Edward P. and Lenna (Bowers) Maxwell, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Edward P. and Lenna (Bowers) Maxwell
THE EDWARD P. AND LENNA (BOWERS) MAXWELL FAMILY
The grandparents of Edward P. Maxwell, John and Dorinda (Morrison) Maxwell, came to La Porte County from Dublin, Ireland in 1837, and moved to Porter County in 1842, the first of six generations to live in Porter County. To this union were born eight children, seven of whom spent their entire lives as farmers in south Porter County.
Arthur, the third child of this family, (born November 22, 1837 -- died May 24, 1907) is the father of Edward P. Maxwell who married Mary Jane Baum of Morgan Township on March 26, 1862. Both are buried in Adams Cemetery, Morgan Township.
Edward Maxwell, born December 1, 1876, and died April 7, 1950 was the eighth of ten children of Arthur and Mary Jane Maxwell. On March 31, 1903, he married Lenna Bowers, also of Morgan Township. Their children are:
Gladys, (Mrs. George Anderson) a retired school teacher who now lives in is Munster, Indiana and is the mother of Maxwell of Arlington Heights, Ill., Edward of Highland, Indiana, and Jane, (Mrs. James Carlson) of Valparaiso.
Hazel, a retired nurse and former administrator of Porter Memorial Hospital, married G. Warren Phillips of Valparaiso in 1945, the father of George, Joan and Nancy.
Marion, a son, was born October 21, 1905 and died July 24, 1954. He spent his lifetime farming in Morgan Township, and on May 20, 1933, married Alice Phillips of Porter Township who continues to reside in Valparaiso. Two sons and a daughter all live in Porter County; namely, Philip A. Maxwell, the eldest, is a graduate of Purdue University. On June 15, 1958 he married Jane Smoker of Wanatah; they reside three miles south east of Valparaiso. He is a farmer, active in farm, Church and community organizations. In 1970 he was designated as one of the Outstanding Farmers of the U.S.A. They are the parents of two daughters, Cheri and Debra, and a son, Mark.
Mary Alice (Maxwell) Dolhover, is a graduate of Ball State University, and a former teacher in the Valparaiso and Porter Township schools. She married Richard Dolhover on December 22, 1963, and they live on the Dolhover farm in Porter Township where Dick combines farming with work at Midwest Steel. They have a son, Michael, and a daughter, Sue Ann.
John Maxwell, the younger son, is a graduate of Purdue University. On December 17, 1966, he married Darlene Birky of Pleasant Township. In 1968 they purchased the farm of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Phillips of Porter Township, a farm which was formerly owned by his great-grandfather. John and Darlene are the parents of Matthew and Andrew. John is active in farm, Church, and community affairs.
All three families have been active in the support of the First Christian Church.
Source: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County. 1976. A Biographical History of Porter County, Indiana. Valparaiso, Indiana: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County, Inc. 180 p.
Page(s) in Source: 135
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook