Maxson-2000
Reunion update on August 5-6, 2000 Reunion
MAXSON NEWSLETTER FOR AUGUST, 2000 - UPDATES from the
First National Maxson Reunion Chairman - Ray Maxson
Well, the FIRST MAXSON NATIONAL REUNION is now over and all attendees had a great time.
It is hard to believe that we did so much is such a short time. I just wanted
to recap the major events and give you all a little
time to remember the great heritage that is still shining through from the ancient Maxsons
to the Maxsons of today.
We all settled in around Mystic, Conn. and Westerly, RI. Actually Jane Hoxie Maxson
started the event on Friday afternoon with a luncheon for the Western Maxsons, who flew in
from Salem Oregon, not Salem, Mass. This was really nice of her. I
actually spent two days in genealogy libraries in Connecticut and Rhode Island before I
settled into the Westin Hotel in Mystic. My sister Carol Maxson Dice and her
husband, Jim Dice arrived on Thursday.. So we met on Friday Night. The most
important phone call I got during the Reunion, came in at about 10:00 PM on Friday night.
It was -- The Portsches have arrived --. Patricia Maxson
Portsche and her husband Gary Portsche had been traveling for two days on canceled
and delayed flights to get to Mystic. But is was great to have a Web Master come
with his digital camera and a CD of all over 8,000 Maxson relatives, pictures and
genealogical connections. This was a hit at the Reunion, because I set up my
Think Pad and we all spent time connecting Maxson Relative Genealogical lines.
WEB PICTURES - Gary Portsche became the official photographer and took over a hundred
pictures and put them on the web page for all to view, download and print
immediately. You can access the pictures on
http://www.maxson2000.net.
I spent over two hours reviewing the pictures, printing them,
copying the JPEG images on my disk and just re-living the great times we all had at
the reunion. I have a video tape
of most of the events, also. If any one wants a copy, I can send you a
copy for $10. Just send me a note and the $10.
FROM MYSTIC, CT - to Hopkinton Cemetery from I-95. The directions were great and
everyone got to the cemetery on time. Paula Maxson Pescatello and Helen Maxson
handed out a summary of the cemetery information and showed us the old Maxson grave
stones. We discussed the history of the
Maxson\rquote s strife to gain religious freedom. The early Maxson were preachers in
the founding of the Seven Day Baptist Church. The monument to the Sabbatarian
ministers is at the top of the hill. We spent an hour meeting everyone
who showed up.
FROM HOPKINTON CEMETERY - to the Newport, RI Historical Society. The directions were
great but it takes over an hour to go 22 miles, whereas on freeways in the West, we can go
about 75 miles in the same time. We barely had time to get some lunch in Newport and
get to the Historical Society. It was at an historical Seven Day Baptist Church
preserved in history. The plan was to have everyone get dropped off and then the
driver park in the parking area at the entrance to Newport. I waited with my
brother-in-law, Jim Dice at the parking area to ferry drivers up the hill. It
happened that the Reunion had a wealth of hearty souls. Most of the senior
citizens just walked about a half mile up the hills.. using canes in the hot sun\rquote s
blaze. If you look in the list of pictures on disk on-line you will see the hearty
souls. We all had a great time at the Church, Lecture by the librarian and the
resting in real chairs. Then we had an unscheduled event to go to the Great Big
Newport Cemetery and find some old Maxson graves as guided by Jane Maxson.
This was over a mile away, but some walked the distance any way.
THE TRIP TO DINNER AT PAULA MAXSON PESCATELLO\rquote s was a great surprise. It was
really good and filling.. an Authentic Ancient New England Clam Chowder. It
was really adapted from the Indians. Helen is
giving the recipe with the next News Letter. It was great to talk to all the other
Maxsons and relatives for hours that evening. We all got ready for the Big Event
- Picnic on the Beach in Mystic on Sunday. I loved the brownies.
