Nancy Ann (Crandall) Maxson 1852-1931  
Categories: Farina, Illinois, Gentry, Arkansas, Nortonville, Kansas, The Sabbath Recorder Obituary
"The Sabbath Recorder", Vol 110, No 13, p 415, Mar. 13, 1931.
  Mrs. Anna Crandall Maxson was born near Lewistown, Ill., and entered into life while quietly sleeping in her bed, March 10, 1931, in her home at Gentry, Ark.
  In 1869 she came with her parents to Farina, Ill., where she gave her heart and consecrated her life to Christ, being baptized by Charles M. Lewis, together with a class of thirty, uniting with that church and throughout her entire life living a consistent and exemplary Christian as taught by the Word of God.
  In the closing hours of the year 1879 she was married to Russell J. Maxson at Farina, Ill., where they lived until 1878 when they moved to Nortonville, Kan., living there until 1892, when they removed to near Flandreau, S. D.   Desiring a more equable climate they removed to Gentry, Ark., in 1899, where she has lived a most useful and inspiring life.   The husband went on before her some fourteen years ago, but "Mother Maxson" has carried on - faithfully, efficiently, yet in the most beautiful humility until the end.   Her brother, W. J. Crandall (Uncle Will), was with her, giving every care and attention for the closing weeks of her stay with us.
  To their home there were born eleven children, all of whom remain except Celia who died in early womanhood.   They are Darwin E. and Mrs. Myrtle Ricketts of Gentry, Mrs. Ora Lowell of Decatur, Ark., who all were near and ever careful of her welfare; Mrs. Susie Patterson of Denver, Colo.; Mrs. Sylvia Lamphere of Rochester, N. Y.; Mrs. Edith Main of Pomona, Fla.; Nathan J. and Mrs. Ethel Eyerly of North Loup, Neb.; George L. and Edwin R. of Battle Creek, Mich.   These with thirty-nine grandchildren, twenty-one great-grandchildren, and a host of other friends and relatives join together in sorrow for our loss.   She was always considerate for others, quick in sympathy, faithful in service.   Farewell services by her pastor, interment in the beautiful cemetery at Gentry, Ark.
  "Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all."   Proverbs 31: 29.     E. R. L.

Census: 1880 Center, Atchison Co., Kansas

Russell John Maxson 1842-1917
Categories: Deacon / Deaconess, Farina, Illinois, Gentry, Arkansas, Nortonville, Kansas, Rev. Theodore Julian Van Horn Officiating, The Sabbath Recorder Obituary
"The Sabbath Recorder", Vol 82, No 19, p 597, May 7, 1917.
On Wednesday night, April 11, 1917, one of our foremost and beloved citizens of Gentry passed from the scene of his earthly activities. Russell John Maxson was the third in a family of six children of Nathan and Sylvia Palmer Maxson, and was born in Richburg, N. Y., January 16, 1842. At the age of nineteen he heard his country’s call to service, and with the patriotism which was a marked characteristic of his whole life, he enlisted in the 85th Regiment of N. Y. Volunteers, as a member of Co. I. Later he was discharged on account of sickness, but returned to service. Again he was obliged to return home on account of illness, yet he was able to serve, in all, about two years, and received honorable wounds which he bore throughout his life.
Soon after the war he went to Farina, Ill., and here two events took place which determined the whole course of his after life. He enlisted one more; this time under the banner of the Cross, and for life. He was baptized by Elder C. M. Lewis, June 15, 1866, and became a constituent member of the Farina Seventh Day Baptist Church. At Farina also he met and won his young bride, Anna Crandall, whom he married December 31, 1870, and with whom he lived in ideal wedlock for more than forty-six years.
Eleven children were born to this union, all of whom are living except one.
A residence of ten years at Farina, Ill., thirteen years in Nortonville, Kan., and eight years at Flandreau, S. D., brought the family in 1899 to Gentry, Ark. This place has been their home since that Thanksgiving Day seventeen years ago.
For a number of years his health has been steadily declining. A visit to the celebrated surgeons, the Mayos, of Rochester, Minn., about a year ago, was unavailing. But he bore the long and painful illness with the sweet spirit and dauntless courage of a true soldier of Jesus Christ, and then fell asleep, April 11, 1917.
As a business man of unusual ability, his advise was sought by others who saw him administer his own affairs with wisdom, justice and integrity.
He acted an important part in the development of the social, industrial and religious life of the community. Wherever the welfare of American boys and girls was at stake, his great warm sympathetic heart beat for them. For fifteen years he was superintendent of the Gentry Seventh Day Baptist Sabbath School. For a longer time he was deacon and also moderator of the church. Five times he served the city as mayor. Other offices of trust were bestowed upon him and each was filled with the same devotion to duty and the spirit of service and help. It may be truly said of him, “He built his life into the city wall.”
His high sense of duty to his country and to his God was the impelling, directing force in his whole life. He loved the flag, and it seemed peculiarly appropriate that the two flags which decorated the rostrum on the day of his funeral should have been placed there, the one by a Union, the other by a Confederate veteran. Such was the power of his loving nature to bind men of diverse thought to his heart. He loved the Bible, and as teacher and superintendent, as a brother in the church, and as a husband and father, he sought to exemplify its teachings. He impressively taught the children and the older people that the all-seeing eye of God was upon them, and urged them to live in his presence.
An evidence of the high esteem in which he was held was the house filled to its capacity with the citizens of the village and country about, who came to mingle their own tears with those of the sorrow-stricken family.
Of the ten children, five were permitted to be present at the funeral, Darwin, Miss Ora and Mrs. Daniel Ricketts, of Gentry, Mrs. Daniel Main, of Alfred, N. Y., and George of Exeland, Wis.; Mrs. Ethel Eyerley, of Nortonville, Kan., Mrs. Sylvia Lanphere, of Milton, Wis., and Edwin and Nathan of North Loup, Neb., are the other children. Besides the wife mourning the departure of her lifelong, he leaves these loving children, and one brother, Martin L. Maxson, of Gentry, and two sisters, Mrs. Susan Green, of Farina, Ill., and Mrs. Sallie Pierce, of Richburg, N. Y.
His daughter, Ora, who has had the advantage of a course in trained nursing, was his constant attendant during these long months of suffering, and her tender ministrations did much to alleviate the pain that was so hard to endure.
The funeral was conducted by the Pastor, T. J. Van Horn, the G. A. R. attending in a body, a delegation of the Modern Woodmen acting as pallbearers. The impressive burial service was read by the G. A. R. where he was laid to rest in the Gentry Cemetery. J. T. V. H.

Census: 1880 Center, Atchison Co., Kansas