Family History from Phoebe Maxson Carr

Born October 3, 1845

Died Sept 12, 1922

 

Circa 1899

 

Info passed to Margie Carr Logan, her great-granddaughter.

 

 

 

 

Taken from records of Phoebe Isabelle Carr, Dad’s grandmother.

 

The family of Nathan Maxson and his wife, Susan Isabelle Wells Maxson, born in this country, came from England and were among the earliest settlers of New England and among the first who attempted a landing on the shores of Connecticut.  Their party made a temporary settlement near Throg’s Neck, hence called for some time, “Maxson’s Point”. 

 

They carried on a trade with the Indians and prospered until the breaking out of the Pequot War in 1637, when the savages made a sudden attack on the settlement.  Mr. Maxson and son Richard were killed, but Mrs. Maxson escaped with the survivors in the Shallop and after a tedious passage, landed on Aquitneck Island, the nearest coastal place free from danger of hostile Indians.  Soon after landing, John Maxson, Jr, was born.  This was on March 24, 1638.  Mrs. Maxson remained there and devoted herself to the support and education of her son John, who was the first White child born on the island of Rhode Island, or then called Aquitneck.

 

In 1661, John Maxson, at 23, joined a company, which was formed at Newport for the purchase and settlement of that portion of the country.  The articles of incorporation were signed on the 22^nd of March, 1661, and this is where Maxson lived and labored.

 

 

He married Mary Mosher, the sister or daughter of Hugh Mosher, one of the purchasers whose name is among records in the Rhode Island historical society collection.  The Maxsons purchased 2,684 acres belonging to the company.  No further record of them is known until 1692. 

 

In the meantime, the colony had embraced the views of the Seventh-Day Baptists, and joined this church.  He was ordained as the first leading elder of the Seventh-Day Baptist church in Newport on May 20, 1708, at Westerly.  He lived to a good old age and was buried in Ashaway, Rhode Island, in the Clark burying ground, near the Powcatuck River in view of the old site of the meeting house where on a blue slate stone is this inscription:  “Here lieth the body of John Maxson.  He died Dec 17, 1720, in the 82^nd year of is age.”

 

In August 1899, I had the pleasure of attending the dedication of a beautiful light gray monument erected to his memory, and to the other early pastors of Rhode Island.  The exercises were very interesting and of historic value.  I was glad that I could stand beside the grave of my first American ancestor, and know that they were so closely identified with the settlement of our beloved country, from the landing of the Mayflower, to this present time, 1899.

 

There were several John Maxsons, and our branch came through John Maxson III, born April 27, 1727.  His son, Matthew, married Martha Potter on December 20, 1748.  Their children were:

 

Thomas                        Born Jan 7, 1850

Peleg                            Born Jan 7, 1752

Matthew Jr                   Born Jan 6, 1754

George                         Born Oct 10, 1756

Nathan                         Born Dec 9, 1759

Abel                             Born Jan 1, 1761

Luke                            Born April 18, 1763

Martha                         Born May 8, 1765

Mary                            Born July 9, 1767

Randal                          Born July 7, 1769

Potter                           Born July 4, 1773

 

All were born in Westerly, Rhode Island.

 

Luke Maxson, son of Matthew and Martha Potter Maxson (our great grandfather), married Lydia Burdick.  Their children:

 

Luke Maxson               Jan 10, 1784    (our grandfather)

Lydia                            July 12, 1788   married Maxson Greene

Matthew                       April 17, 1790

Mary                            Sept 27, 1793  married Henry Sheldon

Martha                         Feb 13, 1792   married Mr. Saunders

Nancy                          Jan 20, 1796    married Joseph Goodrich

George                         April 19, 1798  married Phoebe Wells

 

Luke Maxson, son of Luke and Lydia (Burdick) Maxson, married Susannah Greene in 1807—their marriage being the first marriage in Alfred, Alleghany County, New York.  Their children were:

 

Susan                           May 15, 1808  married Spencer Sweet

Almira                          Aug 17, 1813

Eucelia                         Jan 25, 1815    married Perry Sweet

Luke Green                  Nov 16, 1817  married Cordelia Hartshorn

Nathan                         Oct 23, 1819   married Susan Isabelle Wells

Arminda                                   1821    married Rev. James Haldane Cochran

 

Lydia Ann                    Oct 25, 1823   married George P Maxson

George Russell June 10, 1832  Died Oct 12, 1893

 

Nathan Maxson and Susan Isabelle Wells married Sept 23, 1844, at the home of her father, Samuel Wells.  They started soon after for Alfred, New York—taking a boat trip on Lake Ontario, and went to his father’s home, where they spent the winter.