SUNDAY PICNIC ON THE BEACH was the main event. The weather was the best.. cool and
partially cloudy for all the activities. This was the best for the beach and the
events such as prizes for.. who traveled the farthest. who was the youngest and oldest,
the prize drawing and the Poster Contest. I was glad to be able to give the Welcome
for the FIRST MAXSON NATIONAL REUNION. This gave me a chance to honor the memory and
inspiration that my direct ancestor Lt. Col. Jonathan Maxson has had on me and my life.
I have
added a copy of my remarks at the end of this News Letter UPDATE.
FROM FOURTEEN STATES and Canada the Maxson Relatives came. Every
one was involved in the event and people came from all over American. We had a great
time getting Family Pictures of everyone from Gary Portsche\rquote s great portraits.
You can see them on Gary\rquote s web page. Patricia Maxson Portsche handled
the sign-in book and everyone got introduced. The lineage charts for each family
were all collected and compared. It was great to see the 12 to 14 generations for
everyone stretched out on the main poster. Helen will summarize this in the
next Newsletter.
DO NOT FORGET TO MAKE POSTERS - This was the most interesting part of the
picnic events that everyone followed closely. You can see most of the posters
on the Web page. This was a real genealogical event and had a lot of original
research on the Maxson Lines. Gary is putting the information
on the Web page and the new Maxson CD that he is selling. The CD is not only
very complete and interesting, Gary is continuing to add new information that is
documented and sent to him. This will result in a new updated CD that can include
the latest and all your personal Maxson information. This is especially good,
because the computer program can automatically make some connections from the 8,000 names
and genealogical connections already on the CD. Please send Gary any new information
so he can get the latest.
NEW MAXSON NATIONAL FAMILY ASSOCIATION WAS FORMED and Carol Maxson Kemp is the new
President. This will be covered in the next newsletter and you can get
information from the founders in the future. We are planning a new and bigger Maxson
Reunion in a few years. Get Ready for the next news letter by my wife
Helen Maxson.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE GREATEST REUNION EVERY..
Ray Maxson
-----------------------------
MAXSON -2000 REUNION -- WELCOME ADDRESS
for the FIRST NATIONAL MAXSON REUNION - August 5-6, 2000
Given by RAY MAXSON - First Maxson Reunion National Chairman
It gives me great pleasure to come before you today. With Sincere Reverence I
welcome you to this ancient ground that holds so many memories of the Maxson Family.
By ancient ground, I am referring to all that can be
reached at a distance of 50 miles from this location. For example, all my
first six generation, direct line male Maxson ancestors, were born or buried
within the area of this ancient ground. Maxsons, lets take a
journey into the past and explore the rich history of the Ancient Maxsonsthat
mirrors the history of the settling of America. The events related here are
based on my best assemblage of the events of our ancestors and I
know that more can be done for further authentication in the years
to come.
It was Eighteen Score and Seven years ago that Richard Maxson (or Richarde Maggsen) sailed
forth on the Griffin to America in search of Religious Freedom. He came with
the Anne Hutchison Party and attempted to settle in Boston, but soon found the Religious
Freedom to be too limiting in the Boston Church. Then Richard and his freedom
seeking party went to Portsmouth, Rhode Island and bought land.
After about a year, the party left Rhode Island under the threat of Religious
Persecution and prison and settled land around Throggs Neck, New York.
It was at this settlement that Anne Hutchison and her party; including
Richard Maxson, were massacred by the Indians. All the Maxson ancestors from
whom we are descendants escaped and returned to Rhode Island. Their Children
then Children\rquote s Children, then Childrens Children\rquote s Children back for 14
generations have survived the perils of the Indian Wars, Starvation, Sickness, the French
and Indian War, Revolutionary War, Settlement of the Wilderness, the Civil War,
Numerous Great Depressions, Bitter Cold Winters, Scorching Summer Draughts and World
Wars.
I am always amazed at the strength of character and determination to survive that is
exhibited by our Maxson Ancestors. My personal mentor in courage is Col.
