"Charles E. Maxwell was born on 5 September 1884, near Caineyville, OK, when Oklahoma was still Indian Territory and a part of the western frontier. His parents moved to Magdalena, NM, where his mother died when he was three years old.
Charles and his father, Willard Maxwell, then journeyed to Kansas to live with his father's family on the banks of the Missouri River. Here is where the foundation was laid for Charlie's future nautical career. As the family was all boat builders, the lad grew up playing in rowboats and sailboats. He learned his lessons well and like a veteran seaman, kept his boats and gear shipshape and in perfect order at all times.
Becoming restless Charles and his father decided to heed the words to "go west." They hove-to at New Whatcom, WA (later to become Bellingham) in April 1901, and afterward settled at Van Zandt, where they cut shingle bolts for a livelihood.
Wrestling shingle bolts was wholly lacking in romance, presenting nothing but a back-breaking future, so Charles took up photography and went to California for a while, but the irresistible call of Puget Sound was not to be denied. It was in reality, the call of the sea, a natural culmination of rowboat days; on his return to Bellingham, Charles and his father purchased the FOX, a 37-ft boat and established a freight and passenger run to the San Juan Islands.
Masters License, Willard Maxwell Courtesy of the Charles Maxwell family©. to S.P.H.S. April 2015. Click to enlarge. |
FOX 37-ft Maxwell family home, freight & passenger vessel. Early photo courtesy of Charles Maxwell family© To S.P.H.S. April 2015. |
SAN JUAN II Operated here by San Juan Transportation Co. Louis Borchers fine photo courtesy of Charles Maxwell family© To S.P.H.S. April 2015. |
SAN JUAN II ON 210893 Built in Bellingham, WA. (1913-1929) Operated here by San Juan Transportation Co. Fine photo courtesy of Charles Maxwell family© To S.P.H.S. April 2015. |
April 1919, the stork presented the Maxwells with Florence. Both little girls were raised on the boat, father stating 'they are the best little sailors on Puget Sound'.
ISLANDER Built at Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, WA. For San Juan Transportation Co. Photo courtesy of Charles Maxwell family© to S.P.H.S. April 2015. |
A short-lived addition to their boats was the 127-ft ASTORIAN, purchased and outfitted at Astoria, OR and placed on the Seattle-Bellingham run. She made one trip to Bellingham and upon her return trip was rammed and sunk by an oil barge in a dense fog off Elliott Bay. It was discouraging, but Charles Maxwell had what it took, so nothing daunted, he purchased the CHICKAWANA and kept right on with his contracts.
Courtesy of Charles Maxwell family© to S.P.H.S. April 2015. Click to enlarge. |
CHICKAWANA ON 210031 Running the US Mail for San Juan Transportation Co. Courtesy of Charles Maxwell family© to S.P.H.S. April 2015. |
"When I raised chickens on Shaw Island, I shipped out 14 cases of eggs per week. That's 14 cases of eggs per week. That's 360 eggs per case. They went out on the OSAGE. I had the third largest poultry farm on the island."
J. "Lee" Bruns to web admin March 1999.
Captain Charles Maxwell had acquired a host of friends in his 36 years of carrying mail, freight, and passengers, and held an enviable position in the hearts of the San Juan County folks.
Above text by Stewart C. Osborn "Scutt", for Marine Digest (?) May 1944.
Oceans of thanks for this generous contribution.
My family and I bought an older house in 2020. Doing some research on it, we learned that it was the Maxwell family home! I was happy to find this write up with some background on the first owners!
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading this site and taking time to send in a comment. Not sure if this finds you on San Juan Island, but there is at least one descendant there, I believe. If you would like to email SPHS through this site (not an anonymous comment, I might be able to share a contact if you need one for that family. In any case, we are glad you enjoyed this piece, most thanks going to the Maxwell family for sharing the scans.
ReplyDeleteRegards.