 

In the spring, they moved to the Hillside farm, which he had purchased.  Here Phoebe Isabelle Maxson was born Oct 3, 1845, and also Nathan Edward on July 29^th, 1847.

 

Later, he bought his father’s farm homestead at Alfred Center, where Mary Gertrude was born April 17, 1849.  This place—the Maxson Homestead—was where the city of Alfred is now situated.  Our grandfather, Luke Maxson, built a commodious house for those days, just across the road, reserving the land on that side for his use.

 

The house was built long side facing the road and painted white, with a kitchen and woodshed running back, painted red.  The well was in the backroom.

 

Maxson Greene, a brother of grandmother, has married grandfather’s sister, Lydia Maxson.  Their farm adjoined ours on the south.  They never had any children, but were fond of them, and many a young man or woman was assisted by this highly respected couple in obtaining an education.

 

He was the founder of Alfred Academy, which later became Alfred University, of much renown.  He was an ardent supporter of the same, and at his death willed his estate to his school.  Both of these farms are now a part of Alfred.

 

Maxson Greene gave a portion of land when the first building was put up and most of the university buildings were located on his farm.

 

It is a beautiful place on a hillside, with big pine and maples with mature trees.  I have always had a vivid picture in my mind of my father’s old home, where we lived in my fifth year. 

 

I can see the low old unpainted house—the front door out which was a crude porch, covered with vines, and rose bushes on either side, close against the house—a big balm of Gilead tree close by, near which was a spring with its open bucket with flowering shrubbery, lilacs, snowballs and high bush cranberry near the back door and roses all along the front fence and the big orchard north of the house, planted on a side hill.

 

There was a brook just a little back of the house, and a great big wild cherry tree half across the brook.  There was always a swing in that cherry tree since the first little folks played in and about this stream of water—that was a sacred place to Uncle George and my father and the neighboring children also.  Here in this cherry tree is where Uncle George put up a swing, and it seems to me that he used to swing me half across the brook. 

 

My father built a new barn the summer before my sister was born, I think, because I can remember his building a barn while we lived there.

 

In the spring of 1850, father made a trip to Wisconsin, to look that country over, as it was attracting a good deal of attention.  It was considered one of the most promising sections of the great northwest.  Not, however, with the intention of moving his family there, but to see the country for himself, and to locate some land warrants that he had been given to his grandfather, Luke Maxson, for service in the War of 1812.

 

According to a letter written to my mother dated Milton, Wisconsin, April 17, 1850, he left Alfred for Almont, New York, intending to take the stage from Utica through to the lake, but found no boat that way, so April 9^th he took the stage for Rochester, and from there by railroad to Buffalo, and the next morning boarded the Mayflower, a new fast sailing boat which also carried the mail.  Stops were made at Detroit, Michigan, Chicago, Southport and Milwaukee, thence by stage to Milton, Wisconsin, arriving there Monday, April 15^th, 1850.

 

He had intended going to Minnesota after seeing Illinois and Michigan, but evidently, he was so enraptured, for he writes:

 

“You may wish my opinion of Wisconsin.  I can give it in short, I have seen thousands of acres of the most beautiful land that I ever beheld, far more so than can be imagined, in fact it is perfectly delightful, enchanting…There is a farm containing 162 acres, part prairie and part oak, opening which I can buy, I would give all my boots and shoes I possess, with a lot of cash besides…Yesterday I completed a bargain for the farm I have already mentioned, and shall not go to Minnesota, but shall soon start on a trip to Illinois.”

 

In the vicinity of Rockford, he bought some land.  His brother Green (Luke Green) had one and also moved his family there about the time father came here, for I remember going with father and mother with a horse and carriage to visit them next spring.  I remember how hot and thirsty I got while crossing the great prairie with the tall grass on either side and how father went with me to a little shack to get a drink of water.   We found the woman shelling peas for dinner. 

 

Then we drove for miles across the prairie until at last we came in sight of some timber and father said “there is where Uncle Green lives.”  When we had almost reached the place, we came to a little creek right in the road and nothing to do but to drive through the water which looked innocent enough, but proved to soft and soggy, and down , down we went, mother half fainting with fright and the water almost reaching the top of the buggy box.

