WARREN5 MAXFIELD (Timothy4-3-2, John1) was born at Dartmouth, Bristol County, Massachusetts, on 8 February 1778 a son of Timothy Maxfield and his wife Wealthy Kempton. He died at New Bedford, Bristol County, on 8 May 1837.[1] He married at New Bedford on 3 January 1799 REBECCA PECKHAM.[2] She was born at New Bedford on 28 March 1780, a daughter of Prince Peckham and his wife Mary Jenney. She died at New Bedford on 13 December 1851.[3] She is almost always called "Ruby," perhaps to distinguish her from another Peckham cousin named Rebecca.
Warren Maxfield was a stone mason; he lived on Middle Street in New Bedford. He was reported at New Bedford in census records from 1800 through 1830. The numbers in various age and sex categories, with an identification of those known to be family members, follows:[4]
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
I cannot explain why this household was so large and contained so many otherwise unidentified persons.
Warren Maxfield purchased from his father a lot on Middle Street, New Bedford, of 29 ½ rods, on 10 March 1805.[5] He mortgaged this property to William H. Allen for $850 on 28 August 1829.[6] Warren Maxfield evidently paid the mortgage before the 1 January 1831 deadline. On 5 April 1831, Warren Maxfield of New Bedford, stone mason, sold to Peleg Clarke of New Bedford, carriage maker, for $2800, the lot of 29 ½ rods he purchased from his father in 1805. This deed described the property as a lot on the north side of Middle Street with a two story dwelling house and out buildings. Warren and Ruby Maxfield both signed the deed.[7]
Warren Maxfield participated in the life of congregations of the young Christian denomination. This was a group that believed the way to Christian unity was to avoid all creeds and heirarchy and to use no other name but Christian. In December 1820, when the persons elected deacon of North Christian Church declined, eight persons were selected to carry out the duties normally done by deacons; Warren Maxfield was one.[8] When differences of opinion arose at North Christian Church in regard to instrumental music, nine of its male members petitioned, March 21, 1828, to be dismissed and 'constitute a church of themselves.' Warren Maxfield was one of the nine. This petition was granted on 13 November 1828, and Middle Street Christian Church was organized.[9] The history of New Bedford Churches does not indicate which faction favored instrumental music and which opposed it, but as instrumental music was the innovation, the Middle Street group probably favored the use of instruments.
Warren Maxfield died at New Bedford on 8 May 1837 and is buried at Rural Cemetery, New Bedford.[10]
At the time of the 1830 census sons Ephraim, Isaac and Warren were each reported as heads of thier own households. In the 1840 census I have only found households headed by Warren and Benjamin. I cannot determine the whereabouts of widow Ruby Maxfield, or of sons Ephraim, Isaac, or James. The 1850 census reported households headed by Ephraim and Isaac Maxfield on Martha's Vineyard; households of sons Warren and James were in Fairhaven, Bristol County, and son Benjamin was at New Bedford. Their mother is not listed in any of their households. Ruby Maxfield died at 75 Elm Street, New Bedford, on 13 December 1851, from consumption. She is buried at Rural Cemetery, New Bedford.[11]
Warren Maxfield and his wife Rebecca "Ruby" Peckham had the following children:
1Vital Records of New Bedford, Massachusetts, to the year 1850, 3 volumes (Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1932. 1932, 1941), 3:115.
2Ibid., 2:366
3Massachusetts Archives, "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," digital images, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 2012), 57:78:380.
4Second Census of the United States: 1800, population, New Bedford, Bristol Co., MA, 19:818; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012); Third Census of the United States: 1810, population, New Bedford,, Bristol Co., MA, 17:299; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012); Fourth Census of the United States: 1820, population, New Bedford, Bristol Co., MA, 47:501; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012); Fifth Census of the United States: 1830, population, New Bedford, Bristol Co., MA, 59:309; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012).
5Bristol County, Massachusetts, Deeds, 85:258, accessed 2013; Bristol County Court House, Taunton, MA (familysearch.org).
6Ibid., 127:234-35.
7Ibid., 131:299.
8Jesse Fillmore Kelley, History of the Churches of New Bedford (New Bedford, MA: E. Anthony & Sons, Printer, 1869), 48; digital images, Google Books (books.google.com : accessed 2014.
9Ibid., 55.
10Cypress-185, Rural Cemetery, New Bedford, Bristol Co., MA.
11Ibid.; "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," digital images, American Ancestors, 57:78:380.
Bristol County, Massachusetts. Deeds. Bristol County Court House, Taunton, MA (familysearch.org).
"Death Records in the New Bedford Mercury, 1845-1874," New Bedford Free Public Library, New Bedford, MA.
Harding, Ann Borden, editor. Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, vol 3, George Soule. Plymouth, MA: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1980.
Kelley, Jesse Fillmore. History of the Churches of New Bedford. New Bedford, MA: E. Anthony & Sons, Printer, 1869. Digital images. Google Books. books.google.com : 2014.
Leonard, Elisha. "Leonard Papers." . New Bedford Free Public Library, New Bedford, MA.
Massachusetts Archives. "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910." Digital images. American Ancestors. americanancestors.org : 2012.
Rural Cemetery (New Bedford, Bristol Co., MA). Grave marker data.
United States Department of the Census. Second Census of the United States: 1800, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2012.
________. Third Census of the United States: 1810, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2012.
________. Fourth Census of the United States: 1820, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2012.
________. Fifth Census of the United States: 1830, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2012.
Vital Records of New Bedford, Massachusetts, to the year 1850. 3 volumes. Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1932. 1932, 1941.
Return to Maxfield Genealogy
Go to Maxfield Genealogy Outline Index