The Maxwell Family of Saugus
Including the related families of Caie, Stevens and McIntyre
by Samuel Leslie Maxwell - 2004
If anyone in the family got really sick, a call was made
to Doc Snow who would arrive in his sports car with a St. Bernard dog riding
in the back seat.
As Cliff and I listened to the discussion that was taking place among Gram,
Tillie and their cousin Martha, we couldn’t figure out why they would think
it necessary to get another doctor by the name of Doc U. Mentashun
to help them in figuring out the relationship between two of their ancestors
who were long dead. Charles Robertson was born in Perthshire Scotland, came
to the area in the early 1800's and was buried in Titus Hill Cemetery. James
Robertson was born in Glasgow, Scotland, came to New Brunswick in
1820, lived in a nearby community and was buried in a lot very handy to
Charles Robertson. The ladies felt they needed Doc. U. Mentashun
to help them straighten out this relationship tangle.
Sam Maxwell needed documentation concerning the relationship of
the people buried in Lot Number 437, Ruder Path, Fernhill Cemetery
in Saint John, New Brunswick.
John Maxwell
aged 76 died May 18, 1888 (A Great-great
grandfather to Sam Maxwell)
Jane Maxwell (His Wife) aged 72 died April 11, 1891
Robert Maxwell
(Their son) aged 43, died Oct 6, 1888
Maria Maxwell (Their daughter) aged 40 died
Nov 1, 1892
Now here is the mystery
.
In the same lot (Lot Number 437, Ruder Path, Fernhill Cemetery) the following
five people are buried but no documentation has been located as yet to link
them to the people listed above who are relatives of Sam Maxwell. (Hopefuly
someone may have information.)
1) Robert Maxwell aged 56, died Aug 6, 1854 of Cholera.
He was a native of County Tyrone, Ireland. It has been determined,
that Robert Maxwell left a young daughter,
Susan Ann Maxwell, from his first marriage, who married James Crockett
in 1866
2) Mary Maxwell
aged 50 (Widow of Robert) died Feb
6, 1855
3) Margaret Jane Maxwell
aged 17, died Aug 13, 1854
of Cholera
4) Margaret Maxwell
aged 17 died Oct 15, 1857 - The
2nd daughter of John? Leitch?
5) Margaret Donaldson Leitch
aged 81 died Aug. 23,
1867 - Wife of John Leech.
If this was not confusing enough, Sam found that his Great-great grandfather
John Maxwell, who had married Jane Johnston in Derryville Parish, Ireland
in 1834, raised his six children on Main and Portland Street, in the present
day north end of Saint John, New Brunswick and built a three-story home
there with his shoemaking shop on the ground floor. In the same block lived
the Crocketts and one of their family members married Susan Ann Maxwell,
daughter of Robert Maxwell. Around the corner lived the McIntyres whose
daughter Jane married William J. Maxwell and they became Sam’s great grandparents.
Finally Sam Maxwell decided to let the hunt rest and concentrated on the
family of his ancestor John Maxwell. The results were amazing and led to
his publishing the more than 200 page, “
The Maxwell Family of Saugus”
- A Genealogical and Historical Reference including the Related Families
of: Caie, Stevens and McIntyre.
The author is descended from the Caie family by virtue of his grandmother,
Helen Malcolm Cooke (Caie) Maxwell. Her picture graces the cover of
his book. He traces the Caie family from 1770 Scotland to present, via New
Brunswick and includes much historical text of family members and includes
photos of family members. A special chapter is devoted to Robert Shand Caie
and his life in Nova Scotia.
Sam states “It is the most comprehensive study of the Caie family published
to his knowledge and a welcome addition to the family bookshelf.”
Since he spent much of his childhood in Freeport and Westport, Nova Scotia,
the tracing of his William Stevens, who arrived in Halifax circa 1760 as
a British soldier and his descendants who settled in Digby County was a very
pleasant task for him.
The dozens of family members photos and places, plus incidents and stories
put faces on
the people discussed in The Maxwell Family of Saugus and in so doing brings
the memories alive.
* * *