The Maxey Family of Buckingham County, Part I
Minnie Garland Harris
While I do not descend from a member of the Maxey family, I have many Maxey cousins as a result of shared maternal lines. Additionally, my great grandfather’s first marriage was to Mary Ellen Maxey of Well Water, Buckingham County.
On December 1, 1875, Clayton Eugene “Clay” Harris married Mary Ellen in Buckingham County, uniting two core families of Sharon Baptist Church. Mary Ellen died of a fever on October 17, 1885. They had one daughter, Mary “Lula,” who was born profoundly deaf in 1876. She was being educated in Staunton, Virginia, at the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind, when she died of pneumonia on December 22, 1891.
After Mary Ellen’s death, Clay married my ancestor Mary Elizabeth Woodson. She died of tuberculosis on September 15, 1891, leaving him alone to care for my infant grandmother, Minnie Garland Harris. Soon they would leave Buckingham to settle in a small town in southern Iowa, where Clay joined his brothers and extended family.
Many years ago, on my first visit to Buckingham County, I met Bill Maxey who lived near Muddy Creek. He showed me Mary Ellen (Maxey) Harris’s unmarked grave and the site of the cabin where the Harrises lived. It was a wonderful introduction to exploring my grandmother’s heritage in Buckingham County.
As a result, my curiosity about the Maxey family grew and I was eager to learn more about their significant contribution to the county’s history and connections to my Buckingham County ancestors.
Coming Next: The Maxey Family of Buckingham County, Part II
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- The Maxey Family of Buckingham County, Part VII: Tragic Buckingham County Fire, 1907 | slate river ramblings . . . .
- The Maxey Family of Buckingham County, Part VI | slate river ramblings . . . .
- The Maxey Family of Buckingham County, Part V | slate river ramblings . . . .
- The Maxey Family of Buckingham County, Part IV | slate river ramblings . . . .
- The Maxey Family of Buckingham County, Part III | slate river ramblings . . . .
- The Maxey Family of Buckingham County, Part II | slate river ramblings . . . .
slate river ramblings . . . . 
Hi Deb –my sincere apologies for the long delay in responding. I really got side-tracked and forgot to check in on this site. I will contact you via email (my email is: david.a.ragland@gmail.com). And btw, I grew up in Hanover County Va just a stones throw from what is now Manakin-Sabot Va –(aka Manikin Town).
I’m currently conducting research on prominent families in Buckingham County (as well as less prominent families, such as my Ragland family) for a historical fiction novel that I’m writing, and which takes place in Buckingham. (Some of the families and personages I am researching include, Henry St. George Harris, Dr. Oriana (Moon) Andrews, Dr. John Summerfield Andrews, George W. Bagby, and others. My father grew up on a farm along the Slate River and the property adjoined another property owned by Ralph Maxey, whom I met as a child, and remember quite well. The Maxey property reached the southern bank of the Slate River, and I remember the foundation of a old home that I was told had burned down (not sure when). I don’t know if any of this rings any bells, but I wanted to share, just in case. Also, other family names, in my direct lineage, include Taylor and Banton. The road used to access both the former Ragland and Maxey properties is called Banton Shop Rd. I would, of course, be grateful to anyone for any additional information. Thank you, David Ragland (david.a.ragland@gmail.com).
David,
Thanks for your comment. Here’s hoping you get a response from a Slate River Ramblings follower.
Joanne
This thread greatly interests me as I found the 1740 will of Edward Maxey of Albermerle to contain the following wording “”I give to John Dunkin a young mare of three years old when the said John Dunkin doth come of age.” I believe this John Duncan to be one of my earliest US ancestors. John Dunkin aka Duncan is also found later in Buckingham County, as an ancestor James Duncan when he turns 21. I know there is a relationship there, I just haven’t discovered what it is yet. I am interesting in collaborating on this issue with anyone who is also interested. Thank you.
Deb,
Thanks for your comment. Here’s hoping you connect with someone interested in John Dunkin.
Joanne
Hi Deb –this is interesting background, and I would bet we could unravel the related mysteries jointly. I will certainly share anything that I uncover related to your Duncan and Maxey connections. I certainly remember the name Duncan in conversations with my father –he’s still living (almost 90) but has a clear memory of his childhood. Thanks for your post! David
Hi, David – I have done a lot of analyzing of land records in the counties as well and found that John Dunkin and his brother George seemed to have inherited land from Martin Duncan. Not sure of the relationship there, but I also found an earlier record of another John Dunkin in Henrico County in about 1710. There was a Duncan on the Passenger Ship Nassau (the 4th ship manifest) of the Huguenots who settled in Manikin Town, VA in 1701. I am very interested in collaborating with you and sharing all I have. You can reach me at camp.scorns0j@icloud.com.