JOHN4 MAXFIELD (Joshua3, Joseph2, John1) was born at Weare, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, on 4 June 1770[1] a son of Joshua Maxfield and his wife Sarah Currier . He married at Weare on 2 August 1791 MOLLY CARR.[2] She was born at New Hampshire about 1772/3, a daughter of Ezekiel and Molly Carr of Weare. She died at Weare on August 1859.[3] She appears to be the same person who in later records is called "Polly Maxfield."
John Maxfield was reported in the 1790 census at Weare, head of a household of two.[4] The female in his household is not identified; John may also have been included in the report of his father's household.
John Maxfield and Molly Carr were married at Weare on 2 August 1791, by John Robie, justice of the peace. John was described as from Fishersfield, Hillsborough County, Molly from Weare.[5] They were reported at Weare in the 1800 census as follows, with the possible identities of the persons:[6]
| male 26-45 | John, 30 |
| female 26-45 | Molly, 27 |
| male 16-25 | unidentified |
| male 0-9 | Ezekiel, abt 8 |
| female 0-9 | Sarah, 1 |
I have not found any record of this family in the 1810 census. In 1820 they were reported at Weare, a family of three: Male 45+ (John, 50), female 45+ (Molly, 47), and a female under ten.[7] This last person could have been Mary Maxfield, their granddaughter. Son Ezekiel had died, and his widow had not yet remarried, so the girl could have been staying with her grandparents.
John Maxfield appears to have been perceived as ecentric. According to History of Weare, John lived at Lilly Pons # 2, then
John Maxfield, just a little crazy, afterwards lived at the Clough place, and planted the island, and called it 'Lord Maxfield's garden.'[8]
I have not found either John or Molly in the 1830 and 1840 censuses. The 1850 census reported Polly Maxfield, age 80, a pauper in the poor house at Weare.[9]
Polly Maxfield died at Weare in August 1859, a widow, age 86, she died of old age.[10] I have found no mention of John Maxfield beyond the 1820 census.
John Maxfield and his wife Molly Carr had the following children:
1State of New Hampshire. Bureau of Vital Statistics, Concord, NH, Index of Births to 1900;Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT.
2State of New Hampshire. Bureau of Vital Statistics, Concord, NH, Index to Marriages Up to 1900;Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT.
3Eighth Census of the United States: 1860, mortality schedule, Weare, Hillsborough Co., NH, 4:1:4; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2013). The estimate of her birth date is based on her age as reported at death. Based on the 1850 Census it would be 1769/70. Her parents are identified from her marriage record.
4First Census of the United States: 1790, population, Fishersfield, Hillsboro Co., NH, 5:287; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012).
5New Hampshire Marriage Index.
6Second Census of the United States: 1800, population, Weare, Hillsboro Co., NH, 20:642; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012).
7Fourth Census of the United States: 1820, population, Weare, Hillsboro Co., NH, 61:758; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012).
8William Little, The History of Weare, New Hampshire, 1735-1888 (Lowell, MA: by the Town, 1888), 13.
9Seventh Census of the United States: 1850, population, Weare, Hillsboro Co., NH, 432:238B, 413; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012).
101860 Census mortality schedule.
11New Hampshire, Bureau of Vital Records, Concord, NH, New Hampshire, Death Records, 1654-1947; digital images, Family Search (familysearch.org : accessed 2011). Birth estimate is based on age at death. This is also the source of her married name.
French, Harry Dana. Descendants of John Maxfield of Salisbury, Mass. New Hampshire Historical Society Library, Concord, NH, about 1952.
Little, William. The History of Weare, New Hampshire, 1735-1888. Lowell, MA: by the Town, 1888.
State of New Hampshire. Bureau of Vital Statistics, Concord, NH. Index of Births to 1900. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT.
________. Index to Marriages Up to 1900. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT.
________. Bureau of Vital Records. Concord, NH. "New Hampshire, Death Records, 1654-1947." Digital images. Family Search. familysearch.org : 2011.
United States, Department of the Census. First Census of the United States: 1790, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2012.
________. Second Census of the United States: 1800, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2012.
________. Fourth Census of the United States: 1820, 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, mortality schedule. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2013.
Wright, Elizabeth. "John Maxfield of Salisbury, Massachusetts, 1652, and Some of His Descendants." The Nebraska and Midwest Genealogical Record (1928–1930): 6:52-56; 7:20-24, 42-47, 61-71, 87-96; 8:15-22.
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