Among the early settlers and prominent citizens of Clinton county was Oliver Hazzard Perry Maxey, father of J. P. Maxey. He was born near Mumfordsville, Hart county, Kentucky, on the 30th of July, 1816. His father was Philip Maxey. His early boyhood was spent in Kentucky, and he there secured the foundation of a good education. The family emigrated from Kentucky to Illinois in the year 1831, and settled three miles north-east of the present town of Breese, at the toll-bridge on Shoal creek, where that stream is crossed by the old Vincennes and St. Louis road. His brother, Albert G. Maxey, was the keeper of the toll-bridge and the proprietor of a store at this place for a number of years. On the 27th of March, 1845, he married Jane E. TAYLOR, a native also of Kentucky, and daughter of Joseph Taylor, who removed from Franklin county, Kentucky, to Illinois in 1833, and settled in section thirty-five of township three, range four. Mr. Maxey had gone to school in Kentucky, and after coming to this state attended for a time an academy at Alton. He was a whig in politics, but was conservative and liberal in his views, and was popular throughout the county. On attaining the age of twenty-one, although the county was democratic, he was elected sheriff. Although in all likelihood the youngest person who ever occupied that office in the county, he discharged its duties in a very efficient and satisfactory manner, and filled the position in all twelve years. In 1849 he went to California, and was on the Pacific slope till 1852. He was in the lumbering business one year in Oregon, but most of the time he was in the gold mines of California. Returning to Illinois he died on the 27th of January, 1856.

Joseph Philip Maxey, the only child of O. H. P. Maxey, was born December 18th, 1846. His birthplace was section twenty-seven of township three, range four, on the farm now owned by Mrs. Lucy D. AMOS. In the fall of 1862 he entered Shurtleff College at Alton, and after remaining there one year went to the Indiana State University at Bloomington, where he was a student five terms.

January 21st, 1869, he married Miss Agnes Young BEATTIE, who was born in Ireland, twelve miles from Belfast. After his marriage he went to farming on section twenty-six of St. Rose township, and in the summer of 1881 removed to trenton. He has two children living, Jane Elizabeth and Lucy Eleanor. He is a democrat in politics. A view of his farm in St. Rose township appears on another page. He owns upwards of twelve hundred acres of land in St. Rose, Breese and Wheatfield Townships.

Source: History of Marion and Clinton Counties, Illinois, 1881, Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia

Submitted by: Pamela Safriet

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