Descendants of John Maxfield
of Salisbury, Massachusetts
Sixth Generation

The 1830 census (85:290) reported the Ira Maxfield household at Mooers, Clinton County, New York, consisting of one male and one female, in their 20s.

The Ira Maxfield family moved to Ohio in 1834, and then settled at Lamont, in Tallmadge Township, Ottawa County, Michigan in 1836, just a year after the first settlers (His Lamont; Ottawa obits). In 1838 the Township of Tallmadge was organized, and Ira was named one of five Justices of the Peace (His Lamont). Ira H. Maxfield was a steward of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1840 (His Grand Rapids, 307).

The Ira Maxfield family was reported in Tallmadge Township in the 1840, 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses. Ira was a farmer. The 1840 Census (209:169) reported a male in his 30s, a male and a female in their 20s, and two girls, one between 5 and 9, the other under 5. Lucinda's age could have been slightly underestimated, and a male in his twenties not of the immediate family was present. In 1850 (361:11B) the first five children had been born and were all at home. In 1860 (557:323) the first two children were gone, but the remaining four were at home. In 1870 (697:288A) the youngest two children were still at home: Charles, age 23, was an engineer on a boat; Jennie, listed under her married name as Jennis Howe, was listed as a "servant girl."

Ira Maxfield died at Lamont on 25 March 1874 (Maplewood Cem; Michigana 29:118 gives year; Carlson).

Lucinda Angell Maxfield, reported living with her son John at Tallmadge Township in the 1880 census, died at Lamont on 18 May 1891 (Maplewood Cem, Ottawa obits; Carlson). For her full obituary see below.

Ira Maxfield and his wife Lucinda Angell had the following children:

1. HARRIET MATILDA⁷ MAXFIELD
   • b. at New York about 1830/1 (1850 census)
   • d. on 1919 (Ford)
   • m. at Tallmadge Twp. on 2 November 1852 JOSEPH A. BLAKENEY (Michigana 28:25)
     • This may certify Mr. Joseph A. Blakeney aged 24 years and Miss Harriet Matilda Maxfield aged 20 years, both of the town of Tallmadge, County of Ottaway, Michigan, were by me united in marriage in said town on 2 of November, 1852.
       Present: J. H. Maxfield and Lucinda Maxfield
       signed: Albert Maxfield, minister
     • b. at New York on 9 February 1827 (Ford)
     • d. at Michigan on 29 June 1904 (Ford)
2. CORNELIA L.⁷ MAXFIELD
   • b. at Michigan about 1837/8 (1850 census)
   • m. at Kent County, MI, on 4 July 1857 WILLIAM HENRY SCOTT (Mich M)
3. LEMUEL PEAK⁷ MAXFIELD b. at Lamont on November 1841
4. JOHN ALLEN⁷ MAXFIELD b. at Lamont on 11 March 1842
5. CHARLES W.⁷ MAXFIELD b. at Lamont on June 1847
6. JENNIE ALMIRA⁷ MAXFIELD
   • b. at Lamont about 1849/50 (1860 census)
   • d. on 30 November 1914 (IGI)
   • m. at Lamont on 27 January 1869 CHARLES THADDEUS HOWE (VR MI M)
     • b. at Ithaca, New York, about 1845
     • d. on 29 March 1930 (Jackson Co M)

Mrs. Lucinda Maxfield, widow of the late Ira Maxfield, of Tallmadge, died at the residence of her son, John A. Maxfield, near Lamont, this county, May 18, 1891. Her funeral took place at Lamont, on Thursday of last week, Rev. Williams officiating.
Mrs. Maxfield, maiden name, Lucinda Angell, was born at Mooers, NY, May 29, 1809. She was married to Ira H. Maxfield August 25, 1829. Mr. and Mrs. Maxfield resided in the state of New York until the year 1834, when they removed to Ohio. In the fall of 1835, her husband came on foot to Michigan, then a territory, made preemption on a claim of government land; built a shanty and went back to Ohio for his wife and two children. They made the journey with an ox team, arriving at their claim Feb. 13, 1836 . That claim has developed into the fine farm now owned by her son, J. A. Maxfield, and had been the home of the mother for upwards of 55 years. The last twelve miles of the journey of Mr. and Mrs. Maxfield from Ohio to that future home was made on the ice on Grand River, there being as yet no roads that could be used with teams. An Indian trail was the only passageway through the dense forests to the settlers west of Grand Rapids. Many days and nights Mrs. Maxfield spent bravely and hopefully with her little children in the little log hut in the wilderness, surrounded by Indians and wolves, while the husband and father paddled his canoe up or down Grand River to the small villages of Grand Rapids or Grand Haven for food and necessary family supplies.
Mrs. Maxfield experienced religion and united with the M. E. church in her youth and continued a member of that church until her death. She was a widow seventeen years. She leaves six children, Mrs. J. A. Blakeney and Mrs. Wm, H. Scott, of Allendale—the later being the first white child born in the Grand River Valley, between Grandville and Grand Haven—Lemuel P. Maxfield, Helena, Arkansas; J. A. Maxfield, Omaha, Nebraska, and Mrs. Jennie Howe, Pipestone, Minnesota. The deceased had at the time of her death 29 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. She departed greatly beloved by friends and neighbors for her generous and noble character as a mother and as a Christian, true and sincere.

Transcribed by Joan Van Spronsen; Created: 7 Sep 2010
URL: http://ottawa.migenweb.net/obits/k-r/maxfieldLucinda.html
Taken from Coopersville Observer Obituaries by Loekie Boersma

Information on this family is found in:

• Census records

Carlson

Carlson, Joan, to Charles Maxfield. E-mail. 23 May 2001.

Edwards

Edwards, Howell B. Butcher-Totty Families (http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/FH1&CISOPTR=103324&REC=2), 79.

Ford

Ford, Morgan. Ford Family Tree. Ancestry Family Trees (http://trees.ancestry.com). Accessed 11 November 2011.

His Grand Rapids

Baxter, Albert. History of the City of Grand Rapids (1891. books.google.com), 307.

His Lamont

"History of Lamont 1835-1935." rootsweb.com

IGI

International Genealogical Index. www.familysearch.org.

Jackson Co M

Marriage Records, 1833-1910. Jackson County (Michigan). County Court. International Genealogical Index. www.familysearch.org.

Maplewood Cem

Maplewood Cemetery , Lamont, Ottawa County, MI. Find a grave (findagrave.com). Accessed 15 August 2011.

Mich M

Michigan Marriages, 1851-75. ancestry.com

Michigana

Michigana. Grand Rapids, Mi: Genealogical Society of Western Michigan.

Ottawa obits

Ottawa County: Obituaries. U.S. Gen Web Archives: Michigan. (http://files.usgwarchives.net). Accessed 20 September 2011.

VR MI M

Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925. Family Search (fanilysearch.org).