**********************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.org/la/lafiles.htm
**********************************************
 
 

Source: Southwest Louisiana and Biographical and Historical by
William Henry Perrin published in 1891;  page 296.



                       ALBERT G. MAXWELL
                           Ramsey, LA
Albert G. Maxwell, one of the pioneer settlers of what is now
Vermilion parish, is a native of Maryland, born in Chestertown,
Kent county, October 6, 1815. He is the son of John and Rebecca
(Coats) Maxwell. John Maxwell was a soldier in the war of 1812,
as a  member of the Light Horse Company. He was in the battle
near Chestertown, Maryland, where Sir Peter Parker was killed;
and also in the battle of Calksfield. Early in life he pursued a
medical course, in which he graduated, but the practice of
medicine not proving congenial to his taste, he afterward studied
law, though he was never admitted to the bar; and finally
planting became his lifetime occupation. He was an extensive and
prominent planter, and was a large slave holder. He was the first
slave owner in Maryland who emancipated his slaves. This he did
by giving the young ones their freedom at the age of twenty-one
years, and the old ones were liberated at his death. He
died at the age of forty-nine years, Albert G. being at the
time ten years old.  He was a member of the Episcopal church, and
an active worker.  In politics be adhered strictly to the
principles of the whig party.  Rebecca Coats Maxwell
was a daughter of John Coats, of Easton, Maryland.  He was a
prominent Mason, and served for a number of years as first
worshipful master in the State Grand Lodge. He was a sergeant in
the division that Arnold commanded during the Revolutionary War.
After the war in recognition of his services the government
bestowed upon him grants of land in Franklin county, Ohio. He
was an intimate friend and associate of John Knox, of 
reivolutionary fame.  Dr. Coats never amassed a fortune, though
his income was large. He was generous almost to a fault.
Albert G. Maxwell, the subject of this sketch, is one of a
family of four children, only two of whom are livingÄhimself and
Sophia, widow of Dr. Henry M. Robertson, of Huntsville. Susan
Henrietta married J. C. Wallis, of Maryland. She died at the age
of twenty-one years. John M. was a merchant in New Brunswick. who
came to Louisiana in 1851, and located in Lafayette parish, where
he was married, and resided until the time of his death, at the
age of forty-nine years.  Albert G. Maxwell received a thorough
academic education. At the age of seventeen years, he removed to
Louisiana, and was for some time engaged as a book-keeper for
Smith & Sons, of Franklin, Louisiana. Two years after entering
their employ, he opened an establishment on his own account, and
was engaged in the business for a period of several years.
Subsequent to this he was for twelve years occupied in planting
in Lafayette parish, when he removed to this parish, and has
given his attention since to conducting his plantation. In
1887 he purchased the Pecan Grove plantation, which consists
of four hundred and fifty acres of fertile land near Abbeville.
Mr. Maxwell was married at the age of twenty-three years to Miss
Martha Nixon, of Lafayette parish. She died in 1875. He afterward
married Miss Mary E. Tilden, of Kent county, Maryland, a cousin
of Samuel J Tilden. Mrs. Maxwell died in 1880.  Before the 
dissolution of that party, Mr. Maxwell was a Whig. He is a
prominent member of the Masonic fraternity.