Jonathan Maxson Dead The Aged and Respected Citizen Died Last Evening Westerly

Richard, John, Jonathan, John, Jonathan, Jonathan

Jonathan Maxson Dead
The Aged and Respected Citizen Died Last Evening
Westerly, R.I., Monday November 13, 1899

Jonathan Maxson, one of the oldest residents of Westerly, and senior member of the firm of Maxson & Co., died at his home on Elm Street last evening at the ripe old age of nearly 84 years.

Jonathan Maxson was born at Potter Hill, in the town of Westerly, Jan. 26, 1816. and was accordingly nearly 84 years old. At the age of two years he removed with his parents to the village of Westerly. His boyhood was spent at school and later in such pursuits as enabled him to maintain himself-fishing, carpenter and farm work in turn keeping him fully occupied. From the age of 16 to 20 his chosen trade, that of a carpenter was followed, with serious interruptions, however, occasioned by feeble health which finally compelled him to choose some other vocation requiring less manual labor, from which he was precluded by an imperfect use of his right arm.

Having decided upon a more thorough course of education with reference to a professional career, he, at the age of 20, obtained from his father, the last year of his minority, in which he accumulated funds to defray his educational expenses. At the age of 21 he entered De Ruyter Institute, located at DeRuyter, N.Y. His studies were, however, interrupted by ill health, when teaching and other avocations filled the interval until his return to the academy. Here disappointment again awaited him, and compelled a return to his home, where he was confined for a period of three consecutive years.

He entered into a co-partnership with his brother, under the firm name of Maxson & Co., for the transacting of a general building and lumber business. They established the first mill in the village equipped with wood-working machinery (located on the Connecticut side of the river,) which mill is still occupied by the firm of Maxson & Co., of which Mr. Maxson was the senior partner.

For many years a resident of the Connecticut side of the village of Westerly, he represented the town of Stonington in the state legislature in 1865 and at the expiration of that term of service, by removal to the Rhode Island side, severed his citizenship in that state.

At an early age he became an uncompromising advocate of the anti-slavery cause, and was up to the time of his death no less outspoken on the question of temperance. With others, he, in 1849, assisted in organizing the Pawcatuck National bank, of which he was for 25 years a director. At the age of 18 Mr. Maxson made a profession of religion, became a member of the Hopkinton Seventh-day Baptist Church, and maintained this relation until the formation of the Pawcatuck Seventh-day Baptist church in 1840, to which he transferred his membership. Of this church he was the first clerk, and continued in office for 15 consecutive years, as also for a much longer period a member of its board of trustees. In his own denomination he was for more than 40 years a member of the board of managers of the Seventh-day Baptist Missionary Society.

Jonathan Maxson married Matilda Mandana, daughter of Deacon Martin Wilcox of Homer, N.Y. and Matilda Mandana (Stillman) Wilcox, Jan.25,1844 who survives him. They had four children: Albertus W., born June 25, 1846, married to Isabel Augusta daughter of Deacon Thomas F.Randolph of Plainfield, N.J.; Henry Martin of Plainfield, N.J. born March 28,1852; married to Henrietta Louise, daughter of the late Edwin P. Lewis of Westerly. Jonathan Irving, born Sept.22,1856; whose wife Sarah Yarnall Randolph was also a daughter of Thos. F. Randolph mentioned above and Frank Howard, born June 19, 1859 who died October 14th 1863.

Note: At the time of Mr. Maxson’s death, Maxson & Co. had under construction 28 houses in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, one stable and the Watch Hill Golf Club building.

This is not a complete transcription of the obituary of Jonathan Maxson. There were several paragraphs describing his decline and death which were omitted. Taken from a newspaper clipping in a paper published in Westerly, R.I.