John David MAXWELL

  General Notes:

He was of a large clan who all lived in St George, New Brunswick, found on p 3, L-3.

Not possible to tell how the families were related, particularly since tehre were more of them in 1881 than in 1901. It appears as if John's father was one of a group of brothers or other closely related kin of a single generation, who were born in Ireland. They were Calvinist Presbyterians in 1881. Conceivably that distinguishes them from English/ Irish Presbyterians, who were Universalists. Clearly they were Scotch-Irish. My own ancestors Samuel Cauthers and Jane Bane/ Cabane/ McBane were of the same wave of migration, and they were a generation later than my emigrant ancestor John Smith. They were farmers.

Vida, as she was called on most census records, appears to have for some reason which is so far a mystery, moved to Southbridge, Massachusetts, all the way from nothern Canada, in order to farm in Southbridge. The 1920 census shows him a farmer, with land next door to that of Harrison and Vida McKinstry. He did not live next door to the McKinstry's or anywhere else in 1910, or in 1930. None of the rest of the family can be found in the U.S. at all. It is not clear if he came to live there before or after his sister married the boy next door.

John had once wandered; he was not living with his family in the 1881 census, when he would have been about 22; though he did live there with his family in the 1901 census.

The probably brothers who were born in Ireland were:

Andrew J. Maxwell, b May 1, 1825, Living in 1901 wife Mary J. b abt 1834 also in Ireland
William Maxwell b 3 Jan 1812 (about 1814 calculated from reported age on 1881 census Living in 1901 m Nancy, b 1827, Ireland, not there in 1901.
James Maxwell b about 1812; Living in 1881 m Rebecca b 1809 Ireland, living in 1881.
Robert Maxwell b 1818 Living in 1881 wife Ellen b 1826 Ireland, living in 1881.
John Maxwell b about 1821 Living in 1881 m Jane b abt 1824 also in Ireland

John married Margaret (Maggie) Amelia MONAHAN, daughter of Hugh MONAHAN and Unknown, before 1889 in prob Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada. (Margaret (Maggie) Amelia MONAHAN was born on 10 Jun 1868 in St. Patrick, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada.)