John Hail Maxey

John Hail Maxey was born February 4, 1840, in Oglethorpe County, Georgia.   He was the son of Bennett Hail Maxey and Frances Eason.   John was named for his two grandfathers, John Eason and Hail Maxey.  

John was shown as a male under the age of 5 on the 1840 Oglethorpe County census.   The family moved to Walker County, Georgia prior to 1850. 

The 1850 Walker County, Georgia, West Chickamauga Township census listed John as 9 years old.

The Maxey family moved to Arkansas about 1857.   The family was living in Sylamore Township of Izard County, Arkansas in 1860.  

On May 21, 1862, John enlisted in CO F, 27th Ark. Confederate Infantry, at Locust Grove, AR, for a period of 1 year.   He was 22 years old.  He was medically discharged in August 1863. 

John married Sarah Malissa  Gillcrist about 1867, in Izard (now Stone) County, Arkansas.    Sarah Gillcrist was born February 8, 1839, in Tennessee, the daughter of Malcolm Gillcrist and Margaret Mitchell.  

Malcolm Gillcrist was born about 1803, in Tennessee and died April 1860, in Wayne County, Tennessee.   Margaret Mitchell was born about 1807, in Tennessee.   The couple married on April 1, 1824, in Maury County, Tennessee.   Malcolm and Margaret appeared with seven of their children and with Margaret's mother, Milla Mitchell, age 58, born North Carolina, on the 1850 Wayne County, Tennessee census.   Their children included: (1) Catherine Gillcrist, b. 1827, TN; (2) Emily Mahala Gillcrist, b. 1829, TN; m. Peyton Smith Stanfield; (3) Elizabeth Gillcrist, b. 1830, TN; (4) John Gillcrist, b. 1834, TN; (5) George Gillcrist, b. 1836, TN; (6) Angeline Gillcrist, b. 1837, TN; (7) Sarah Malissa Gillcrist, b. 1839, TN; m. John Hail Maxey and (8) Daniel Gillcrist, b. 1846, TN. 

John and Sarah settled in Izard (now Stone) County after their marriage.  

The 1880 Stone County, Arkansas, Sylamore Township census, shows John H. Maxey, 40, farmer, b. GA; Sarah M., 41, wife, b. TN; Josephene, 12, dau, b. TN; Robert E., 7, son, b. AR; Nathaniel C., 5, son, b. AR; Ollie, 4, dau, b. AR; Emanuel, 10 months, son, b. July, AR and Margrett Gillcrist, 74, mother-in-law, b. VA.   

John and Sarah's family appeared on the 1900 Stone County census.  Living with the family was their granddauther, 10 year old Ollie A. Dodd.   Ollie's mother, Josephine had died prior to 1900 and John and Sarah were apparently raising the child.   Ollie appears with her grandparents again on the 1910 Stone County census.   The 1920 Stone County census showed John Maxey, 79, a farmer who owned his farm and Sarah, wife, 81 years old. 

John died June 30, 1926, in Stone County.   He is buried in the Timbo Cemetery at Timbo, in Stone County. 

In 1926, Sarah applied, from Stone County, for a Confederate Widows Pension. 

Sarah, age 92, appeared on the 1930 Stone Co census, living with her daughter Margaret J. Dodson and family.   

 Sarah died Sept 7, 1932, in Stone County and is buried beside John in Timbo Cemetery.

   Children of John Hail Maxey and Sarah Malissa Gillcrist