The splencner Family Tree Updated 10/7/2013 - pafg81 - Generated by Personal Ancestral File

The splencner Family Tree

William Holbrook was born¹ about 1562 in Somersetshire, England. He died² about 1625 in Glastonbury, Somersetshire, England.

He had the following children:

M i Thomas Holbrook

John Smith Maxwell [Parents] was born^{1, 2} on 22 Aug 1825 in Morgan Co., OH. He died³ on 21 Nov 1909 in Stockton, San Joaquin Co., CA. He was buried⁴ in 1909 in Elwood, Clinton Co., IA. He married⁵ Julia M. Twiss on 26 Aug 1857 in Elwood, Clinton Co., IA. John joined religion⁶ Methodist Episcopal Church of Elwood. He was employed⁷ as dry goods in 1852 in Mokalumne Hill, Cavaleras Co., CA. He graduated⁸ in Athens, OH (Ohio University).

RESEARCH NOTES:
Information on travel of John S. Maxwell to Australia. American Passenger Ship - Orpheus. Date of arrival in Sydney, Australia was 1 September 1852. Left San Francisco, California on 20 June 1852. Tonnage of Orpheus was 575. There were 31 passengers (non-steerage) and the rest of the 156 passengers were steerage. No sickness or deaths on board. Captain was James Mooney. (Johnnysgarden)

TIMELINE:
1850 Followed the gold rush to Cavalares County, California, and successfully mined the land. (Allen, L. History of Clinton County, Iowa)
1852 Built a mercantile business at Mokelumne Hill, CA. This was a wild west town, experiencing about one homicide a week until vigilante groups quieted it down in the early 1850's. His experience with mining led him to establish businesses around the world. (Allen)
1856 Buys his farm in Brookfield Twp., just south of Elwood, IA. (Allen)
1860 Living on farm in Brookfield Twp., Clinton Co., IA, with wife Julia and 2 children. Real estate valued at $5000, twice that of neighbors. (U.S. Census)
1870 Living on farm in Brookfield with wife Julia and 8 children. His farm is very large for the area, valued at $16000. (U.S. Census)
1875-1880 Wife dies sometime during this time frame. His mother moves in to help with children. (Census)
1880 Living on farm in Brookfield with 8 children, mother Mary, and a farm laborer named John Hicks. He is widowed. (Census)
1883 Sold his 420 acre farm in Brookfield and moved to Calhoun Co., IA, near Rockwell City. (Johnnysgarden per Bill Musgrave research)
1888 Started J.S. Maxwell Boot & Shoe Co. at 301 W. Walnut and 421 E. Locust in Des Moines, IA, but the bsuiness failed during the Panic of 1893. Lived in Des Moines at 519 W. 3rd with sons Richard and Edward. (ibid.)
1892 Moves in with son Richard's family at 1121 2nd St. in Des Moines. (ibid.)
1895 Living at 1121 2nd St. in Des Moines. (ibid.)
1898 Worked in the shoe business in Stockton, CA. (ibid.)
1909 Dies in Stockton, CA. Funeral in Mitchellville, IA. Buried in Elwood in unmarked grave. (ibid.)

BIOGRAPHY:
The following is a biography from the 1879 History of Clinton County, Iowa:"HON. JOHN S. MAXWELL, Sec. 33; P.O. Elwood; a native of Morgan Co., Ohio; was born Aug. 22, 1825; his life exhibits a career of struggle, energy and self-reliance such as characterize few men; after pursuing a course of study at the common schools, he completed his education at the State University, Athens, Ohio; in 1850, he went to Calaveras Co., Cal., and engaged in mining; at the end of a year, he had accumulated quite an amount of money, with which he entered the mercantile business at Mokelumne Hill, a mining town on the Mokelumne River; in 1852, he left his business in California in care of a partner and went to Australia with the intention of establishing an exporting house; after his arrival there, however, he learned that his partner had squandered the property left in his charge, which amounted to several thousand dollars; he then again engaged in mining, and, at the end of nine months, established a store at Melbourne, Victoria Colany; meeting with fair success, he remained until burned out, when he went to Ballarat, then one of the most noted mining districts in the world, containing a population of over thirty thousand miners; here he started a large store; he continued in the mercantile business until the spring of 1856, when he disposed of his stock and went to Valparaiso, South America, where he remained but a short time before proceeding to Panama, thence to New York City; there he remained until fully recovered from an attack of yellow fever, contracted while upon shipboard; from New York he went to Washington D.C.; thence to Owen Co., Ind., where his parents then resided; in the latter part of 1856, he purchased land where he now resides; Mr. Maxwell has become very popular with all classes; has served as Notary Public over fifteen years; was Supervisor; was also elected a member of the Ninth General Assembly, a position he filled to the honor and credit of his constituents; he is a man of unimpeachable integrity, cool and sound executive ability, as well as benevolent, kindly and social in heart; he is Treasurer of the Pleasant Valley Dairy Association, which was incorporated Feb. 19, 1879. In education and religion. Mr. M. has always taken a deep interest, aiding both in many respects, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he has been a lay minister over ten years. Mr. Maxwell was first married in Hawkins [sic Hocking] Co., Ohio, to Miss Rebecca Guyre; present wife was Miss Julia M., daughter of John R. and Ann Twiss, of this township; they have eleven children-Jennie (now Mrs. John Whitsel), Douglas L., John S. Jr., B. McClellan, Annie J., Morgan R., Richard F., Charles R., Eddie M., Mary and Emma. He owns 420 acres of well-improved land. Republican."

Julia M. Twiss [Parents] was born¹ about 1837 in Cambridge, Washington Co., NY. She died² in 1875/1880 in Brookfield Twp., Clinton Co., IA. She married³ John Smith Maxwell on 26 Aug 1857 in Elwood, Clinton Co., IA. Julia was employed⁴ as school teacher in 1856 in Brookfield, Clinton Co., IA.