Descendants of John Maxfield
of Salisbury, Massachusetts
Seventh Generation

CHARLES POPE7 MAXFIELD (Warren6-5, Timothy4-3-2, John1) was born at Fairhaven, Bristol County, Massachusetts, on 3 December 1849,[1] son of Warren Maxfield and his wife Sarah Stetson. He died at Fairhaven on 30 July 1928.[2] He first married ELLEN MARIA THOMAS at Freetown, Bristol County, on 4 October 1868.[3] "Nellie" Thomas was born at Freetown on 27 April 1849,[4] a child of Calvin Thomas and his wife Hope Ann Richardson. She died at Fairhaven on 4 October 1918.[5] Charles P. Maxfield married as his second wife at New Bedford, Bristol County, on 2 April 1919 MARY ANN (________) SWENSON.[6] She was born at Massachusetts about 1868 and died at Fairhaven on 2 August 1941.[7]


Marriage Certificate of Charles P. Maxfield and Ellen Thomas

Charles and Nellie were both fatherless children. Charles was born the tenth of ten children to parents aged 41 and 40. His father died when he was 9, and he was raised by his mother. Ellen's parents do not appear on any record together after the birth of her brother when she was 2. At age 6 the state census reported her living on the farm of her grandparents, Calvin Thomas, Sr., and Lois, at Freetown.[8] When she was 11, the census reported her still on her grandparents' farm, but her father was also there.[9] Ellen's father went off to fight in the Civil War when Ellen was 13; he returned a year later, and died in a couple of months. When she was 15 her grandfather died, also her brother, living then in Fairhaven. At age 16 she was living with her grandmother on the farn in Freetown, now being farmed by her uncle Charles.[10]

Charles Pope Maxfield was called a "gunworker" on his marriage record in 1868. He was described as a tinman, tin smith, or tin plate worker, in the 1870 and 1880 censuses and the birth records of his children, 1869-1878. The family remembered him as a sheet metal worker and plumber. He was partner in "Coggeshall-Maxfield Co.," which made tin plates for the whaling ships. As the whaling industry declined he shifted to plumbing. The business' second address was 26 North Second Street, New Bedford.

The family of Charles and Nellie Maxfield and a five month old son was reported in the 1870 census at Fairhaven (Mattapoisett Post Office). Charles Maxfield had a personal estate of $300.[11]

On 10 November 1873, Harry Holcomb and son and Roland Holcomb of New Bedford, sold to Charles P. Maxfield of Fairhaven, for $1 and other valuable considerations, a lot in Fairhaven on the south side of Bridge Street.[12]

The 1880 census reported the family in Fairhaven as follows:[13]

Line Name Race Sex Age Related MS Occupation B FB MB
16 Maxfield, Charles P. W M 31 M tinsmith MA MA MA
17 Maxfield, Nellie M. W F 31 wife M keeps house MA MA MA
18 Maxfield, Charles A. W M 10 son S at school MA MA MA
19 Maxfield, Anna C. W F 7 daughter S MA MA MA
20 Maxfield, Warren S. W M 4 son S MA MA MA
21 Maxfield, Nellie T. W F 1 daughter S MA MA MA

By 1900 sons Charles and Warren had married and left home; a new child, Frank, had been added to the family. The 1900 census reported the family at 5 Bridge Street, Fairhaven. Family members with their birth months were: Charles P., December 1849; Ellen T., April 1849; Annie C., June 1873; Nellie T., November 1878; and Frank T., October 1881. Ellen had seven children, five living. Charles was a plumber, Annie and Nellie were teachers, and Frank was an apprenticed tinsmith.[14]

The 1910 census reported Charles P. and Ellen T. Maxfield, ages 60 and 59 respectively, at 98 Bridge Street, Fairhaven. His occupation was listed as "selectman, public service." With them was their daughter, Helen T. Maxfield, age 31, single, a teacher in public school, and a servant, Rose Francis.[15]

Charles Pope Maxfield was active in civic life, serving for many years on the Town Board of Selectmen. In July, 1919, he had the honor of receiving a samurai sword, on behalf of the Town, from the government of Japan, in recognition of the role of the Town in raising a Japanese boy whose ship was wrecked. This story was told brielfy in a Yankee magazine article in the July, 1965 issue, beginning on page 50, titled "New England's Strangest Fourth," by L. F. Willard.[16] In that article, Selectman Maxfield's name was given correctly at one point, another similar name was given for him at another point.

