William Reason Maxwell Journals

[MissyS]

I Wish everyone a Happy New Year!  On the Texas History site there are two journals written by a William Reason Maxwell, one is from 1874 and the other from 1876 and is from the private collection of Mary Newton Maxwell. I was wondering if he was related in some way to the Maxwell’s of Fort Sumner New Mexico? There is an interesting page in one of the journals that has two familiar names written down on it on page 6; a Henry Roberts and what looks like J W Middleton? Could this be the Lincoln Regulator John Middleton that fought with Billy the Kid? I thought it interesting that the two names were written on the same page. Middleton’s name is again on pg 8. The books contain writing in pencil that is faded and a little hard to read in places, it’s hard for me to read, they contains daily thoughts and activities, one journal is a little about buying pigs and hunting gobblers or turkeys. I wish I knew more about them. The handwriting looks similar to Billy the Kid’s handwriting to me. I wonder about the Henry Roberts name? The top link is a page from the 1874 journal and the other link is the other journal from 1876

texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth435987/m1/6/?q=William%20Maxwell%20journal

texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth436285/?q=William%20Maxwell#partners

[noreaster]

Hi Missy, I wonder if the D R Thornton on the page is Daniel Roberts Thornton. Seems to fit the timeline. He appears to be an early settler to the region from Mississippi.

I also see an A H Roberts (might not be an A) at the top of page 6. 

Lot's of Roberts in Texas but nonetheless an interesting thread to pull on.

all the best

[MissyS]

Hi noreaster, Happy New Year. The D R Thornton name very well could be the early Mississippi settler, there is a Daniel Roberts Thornton on Find a grave, it says he was born in Alabama in 1833 and died in Huckabay Erath County Texas in 1911. www.findagrave.com/memorial/6535808/daniel-roberts-thornton  is this the same one? I was able to make out some of the writing but it’s not that easy, it looks like on page 24. that William Maxwell may have been in Hico Texas, and what is written Jones Burough and camped, I believe is more likely the town of Jonesboro Texas, which is around 25 miles south of Hico, then on bottom of the page is Started for home, came through Hambleton, Could Hambleton mean Hamilton Texas? Was his home near Hamilton? These books are an interesting treasure. 

[noreaster]

Thank you and a Happy New Year to you Missy! I apologize for my poor manners. Sometimes I am too much to the point. 

The Texas historical society placed a historical maker near Stephenville for Daniel Roberts Thornton. Stephenville Historical Marker . The same Daniel Roberts Thornton as you have found, I presume, based on the 1833 birth date.

Stephenville is approximately 30 km (~20 miles) from Hico and about 80 km ( ~50 miles) from Buffalo Gap. Hico is about midway between Stephenville and Hamilton.

A census search for the people on that page would be interesting to see who possible candidates are for that general area.

[MissyS]

I’m wondering if Brushy Bill may have sometimes went by the name “Henry Roberts” besides Ollie and Texas Kid and Hugo Kid?