The Red Cloud chief., 1901-02-15
MAXWELL IS DEAD.
MAS MAD LONG AND ACTIVE (ARftR
wss . rios eer NJ the state, ssd Prow,-
nent In Its Political ana Judicial
History Prom an early Day
Other News Of Importa nee.

Judge Samuel Maxwell. one Of the
Oldest and o widely known pio-
neers OF Nebraska. died at his home
just north of Fremont at 4 o'clock
Monday morning. February II, Of
heart failure. He WAS i'll scarcely
a IN hour. and passed away before
medical aid could reach him. judge
Maxwell seemed to be in unusually
good health and spirits. He arose At
his usual hour and after Z o'clock went
down TO look NJ the furnace fire. When
he returned he complained of = severe
pain in his chest and was compelled to
lie down on q sofa. A messe nQrr WAS
dispatched for the family physician,
DR.. Smith, but before he arrived at the
home. he met the messenger coming a
second time. to urge him TO hurry.
When the house was reached, Judge
Maxwell had passed away
The deceased is one of the best
known men In the state. Throuuhout
his long life he made an uphill fight.
and by hard. conscientious work. had
placed himself in the first rank of the
Nebraska bar association, and won for
himself a name that is respected by
every member of the profession. lie
came TO Fremont about twenty. dive
years ago, and settled in the place
where he died, just north of the CITY
AT the end of N.ye avenue. During
his residence in Fremont he has spent
time ON the judicial bench, but has
done a great deal 81 legal work he.
sides.
Judge Maxwell was born near Lodi, ,
N. T., May 20, 1925. He was the son
OF wealthy parents, who resided ON a
farm. His grandfather had also bee |
well-to-do and had followed the occu.
Patton Of farming. His mother came |
from a wealthy family, and had beeu
thoroughly educated in the languages,
especially Greek, Latin and French.
Her son, however, received no such
benefits while young. further than
what came directly from her. The |
other portion of his education was re.
ceived from the public schools, and al
though not extensive ut that time, was
thorough.
In the spring Of 1856 he moved to
Nebraska and purchased "a claim near |
Plattsmouth, the public lands at that
time having not been surveyed. There
We're very few settlers in Cass county |
then, and Plattsmouth contained four
cabins and a log store. lie broke IN
about forty acres OF his claim during |
the summer iof 1856 and during the
succeeding winter cut. split and hauled
n distance of two miles a sufficient
number OF rails and stakes To fence to
the enclosure OF n neighbor about one
undred acres. This LAND was broken
the following year.
In Mare J.. 1867, the law firm of MAY
well " Chapman was formed in Flats. |
mouth, and at once purchased one of |
the beS' private lib aries in the state.
Close attention to bu, n SIS brought
general sIcee = to the firm. In 1871
Mr.. MaNwe was elected n member of
IA constitutional conve ntion. was
cta,rm; n on suffrage. and a Der
OF the nd ciary committee. The fol-
lowing year he was elected a jud,. e of
tie upremc ,ourt for "A term of six
yeats. the Judges ut that time also |
Lifting a, judges of the district court.
lie was assigns by the leg stature tn
TIE Third district. which 20 .nprised
all OF the territory north of the Platte |
RIVER except Douglas and Sarpy coun-
Ties In 1875 he was elected to the
supreme bench under & new consti- |
tuii>p and drew the six year term. In
1881 he was reelected for six a
more In 1877 the deceased prepared
a d gest cf Nebraska reports. Two
years later he pre- 'ented u work to tie
public on practice in justice courts.
Ihis has gone through several editions. |
In 1850 he offered u work on pleading
and practice under the code, which
mas also run through a number Of edi.
tions, His work on the supreme be inch |
was We y thorough and satisfactory,
and he was reelected again in 1887, but |
IN 1893 he failed of denomination.