Jonathan Maxson, who fought in the Revolutionary War
from 1776 till its end in 1783 under severe and deadly conditions. He had to
leave his home, wife, family and all his possessions in the control of the Tories and
British during his service to the United States and
Washington\rquote s Continental Army. Where the men were never supported with
adequate food, clothing, guns or ammunition. The survival rate was only 50 percent
in many of the early battles in the bitter cold of winter. But the spirit of Col.
Jonathan was never broken. The spirit of the times was characterized by the words of
an American Girl as she described the events at the end of the War.. as The Americans took
New York from the British. This passage summed up immortality as she wrote about
this event.
For the past eight years we had been accustomed to military display in all the finest and
finery of garrison life. The British troops just leaving us were as if equipped for
show, and with their uniforms and burnished arms, they made a brilliant display.
However, the American Troops that marched in; on the contrary were ill-clad and
weather beaten, and made a forlorn appearance. But they were our troops, and
as I looked at them and thought upon all they had done and suffered for us, my heart and
eyes were full.
That same spirit shined brightly when Col. Jonathan Maxson was called to a Town meeting
after the Revolutionary War. This was an open vote on the ratification
of the Constitution . The Rhode Islanders from Richmond were not
favoring the Constitution. However, Col. Jonathan was filled with patriotism after
his years of service with General Washington and in the Continental Army, and his
character came out in a paraphrased account of the vote, taken for the record, during
that momentous time.
The constitution was first submitted to Richmond on March 24, 1787. The vote taken
shows the conservative tendencies, that then prevailed, and the slowness of the people to
adopt new and untried principles in important public matters.
There were at the time
Legal voters in the town..............................77
Present and
voted......................................69
Voted AGAINST adopting the Constitution......68
Voted FOR its adoption-----------------------------------1
As these votes were taken yea and nay, the names of the voters remain on the record for
all posterity. The name of the man who could dare to stand alone was my hero:
Jonathan Maxson.
More recently the expanded Maxson Family has been faced with the problem of
communications with its far flung members. We now number over 1000, and stretch all
over the United States of America and into foreign countries. It was easier to
communicate in the past centuries, when the Maxsons had a greater sense of extended
family. I am moved by the history of my ancestor, Joseph(6) Maxson who left his
father\rquote s homestead (Col. Jonathan Maxson) and went to the cold and forbidding
town of Norway, New
York, to make his mark on the settling of the new frontier. He married and had
a son, Jonathan(7). After Joseph(6) died, his son Jonathan(7) married and had a son,
Joseph(8). Then Jonathan(7) died in his early
twenties. His mother remarried for survival within in a year.
Impoverished and starving, the child of about 2 years old, Joseph(8) and his
mother returned to Rhode Island and found Col. Jonathan Maxson.
Even though there is no evidence that Col. Jonathan Maxson ever met his great
grandson Joseph(8) before he came to Rhode Island, he took him in.
Then Col. Jonathan left $50 to Joseph(8), his great Grandson, This $50
was presumed to be the nest egg and inspiration for Joseph(8) to
travel to Illinois, then on to help settle the West. I am a descendent of
Joseph\rquote s son Henry(9) Maxson from Hebron, Nebraska. It gives me great
pleasure today to announce that I have traced my ancestor documentation descendency
from Col. Jonathan Maxson through Henry and have submitted it to the Sons Of the
American Revolution. If it is accepted, and I believe it will be accepted, then I
will be honored as a Patriot in the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR). When I
get the word, I will
announce it to the Western Branch and the descendants of Henry Maxson, so they can
also apply as a patriot and membership in the SAR. This should be
completed by year end.
Many of you here from the West, are also descendants of the Homesteader Henry Maxson from
Hebron, Nebraska. The Henry Maxson branch owes its existence here today to Bernice
Maxson Simons who started gathering her eleven brothers and sisters in the
1970\rquote s and meeting in Family Reunions, first in Idaho, then at the old
homestead in Hebron, Nebraska. Aunt Bernice, please stand up and take a round
of applause. This is truly a honor to bring your 89 years of experience to
this Maxson-2000 Reunion. As a result of the Maxson Genealogical information
collected, my wife, Helen, then put together much of the early Genealogy
of the Family in her second Book, \ldblquote Maxsons on the Move\rdblquote .
