JAMES KNOX POLK MAXWELL

 The following bio was taken from page 301 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Cemeteries of TX

James Knox Polk Maxwell, born 1844 in Wilkes County, Georgia, was the son of Robert and Bethany Talbot Maxwell.  James Knox Polk Maxwell and Lucy Estes were married in Meriwether County, Georgia.  Lucy Estes was the daughter of David and Elizabeth Caldwell Estes of Troup County, Georgia.  The Maxwells came to Rusk County in 1883 and settled on a farm east of Old London Highway 323.

 Children of P.K. and Lucy Maxwell were: John, born in 1870; Jimmy, born in 1871, whose wife was Lula Wyche Thrash; David, born in 1873; William Walker, born in 1874, whose wife was Maggie Redd; Matthew Maddox, born in 1876, whose wife was Ella Cox; Henry Clay, born in 1877, whose wives were Arie Clark and Mamie Cohagen; Bettie Bethany, born in 1880 whose husband was Isaac Richard Thrash; Sallie Nannie, born in 1881, whose husband was Beall Thompson; Thomas Jefferson, born in 1883, whose wife was Dora Dollar; Jessie Lee, born in 1883, whose wife was Kate High; Benjamin Franklin, born in 1891, whose wife was Mary Cox; and Richard, who died in infancy.

 P.K. Maxwell served as a sergeant in the Confederate States Army, Company A,  15th regiment, infantry in Georgia.  He died at his home in 1925.  Lucy, his wife, preceded him in death in 1912.  They are buried at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Highway 323 in Rusk County.  Their children attended London school.  Most of the children were married in Rusk County and many descendants live in Rusk County at the present time.

 Submitted by Lerline Stokely

Additional notes:

James Knox Polk Maxwell  was the brother of my grandmother Vinson's mother, Elizabeth Maxwell Green.  My great grandfather, John W. Green, was a member of the same unit.   John W. Green and was the unit's drummer.  My grandmother lived with Jim Maxwell until she married Robert Joseph Vinson.
 
Melvin Vinson
vinvinson@sbcglobal.net.