 

I do not remember how we got out, but it seems to me that uncle had to come out and help draw us out, seeing us there from the house, for they were expecting us and knowing how treacherous those sink holes were in those days.  I have no idea of dates at this point, for this must have been about a year after we arrived here in Milton.

 

 I have no date of his return to Alfred, but I know that my mother was much disappointed that he had decided to move “out west”.  She loved Alfred and was hoping to live there among her many friends.  During father’s absence she had been very ambitious to have everything in good order  and the spring cleaning out of the way before his return.   So she had grandmother’s loom set up I the chamber and set herself to make new carpets as a surprise.  She could spin and weave herself, and during this time finished colored carpet rugs so that she had already woven 65 yards when she got word that father was really going to leave everything and follow the great procession going west.

 

That was one of the first great struggles of her life, but she went about it bravely and on June 15, 1850, we landed here at Uncle Joe Goodrich’s with our loads of household goods, our horses “Gray and Charley”, driven by father or Uncle Green and drawn by a beautiful dapple gray horse of which father was very proud.  There must have been several other families who came out at the same time we did, for I remember there was a long string of teams in the procession.  When we stopped to rest the teams, we children would gather great armfuls of wild flowers that fairly covered the prairie from Milwaukee to Milton, which were a mass of pink and yellow blossoms, a regular forest of tall weeds and wildflowers of every description they tell me.

 

I have very little recollection of moving into our new home, but I have heard mother tell what a desolate dirty house she found waiting her.  The former owner was Mr. Shaw, and his wife was a very poor housekeeper.  The house was a two story frame house and had the honor of being the first framed house in the town of Milton, but was convenient in arrangement and when mother had cleaned it thoroughly, and whitewashed the walls, and the new rug carpet in place with the dainty touch that she always gave to her home, she was quite pleased with the change inside as she found it.

 

There was a young nursery of 300 trees and an orchard of choice apples with plums, cherry, currant bushes, grapevines, and a variety of shrubbery in the front yard so that the place was very attractive in appearance.

 

When we came west, father’s Uncle Maxson Greene and wife came also for a visit with her sister, Nancy Goodrich, wife of Joseph Goodrich, the founder of Milton.

 

There proved to be so much sickness during July with an epidemic of cholera and several fatal cases.  Uncle Maxson was quite a nurse among those needing help, there came to the hotel where he was staying a Norwegian who was very sick and later died of this disease.  He took care of him and did all he could to save him.  After his (the Norwegian’s) death, being much worn from nursing, he and his wife came out to our farm to rest up.

 

Before returning home to Alfred, he was stricken with the disease, and died July 28.  His wife died a day or so later.  This was a terrible shock to their many friends and cast a gloom over mother, who was suffering from homesickness, without this added trouble.  She was just worn out with care and anxiety and was sick herself under the care of a physician for some time afterward.

 

In the spring of 1851, Elder Barnum Hull, an old school mate and personal friend, being unable to get a house for his family, moved into our parlour with small bedroom.  The three boys had rooms upstairs.  Here they lived for a year, cooking their meals on mother’s stove and passing through our living room every time they went to go from their room.  While there, Jennie Hull was born.  Just think of two families living in such close quarters for a year and parting with the warmest affection between the two families.  I have heard both Mrs. Hull and my mother say there was not an unkind word between them and they were the closest of friends ever after.

 

In the fall of 1815, father rented the farm and moved to the village of Milton, buying a store of the gravel blacksmith shop.  Here he sold general merchandise and bought grain, wheat, oats and barley, the main crops raised here, shipping them to Milwaukee.  The family occupied rooms in the back of the building and chamber.

 

March 19, 1852, Adelbert Wells Maxson was born about the same time the railroad was built from Milwaukee to Janesville, but didn’t reach Milton until sometime that fall.  I remember the first engine when it could only get as far as Stores Lake, and a little later when it came as far as Milton.  Here they built a roundhouse and it was great fun watching them turn the engine around by hand, ready to go back to Milwaukee.

 

In the winter of ’53 and ’54 there was much sickness from typhoid fever and our family among the victims.  Mother doctored the three youngest, and they did not have a real run of fever as they called it, then mother was taken sick and shortly afterward I was sick also.  We were both very sick for six or eight weeks, then father was sick six weeks and had a relapse for six weeks longer.  As soon as he was able to go, we moved back on the farm.

