[page 60] William Maxwell - Upon the memory of William Maxwell are impressed many pictures of early days in Page county when deer roamed over the prairie and when wolves howled around the cabin at night. He arrived here as a frontier settler, his cash capital at the time being but a single dollar. He possessed, however, a stout heart and willing hands and in the struggle to attain success he has come off as victor, bieng now a prominent representative of livestock and financial interests in this part of the state. Moreover, his wealth has been acquired by honorable means in the field of legitimate business and his achievements may well served as an inspiration to others. His home in on section 23, Tarkio township. His birth occurred in County Donegal, Ireland, July 12, 1843, his parents being George and Martha (Shaw) Maxwell, both of whom spent their entire lives in the green isle of Erin.

In his boyhood days William Maxwell was familiar with that land which has figured so much in song and story, and he received careful home training fom his parents, whose lessons concerning industry, integrity and perseverance have never been forgotten. His education was acquired in the common schools and he continued under the parental roof until his twenty-fourth year. Early in the spring of 1867 he sailed for the United States, landing in New York city on the 1st of May, but the metropolis had little attraction for him as he sought the opportunities of the great middle west, making his way direct to Newton, Jasper county, Iowa, where for six weeks he worked for his board. After ten weeks spent in Newton he continued his journey to Page county, arriving here about the 20th of July. He remained through the summer and following winter and with the opening of spring in the year 1868 he went to the Rocky mountains in Wyoming, securing employment on the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad. His time was thus fully occupied for a year, one half of the day being given to construction work, while the remainder of the time was devoted to herding the cattle and horses belonging to the camp at night. When a year had elapsed he returned to Page county in the spring of 1869 with seven hundred dollars which he had saved from his earnings, for in that period he had lived very economically, never incurring an expense that was not an absolute necessity.

With the captial he had thus won Mr Maxwell purchased forty acres of his present farm constituting the tract on which his dwelling now stands. He also bought some young stock and thus started upon a business career [page 61] which has proven eminently successful. Through his industry and good business management he has developed his interests until he has become one of the extensive landowners of Page county, his possessions aggregating something over one thousand acres of soil which is arable and rich. The land responds readily to the care and labor bestowed upon it, yielding large crops in reward for cultivation. Moreover, Mr Maxwell has met generous success in cattle raising, in which he has largely engaged. From the days when he was a boy in pinafores he had always been more or less connected with the cattle business and since establishing his home in Page county has made a specialty of stock raising, owning the best shorthorn bulls for breeding purposes. He has also been a heavy feeder of lives stock and his judgement is seldom if ever at fault concerning the value of cattle, so that he has been able to make judicious investments and profitable sales.

On the 15th of November, 1875, was celebrated the marriage of Mr Maxwell and Miss Catherine Canterbury, a native of Ireland. Unto them have been born three children: William George and Mary, both at home; and Samuel J., who died in infancy. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and contribute generously to its support.

Mr Maxwell is a republican in politics but the honors and emoluments of office have had no attraction for him. Business to him is a more exciting and interesting pastime than the manipulation of political interests and his record indicates the possiblities for accomplishment to the young man who has determination, physical strength and the intelligence to wisely direct his labors. Although he arrived in Page county practically penniless, during the recent financial flurry of 1907 it was said that he could borrow more money than any man in the county. With all of his extensive possessions there is no financial obligation against any of his property and, moreover, he has a splendid reserved on deposit in various banks. The years that have come and gone have chronicled his increasing success, his own powers seeming to have developed with the growth and progress of the county and in the honorable utilization of his opportunites he has become one of southwestern Iowa's leading stock raisers and feeders.