On June 2, 1877 John Maxwell and Elvira Terrell were blessed with the birth of their first son William. The parents were originally from the Bloomfield, Indiana area, but did live for a bit around 1880 in the Steele Township community in Daviess County before returning to Bloomfield. William had an older sister Sarah and was followed by three brothers: Emery, Ira, and Carl.

William married Laura Reagon on May 6, 1900, likely in Greene County. They were blessed with their first child Zada Bell on December 12th that year. Zada was followed by brothers Charley, Jessie and Glen. A younger sister, Tressie, was born in 1909 however, she perished as a small child from complications due to bronchitis.

William supported his family in the early years doing farm labor. Later, around 1910 he could be found working in the local coal mines. By the mid-1910s he had transitioned to restaurant work.

On May 18, 1916 at a hospital in Indianapolis, William died at the age of thirty-eight from multiple liver abscesses. His wife Laura, with four children to support, remarried later that year.

William Maxwell was my 2nd cousin 3x removed on my dad’s side.

REFERENCES

• United States Census – 1880, 1900, 1910
• Indiana Death Certificates
• Find a Grave website
• Indiana Marriage Index