This led to the faithful search into the genealogical library of Westerly,
Rhode Island, for information on the Maxsons. I wrote in the library, guest
sign in book , as a purely serendipity inspiration, \ldblquote Ray Maxson looking
for Maxson relatives\rdblquote Paula Maxson Pescatello found this passage and called me.
Paula, can you stand up take a round of
applause also? Then the Eastern Rhode Island connection was made and has held
steady and strengthened for some 20 years.
In the more recent times, I had no knowledge of the ancient Maxson Branches; from the
three sons and three daughters of John(2) Maxson from Rhode Island, because letters
of communications have not been kept open.
In the past these communications were easier, because the Maxsons all had a sense of
extended family.. going back for hundreds of years. however for the past 150 years,
this communication trail has been broken with the tremendous movement and scattering of
families and lives. Only 10 years ago I met a Maxson from Minnesota who was
sure that his Maxson family all came from Olaf Maxson from Norway. It appears
that the Norway he was referring to was Norway, New York and he was actually my long
lost cousin.
While meeting several Maxsons all over the world, I have found that all, so far,
have descended from Richard Maxson back in 1643. Only in the past 10 years has the
communications barrier been broken with the technology of the Internet. That is how
I was able to communicate with the vast majority of the Maxsons here today.
Also, with a simple search for all \ldblquote J. Maxson living in Rhode
Island\rdblquote in Yahoo, I came up with a lot of the names for the news letter.
Most important was the name of Jonathan and Jane Maxson . Purely from the
Internet Search I found one of our Committee Members, Jane Maxson. Please
stand up and take some applause, Jane. Also, the Internet was able to
give us essential and valuable information on the ancestors from on-line searches for
library indexes for Census Records, Wills, Land Records and Graves.
In the most recent event, Helen sent an inquire to Geneform on the Internet asking
for the grave location of Abby Maxson Ennis, my great-great-great Grandmother.
She received an e-mail in a week from Robin Gilebarto, who actually found the
grave stone and verified the death information. Finally, with the e-mail
addresses I have accumulated for the news letter, I can send a letter to all 63 addressees
and get a confirmation that the letter was delivered correctly in an hour. The
Internet has accounted for over 90 percent of the communications and success of the
Maxson-2000 Reunion, that we enjoy today. Thank you to IBM and the High Tech
Industries who developed and introduced me to this wonderful life of instant
worldwide communications.
Now at the culmination of this 14 Generation Adventure, we all now humbly stand here, only
by the sacrifice of our Maxson Ancestors, the wonders of the Internet Communications
and the Grace of God.
-----------------------
Now I want to honor the members of the Maxson-2000 Reunion who have made this day a
success. Could each Head of the Family, Stand, tell me your names and the
names of your group and where you come from. I want to put a dot on the
map of America to locate your delegation. In addition, can you tell us which
son of John(2) Maxson you are descendent from? Which descendent
your are looking for? etc.
Now, I must introduce my loving wife, Helen. She has been essential in
gathering the details of the ancestors, searching tirelessly for documents and
connections, and writing the books and numerous letters, articles web
pages and e-mails. Helen has been in charge of the Newsletter and has some
information that you will want to hear.
Now I want to introduce the new Maxson Committee; Jane Maxson and Paula Maxson Pescatello.
They have been the perfect hostesses for this event and live right here
in Rhode Island. They will give out the prizes and
talk about the new organization and future activities.
Finally, I want to introduce Rev. Henry Maxson for grace before we have our picnic.
It is with great reverence that we come together after so many years to
hear from a direct descendent of Richard Maxson , who came to America for Religious
Freedom.
-- Given by Ray Maxson at the First National Maxson Reunion in Mystic,
Connecticut ----