The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-07-17
MODERN ENOCH ARDEN
The Pathetic Story Of a Tennessee
Confederate Soldier.
PERFIDITY OF HIS OWN BROTHER
Jeff Maxwell Bore His Sorrow In Silence
for Nearly Forty Years-Lost His Wife
and Money While Fighting for His
Country's Cause-Death at last
Paves the Way for Talk.

Covington, Tenn, July 12.-E. j.
Maxwell who is hale and hearty,
though 81 years of age, is the central
figure in story containing all the ele-
ments of the strangest popular fiction.
In many respects it is similar to the
pathetic tale of Enoch Arden, who has
been immortalized by Tennyson. The
shadow of a brothers perfidy, how
ever, gives a dark coloring to occur
rences which perhaps otherwise would
have been merely pathetic and tinged
with romance.
Mr. Maxwell, who lives near Cum
berland Gap, Claiborne county, came
to Upton county few days ago, after
an absence Of more than forty years,
to visit his daughter, Mrs. Jesse Joy,
who lives in district No. II and whom
he had never seen, she having been
born a short while after his departure
years ago. For many years Mr.. Max
we'll was supposed to have been killed
in battle in the civil war, and in 1881
the County Court of Upton county
practically decreed him dead.
Went to War for His Country.
In October, 1861, Mr.. Maxwell, who
was a well-to-do farmer and resided
in Upton with his wife and two chill
dren, answered his country's call to
arms and joined the Confederate
forces. He served CALAMITY through
out the entire war, and when he sur
rendered was acting as assistant sur
geon, with the rank of second lieu
tenant. He enlisted in the Fifty-first
Tennessee regiment. His company
was commanded by Capt. Ben Brow
der, afterwards colonel of the Fifty
first Capt. Hall succeeded him, and
of the company. While in the army
he heard at intervals from his home,
but on account of the rush of events
never had an opportunity to visit his
family. In 1864 his brother, James ].
Maxwell, who remained at the old
home IN Upton county, wrote him,
it is related, requesting the loan of
some money in order to lift mort
gage from the farm. Mr.. Maxwell
advanced him $4,000. He received a
receipt for that amount signed by his
(Jeff's) wife, who was formerly Mary
e. Archer, per his brother, James
Maxwell. In few weeks James Max
well, according to the story, wrote
that his (Jeff's) wife had secured a
divorce and that he had married her.
James further suggested to his
brother to return home to care for
his children. Mr. Maxwell says, that
xxrhi1 hn fI1n hU
news of his wifes alleged divorce
and remarriage, he took a philosophi-
cal view of the circumstances, and
replied that as his brother had the
cow he would have to feed the
calves"
Bore Wrong in Silence.
At the close of the war Mr.. Max
well settled near Cumberland Gap,
Claibore county. He learned through
some friends that his wife had never
secured a divorce, but that his brother
had deceived her by falsely reporting
his brothers death while serving in
the army. Upon investigation he as
certained that James Maxwell and his
wife had married in 1867, the ceremo-
ny being performed by Rev. J. Rich.
His brother had evidently surmised
that Jeff Maxwell would hardly return
home in case he supposed his wife
had deserted him, and thus he would
be relieved of the payment of the
81, 200 borrowed in addition to secur-
ing his wife. At first jeff Maxwell
says he determined to return home
and expose and punish the perfidy
of his brother, but when he pictured
the distress of his wife and the en-
barrassment and shame to which she
and his children would be subjected
by his return, he determined to I'M
dergo any sacrifice rather than to
bring about such a result, so he re-
manned silent for years.
The Reign of Death.
In 1881 bill was filed in the Upton
County Court to sell his old home,
his mother having died. The court
took official cogniZance of his death
and decred his share in the estate
to his children. Shortly after this his
brother James died, and he and an
other brother, E. d. Maxwell, who also
served in the Confederate army, and
who resided in Upton county after
the war, began a correspondence
which lasted until the death of the
latter. About ten years ago Mr. Max
well wrote his wife, whom he had
not heard from in thirty years, with
regard to the welfare of his children.
Though James Maxwell was then dead,
their former relations were never re-
established, and Mrs. Maxwell died a
year or two afterwards. His brother,
E. D. Maxwell, who has always sup
posed him dead until he received a
letter from him in 1882 or 1888, also
died few years ago.
Mr.. Maxwell had some business call
ing him to Little Rock, Ark, and
stopped over here to see his daughter.
He is the owner of some iron, zinc
and lead mines in Claiborne county
which give promise of being highly
productive when fully developed.