Description The Maxwells of Mount Thom

The Maxwells

Robert Maxwell was born in Dumfries, Scotland, where he was married to Isabel Dunbar, daughter of William Dunbar and Margaret Dunbar his wife of Blackside End, Parish of San, County of Ayr.  Other children were Hugh Dunbar, Margaret Dubar who married Ivy Campbell of Dalgeig and Janet Dunbar who married John Howat of Cumnock.

After the rebellion of 1745, Robert Maxwell removed from Todds Hole where he had been living to Loch Broom, Rosshire, in the Highlands and engaged in sheep raising on a large scale.  His son William got into financial difficulties through going security for a drover and transferred his property to a Rev. Dr. Ross, minister of the Parish of Ullapool.  Rev. Dr. Ross afterwards became bankrupt rendering William Maxwell much reduced in circumstances.   This led to the emigration to Nova Scotia. William Maxwell was known as "Maxwell mohr na chaoraich", ie. "Big Maxwell of the sheep."

The only children of Robert Maxwell and Isabel Dunbar of whom we have any record were William Maxwell and a daughter who married a Mr. MacKay.  Robert Maxwell married a second time and had a son Benjamin, afterwards known as John.  A third son, Alexander, was a child of a third marriage.  Robert never emigrated, but William, Benjamin and John all eventually came to Canada.

Benjamin when a young man was pressed into the British Navy but deserted at Halifax and made his way to Mount Thom where he obtained a grant of land in 1812 under the name of John, the name which he had adopted in his new home.  He was the first of the Maxwell family to come to Nova Scotia.  One one occasion he visited Pictou and was much alarmed when saluted as "Benjamin" by a sailor from a man-of-war lying in the harbour.  He stood not on the order of his going but hastened back to Mount Thom without disposing of his potatoes which had been the occasion of his visit.  He married Betsy McLeod.

Alexander Maxwell came to Canada later on and was accidently killed in Ontario, unmarried.

William Dunbar Maxwell was born in Dumfrieshire, Scotland, in 1789.  He was married to Jane McCallum and for a time before emigrating lived at Fisherfields, Loch Broom, Rosshire. His wife was said to have been a native of Argyle.  He died Oct. 16, 1852, aged 63 years and his wife died April 12, 1854 aged 62 years. Both died at Lower Mount Thom.  All of their family were born at Loch Broom, Scotland.  With William, when he emigrated to Nova Scotia, were his wife and children Hugh, Archie, Robina, and George.  John came in the spring of 1834 and Duncan Maxwell, the remaining son, came over in 1836.