The pages of the Fairhaven Star made numerous references to Charles P. Maxfield, that help fill in the details of his life. Some of these were:[17]

The Star made several references to Charles P. Maxfield's involvement in the Improvement Association, on its Executive Committee and Committee on Sanitary matters (10, 17 May 1884). Also he continued to be involved in Democratic politics on the Town Committee and as delegate to conventions (11, 25 October 1884). His tax assessment, which was among the top thousand in the Town, but not near the top of that list, was also mentioned (16 August 1884, 13 July 1889). He was active in the Fire Department, at various times as clerk, treasurer, and engineer (9 May 1885, 28 April 1888, 27 April 1889).

Charles P. Maxfield's first wife, Ellen Maria "Nellie" Thomas, was also active in civic affairs, being one of the first (not the first) women elected to the Town School Board (Fairhaven Star 8 March 1890). She was also active in the Eastern Star and the Unitarian Church. Ellen T. Maxfield died at Fairhaven on 4 October 1918,[16] on her fiftieth wedding anniversary, a victim of the flu epidemic. The obituary of Ellen T. Maxfield is below.

After Ellen's death, Charles P. Maxfield remarried. He married Mary Ann Swenson at New Bedford on 1919. According to the marriage record, this was mary Ann's first marriage; however the 1920 census reported a daughter surnamed Swenson in the household, which suggests she may have been married before. I have not been able to trace her life before her marriage. The 1920 census reported Charles P. and Mary A. Maxfield, ages 69 and 52, living at 85 Bridge Street, Fairhaven, with Helen F. Swenson, 18, who was listed as daughter. All had their occupation listed as "none."[18]

Charles P. Maxfield's will, written on 27 October 1926, and proved 10 August 1928, was abstracted in the New Bedford Standard.[19] For the newspaper abstract of his will, see below. He died at Fairhaven on 30 July 1928, age 78 years, 7 months, and 26 days. His second wife, Mary Ann, died suddenly at Fairhaven on 2 August 1941.[20]

Charles Pope Maxfield and both of his wives were buried at Riverside Cemetery in Fairhaven.


Charles Pope Maxfield with a son

Granddaughter Doris Maxfield Hartshorn wrote these remembrances in 1984:[21]

I remember Annie, Helen, Frank, and Warren, and Norman was talked about a lot, but he died before I was born. Warren was rather not dependable; Frank was a handsome young man but died very young.
Frank, Helen, and Annie were all married at Grandmother Maxfield's after my arrival so I remember their weddings.
Grandma Maxfield was on the school committee in Fairhaven, served quite a while. She was the first Matron of Eastern Star (O.E.S. 105) in Fairhaven. Her name still stands out on our monthly programs because she was first.
She loved to recite poetry--she loved her grandchildren, always giving us a lunch after school, etc.
In those days tramps were quite prevalent. Always a certain few knew a good place to stop and we would see them on Grandmother's back steps--one at a time.
Mother and Grandmother visited a lot so Dad had a gate put into the fence between the 2 houses.
Grandpa M. wouldn't put an addition on his house so Dad did it for his mother . . .
Grandma Maxfield died in 1918 the year of the flu epidemic. All funerals were private.
Charles Pope Maxfield and his first wife Ellen Thomas had the following children:
  1. CECILIARETTA8 MAXFIELD called "Cecile A." on grave. b. at Fairhaven on 16 January 1869;[22] d. at Fairhaven on 21 January 1869[23]
    Pauline Maxfield recalled that the Puritan style cradle which continues in the family originally had a paper attached to it indicating that it belonged to Ceciliaretta Maxfield
  2. CHARLES ALBERT8 MAXFIELD b. at Fairhaven on 25 January 1870
  3. ANNIE COGGESHALL8 MAXFIELD b. at Fairhaven on 14 June 1873;[24] d. at Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., MA, on 26 October 1923;[25] m. (1) at Fairhaven on 19 April 1904 ELI B. BENCE;[26] b. at Fall River, Bristol Co., on 1865; d. at Pittsfield on 4 May 1915;[27] m. (2) on February 1922 C. LILLISTRAND[28] b. 1873
  4. WARREN SMITH8 MAXFIELD b. at Fairhaven on 2 April 1876
  5. HELEN THOMAS8 MAXFIELD b. at Fairhaven on 24 November 1878;[29] d. at Taunton, Bristol Co., on 1 March 1917;[30] died in caesarian birth; m. at Taunton on 18 August 1915 HARRIE SANFORD DARY[31] b. abt. 1871; d. at Taunton on 12 January 1930.[32]
  6. FRANK THOMAS8 MAXFIELD b. at Fairhaven on 10 October 1881
  7. NORMAN THOMAS8 MAXFIELD b. at Fairhaven on 24 April 1889;[33] d. at Fairhaven on 30 April 1893.[34]