 

In June of that year the railroad was completed as far west as Madison and the company gave an excursion to that city in honor of that event.  Father, Mother and I went to Madison at that time.  There were 36 cars in all to accommodate the big crowd, but they didn’t have enough passenger coaches and by the time the train arrived at Milton, they had to put on freight cars.  I remember how disappointed I was that we had to ride on an improvised seat in the freight car, but coming home, we made sure to ride in the coach, which we thought very fine. 

 

That was a most wonderful trip.  The Madison people decorated the city in honor and gave a demonstration of what their fire engines could do, throwing water upon a very high building.  Father took us all through the capital building.  I remember mother wanted to go to the top of the dome, but they had to go up a ladder that last climb, and father, having taken the trip himself, thought it was not suitable for a woman to climb that ladder, so we had to be satisfied to get a glimpse of the city and surrounding country from the base of the dome, and how high it did seem to me.  That was a wonderful day for me, which I will never forget.

 

The next very important event was the sickness and death of my father, which occurred Saturday, Feb 17, 1855 at 5 o’clock pm after a brief illness of three days with pleurisy.  I suppose in those days it would have been called pluro pneumonia.  For two days his suffering was intense, but Sabbath morning the doctor, who had stayed with him all night reported that the danger was past, and he would get well.

 

Uncle Green shaved him that morning, and mother had changed his clothing and removed poultices as the doctor had ordered.  It was my mothers 36^th birthday, and father had bought a little book as a present.  This he had her get and asked her to read to him from it, and “sit on the bed and lay my head in your lap”, which she did. 

 

It was while reading thus, that mother after a time noticed that there was a change in his condition.  His face was covered with beads of perspiration and he seemed to be in a state of collapse.  I remember that we children were playing together quietly on the floor, when mother called Uncle George to come quickly.  Then there was confusion, someone going to the neighbor Needham, for a stimulant of any kind, Uncle George going for the doctor. 

 

Church was just out and word was passed quickly that father was much worse and many friends came right away, among them Elder Barnum Hull, who was then pastor, and Uncle Perry and Aunt Eucelia.  Everything was done to revive him, but to no avail, and at about 5 o’clock he very quietly passed away with his hand in mother’s.  He was conscious almost to the very last, and tried to answer mother as she called his name.  He died Saturday, Feb 17, 1855, age 35 and about 5 months.

 

Nathan Maxson (son of Luke Maxson and Susan Greene Maxson) married Sept 23, 1844.  Their children were:

 

Phoebe Isabelle            born Oct 3, 1845

Nathan Edward            born July 29, 1847

Mary Gertrude             born April 17, 1849

Adelbert Wells born March 19, 1852

 

Phoebe Isabelle Maxson married Joseph Goodrich Carr Oct 14, 1863.  Their children are:

 

Fred Maxson Carr        born April 2, 1865

Annabel                        born April 7, 1866

Joseph Leon                 born April 7, 1870

Alice Mary                   born Jan 17, 1875

Maude Emelyn born Aug 13, 1882, died Feb 27,1884

 

Link to info about Joseph Goodrich Carr, from 1899 Book

Fred Maxson Carr, born April 2, 1865, married Etta M. Palmer March 28, 1894. Their children are:

 

James Haldane Carr     born Feb 25, 1895      

Maude Isabelle born May 12, 1899     

 

Alice Elizabeth  born Sept 4, 1906       

 

Genealogy of my grandmother Susannah Greene, wife of Joshua Greene, born about 1734, and lived in Charlottesville, Rhode Island.  It is thought he married Mary Maxson.  They had four sons and three daughters:   Samuel, Mary, Edward G. and Maxson…other names not given. 

 

Edward G. Greene, son of Joshua, son of John, son of Benjamin, son of John born in Charleston, Rhode Island, march 12, 1750.  He married Susannah Crandall.  He was a first cousin to Judge Edward Greene.  He was a soldier of the revolution and during his last days drew a pension.  Their children were:

 

Hannah Greene b Mar 29, 1781            m James Fisk, died, then Gideon Spicer.

Edward                        b Dec 8, 1782              m Ruth Hamilton

Nathan                         b May 10, 1785           m. Orpha Hamilton, died, then Martha Saunders

Maxson                        b Feb 26, 1788            m. Lydia Maxson  no children

Lucy                             b July 7, 1790              m. Freeborn Hamilton

Susannah                      b Mar 26, 1793            m. Luke Maxson, 1807

Isaiah                           b Sept 14, 1794           m. Betsey Bassett

Annis                            b Mar 8, 1798              m. John Pierce Livermore  no children