A.1. Maxwell came from New York State with the Coburn family, arriving at Lyndon in July, 1837. Soon afterwards he married
Miss Hulce, who had also come West with the Coburns. Their children have been:
Hiram, Samuel A., Louisa, Mary, and one son (Calvin A.) who died in the army at the commencement of the war.
Hiram resides in Minnesota; Samuel A. married Miss Esther Austin, daughter of Dennis Austin, and is a resident of Como, having charge of the Como public school; Louisa and Mary are married, the former
living at Mendota, Illinois, and the latter in Minnesota; both were popular school teachers in Whiteside county prior to their marriage.
Mr. Maxwell is a
mill-wright and house carpenter by trade. In 1837 he worked on Haines' mill in Union Grove, and run it a short time, sawing hard wood lumber. He afterwards
attached a pair of burrs, and ground grain. This mill had been built in
1836, but the dam washed out, and it was rebuilt in 1837. Mr. Maxwell also
worked on the Hamilton school house in 1837. In 1840 he assisted to construct
the first frame school house in what is now Union Grove township, at Unionville.
Many of the buildings of the early settlers were also constructed in whole or
part by his handicraft.
Bent & Wilson History 1877