An abstract of the will of Charles P. Maxfield appeared in the New Bedford Standard, dateline Taunton, 10 August [1928]

C. P. MAXFIELD'S WILL IS FILED
Taunton, Aug. 10--The will of Charles P. Maxfield, Fairhaven, offered in Probate court at Taunton by Mary Ann Maxfield, widow of the testator, who is nominated executor, leaves the sum of $10,000 to a son, Charles Albert Maxfield, and $100 to another son, Warren Smith Maxfield. The house at Bridge street is devised to the widow. A servant in the Maxfield home, Rosa Rose, received $500. The income from the rest of the estate is given to the widow. At her death it is to be divided among the grandchildren of the testator. The heirs-at-law enumerated on the petition are the widow, two sons and a grandson, Maxfield Bence. The instrument was signed Oct. 27, 1926.
Obituary of Ellen T. Maxfield, from the Fairhaven Star of 11 October 1918.

Ellen T. Maxfield, wife of Charles P. Maxfield, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, died on Friday at her home, 85 Bridge Street, after an illness extended over several months. Besides her husband, she is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Eli Bence of Pittsfield, and one son, Charles A. Maxfield of this town.
She was well known both in Fairhaven and New Bedford, as a woman with many estimable qualities and her ability was recognized in the various organizations with which she was identified. She was president of the New Bedford Country Week Society, a position she had held for several years.
She had long been deeply interested in the Order of the Eastern Star and was a past matron of New Bedford chapter and also a past matron of Gifford chapter # 105, of this town, having been the first to hold this important office in the local chapter. She was also a past president of the Women's Alliance of the Unitarian Memorial Church and was formerly a member of the Fairhaven School Committee.
The announcement of her death caused a widespread feeling of sorrow among a large circle of friends.
The funeral was held Monday afternoon at one o'clock at the late residence of the deceased.

