 : 2014.

________. Fourteenth Census of the United States: 1920, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2014.

________. Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2014.

________. Sixteenth Census of the United States: 1940, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2014.

________. Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2022.

United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Eleventh Census of the United States: 1890, union veterans and widows. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2013.

United States, Selective Service System. "World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918." Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2014.

Vinewood Cemetery, Edmore, Montcalm County, Michigan. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2023.

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