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I am interesting in trying to CLARIFY the HEIRS of SOLOMON MAXWELL, who died in old Frederick Co. VA in 1770. His inventory papers are on file there and are quite detailed and informational.
Unfortunately, the female heirs mentioned are listed only by their husband's names, but a look at later deeds has helped untangle some of them. From the record, it appears Solomon had 5 daughters who were already married by the time of his death, with the record indicating his only 2 sons, THOMAS and JOHN, were still considered minors at the time of his death.
The daughter's husbands are like reading a ROLL CALL for some of Tennessee's EARLIEST CITIZENS, when it was still mostly Washington Co. NC, with a small portion owned by Virginia (Sullivan/Hawkins Co.)
Named as heirs were: Mrs. Samuel DENTON, Mrs. Samuel SMITH, Mrs. Solomon SMITH, Mrs. Isaac ODLE, and Mrs. Thomas PRICE. Sons were listed as Thomas, named first, then John. Wife listed in 1770 was named ABIGAIL.
A study of geography shows the land the Maxwells lived on would eventually become Shenandoah Co. VA as it was on Passage Creek, near Powell's Fort, but in 1770, it was still part of Old Frederick Co. VA.
From deeds in Shenandoah Co. records, it appears Mrs. Samuel Smith's name was Elizabeth, while wife of Solomon was Keziah. Mrs. Isaac Odle, really ODELL, was Abigail. Wife of Samuel is not certain, maybe Martha, but there are TOO many Samuel Dentons to discern here. Wife of Thomas Price MAY have been Ruth, but followup of this line has proved the most elusive.
Implications are that the young son, JOHN, died as a young man in Shenandoah Co. VA as a probate record on file in Shenandoah Co. VA for a John Maxwell is available, with many of the same persons involved in his estate as had been Old Solomon's--members of the same families. NO WIFE or HEIRS are named, so good chance this JOHN had never married???
The original inventory probate of 1770 shows the boys were originally to be overseen by Samuel Denton, but later records indicate this was not always the case. Implications are at least THOMAS MAXWELL was more closely connected to the ODELL family once they got to Tennessee.
Early settlers of Sullivan Co. TN were Samuel and Solomon Smith, with Thomas Maxwell also receiving land there as early as 1782. MANY of the names mentioned in Old Solomon's inventory in 1770 are also EARLY Sullivan Co. TN names---Smalling, Morrell, Combs, McFall, among others. EVEN the early TIPTON family is mentioned in Old Solomon's papers, with future TN first governor candidate, John TIPTON, serving as one of the persons assigned by the court to handle the estate's inventory.
There is an earlier connection between the Morrells and Combs families to old Solomon Maxwell because Solomon's first wife is shown to be JEMIMA ROBERTS, daughter of Jonathan Roberts & Mary ?, an early Hunterdon Co. NJ family with wills/probates that prove Jemima's husband was Solomon Maxwell. Jemima's sister, MARY ROBERTS, had children by both her COMBS & MORRELL husbands. Jemima Roberts is believed to be the mother of ALL the Maxwell girls, and I lean toward her also being the mother of the boy Thomas.....not so sure about the young John??? Widow named in 1770, Abigail, is believed to be Solomon's second wife, but she is also believed to be KIN to his first wife in some way.
One other interesting FEATURE regarding Old Solomon's inventory papers of 1770. Included in his papers were THREE SERMON BOOKS. Was he a minister? People in those day rarely owned any book, only a Bible perhaps. It is significant that he should own 3 books of any kind, much less sermon books.
Religiously speaking, the Maxwell family appears to have been early promoters of FUNDAMENTALIST religious thinking when the majority of the rest of the U.S. was still largely Calvinist Congregationalist or Episcopal/former Anglican background.
It is a known fact that THOMAS MAXWELL was a member of the oldest Baptist Church in Tennessee, the Sinking Creek Baptist Church near border of Washington/Carter Co. TN, still there today. Church records verify his membership with the Tipton and Hendrix families, as well as others in earliest days. Information also shows DENTON family were early Baptist leaders in that part of TN/KY.
This form of religious persuasion continued in lineage of Thomas Maxwell after he left Carter Co. TN circa 1806 and settled in Bedford Co. TN prior to that county's creation. Family members there helped form Enon Primitive Baptist Church. Later in the early 1830's, when Thomas' son Solomon Maxwell first moved to Perry Co. IL, the first Baptist church service in that county was held in his home. My great grandfather, who was a great grandson of Thomas Maxwell, Sr., became an early Fundamentalist minister in Texas, as did other family descendants of Thomas that remained in Tennessee.
I am HOPEFUL, after MANY years of research, that someone will be able to clarify the MISSING descendants of Old Solomon who died in 1770. I am equally HOPEFUL that someone might be able to indicate IF Old Solomon was indeed an early minister.
Karylon A. Russell, 201 Live Oak, Llano, TX 78643 krussell@tstar.net
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