NOTES

1"Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850," database, New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org: accessed 2012), 34:115:5.
2Bertha Harriet Tirrell Maxfield Family Record, before 1938, privately held by Charles A. Maxfield.
3Helen Gurney Thomas, comp., Vital Records of Freetown, Massachusetts, 1686 Through 1890 (Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1988); and certificate in possession of author.
4Thomas, Vital Records of Freetown, Massachusetts, 1686 Through 1890.
5Massachusetts, State Vital Records, 1841-1920: Deaths; digital images, Family Search (familysearch.org : accessed 2012); Obituary, Fairhaven Star, 11 October 1918.
6Jay and Delene Holbrook, "Massachusetts Vital and Town Records," digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2012), New Bedford; Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts.
7Doris Maxfield Hartshorn, "Genealogy of Charles Pope Maxfield Family," (mimeographed document, 1968).
8Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, 1855 Massachusetts State Census, , population, Freetown, Bristol Co., MA, 4; digital images, Family Search (familysearch.org : accessed 2014); Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, MA.
9Eighth Census of the United States: 1860, population, Freetown, Bristol Co., MA, 492:659, 1661; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2014).
10Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, 1865 Massachusetts State Census, population, Freetown, Bristol Co., MA, 8; digital images, Family Search (familysearch.org : accessed 2014).
11Ninth Census of the United States: 1870, population, Fairhaven, Bristol Co., MA, 603:253A, 516; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2013).
12Bristol County (South District), Massachusetts, Registry of Deeds, 75:515-16, 10 November 1873; , New Bedford, MA.
13Tenth Census of the United States: 1880, , population (roll 522), Fairhaven, Bristol Co., MA, enumeration district (ED) 66, 53A, 140; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2013).
14Twelth Census of the United States: 1900, population (roll 634), Fairhaven, Bristol Co., MA, enumeration district (ED) 103, 1A, 6; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2013).
15Thirteenth Census of the United States: 1910, population (roll 574), Fairhaven, Bristol Co., MA, enumeration district (ED) 111, 18A, 446; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2013).
16L. F. Willard, "New England's Strangest Fourth." Yankee July 1965, 50.
17Fairhaven Star, 5 Jul 1879; 22 Nov 1879; 21 Aug 1880; 24 Sep 1881; 9 Dec 1882; 22 Sep 1883; 9 Feb 1884; 10 May 1884; 17 May 1884; 16 Aug 1884; 11 Oct 1884; 25 Oct 1884; 9 May 1885; 24 Feb 1888; 24 Mar 1888; 28 Apr 1888; 27 Apr 1889; 13 Jul 1889; 9 Mar 1910; 21 Jan 1911; 8 Jul 1911; 6 Apr 1912; 8 Mar 1913; 7 Jun 1913.
18Fourteenth Census of the United States: 1920, population (roll 682), Fairhaven, Bristol Co., MA, enumeration district (ED) 26, 21A, 475; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2011).
19"C. P. Maxfield Will Is Filed," New Bedford Standard, abt. 10 August 1928.
20Hartshorn, "Genealogy of Charles Pope Maxfield Family."
21Letter. From Doris Maxfield Hartshorn, to Charles A. Maxfield, 9 February 1984.
22Massachusetts, Commonwealth of, Division of Vital Statistics, State House, Boston, MA, 214: 95:1.
23Bertha Harriet Tirrell Maxfield Family Record.
24Massachusetts, Division of Vital Statistics, 250: 95:16.
25Bertha Harriet Tirrell Maxfield Family Record.
26"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," digital images, American Ancestors, 546:101:47.
27Bertha Harriet Tirrell Maxfield Family Record.
28Ibid.
29Massachusetts, Division of Vital Statistics, 295: 92:13.
30Massachusetts, State Vital Records, 1841-1920: Deaths; digital images, Family Search (familysearch.org : accessed 2012).
31Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915, 631:183:40; also Taunton record 631:359:221.
32Bertha Harriet Tirrell Maxfield Family Record.
33"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," digital images, American Ancestors, 394:105:14.
34Massachusetts, Division of Vital Statistics, 436: 153:26.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bristol County, Massachusetts (South District). Registry of Deeds, New Bedford, MA.

Fairhaven Star, Fairhaven, MA.

Hartshorn, Doris Maxfield. "Genealogy of Charles Pope Maxfield Family." Mimeographed document, 1968.

________, to Charles A. Maxfield. Letter. 9 February 1984.

Holbrook, Jay and Delene. "Massachusetts Vital and Town Records." Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2012.

Massachusetts, Commonwealth of, Division of Vital Statistics, State House, Boston, MA. Vital Records of Massachusetts. New Bedford Free Public Library, New Bedford, MA. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

________. "Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850." Database. New England Historic Genealogical Society. American Ancestors. americanancestors.org: 2012.

________, State Vital Records, 1841-1920: Deaths. Digital images. Family Search. familysearch.org : 2012.

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, 1855 Massachusetts State Census, population. Digital images. Family Search. familysearch.org : 2014.

________, 1865 Massachusetts State Census, population. Digital images. Family Search. familysearch.org : 2014.

Maxfield, Bertha Harriet Tirrell. Family Record. before 1938. Privately held by Charles A. Maxfield.

New Bedford Standard New Bedford, MA.

Thomas, Helen Gurney, comp.. Vital Records of Freetown, Massachusetts, 1686 Through 1890. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1988.

United States Department of the Census. Eighth Census of the United States: 1860, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2014.

________. Ninth Census of the United States: 1870, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2013.

________. Tenth Census of the United States: 1880, 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 : 2013.

________.. Fourteenth Census of the United States: 1920, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2011.

Willard, L. F. "New England's Strangest Fourth." Yankee July 1965, 50ff.

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