Maxwell
 The origins of the name are very ancient. Maccus, son of Undwyn, a Saxon, came to the  area and set up home in his 'ton' at Maccuston - modern day Maxton. He and his family  were signatories to various documents, and one of his sons became Sheriff of  Roxburghshire. Maccus was granted land at Kelso to the south of the town of Easter  Kelso about turn of the twelfth century. There was on his land an excellent salmon  pool in the Tweed, which became known as Maccus' wiel - Maccus' pool - hence Maxwheel  or Maxwell. The Parish of Maxwell, where Springwood Park and the Border Union  Showground are today, was a separate parish in early medieval times. The land above,  Maxwellheugh, and Maxwell Lane continue the name in the town. The family name of  Maxwell is well-known throughout the South of Scotland

The Maxwells are a Border clan and were active during the turbulent Border wars. The  first leader was Maccus, son of Undweyn who lived in the 12th Century who appears to  have given his name to Maccuswell, a pool of the Tweed near Kelso Bridge; Wael is old  English for pool. His descendant Sir John Maxwell was appointed Chamberlain of  Scotland but died without issue in 1241. He was the first to occupy the Maxwell's  great castle of Caerlaverock. He was succeeded by his brother Sir Aymer who had two  sons, Herbert and John. From these two brothers descend many branches of the Maxwell  clan. Sir Herbert of Maxwell was one of the nobles who recognized Margaret of Norway  as Queen of Scots and John Balliol as King. His grandson,Sir Eustace held  Caerlaverock for Edward I in 1312 but later signed The Decalaration of Arbroath in  1320. He returned to Balliol's camp briefly but then followed the Bruces, his brother  and son also followed David II to the field in 1346.Herbert his successor was  knighted Lord Maxwell afterJames I return in 1424 and he became increasingly more  powerful during the 15th century after the decline of the Black Douglases and became  Warden of the Marches. John, Lord Maxwell in the reign of King James IV was  imprisoned for lawlessness but later died with his King at Flodden in 1513. He had  two sons, Robert, 5th Lord and John who became Lord Herries of Terregles by marrying  Lady Anne Herries. His brother served briefly as Regent during King James V's reign  and escorted Queen Mary of Lorraine to Scotland in 1538. In 1581, John, Lord Maxwell  was created Earl of Morton after the execution of the Douglas holder, he was killed  in an engagement with the Johnstons in 1593. His son also John, in revenge killed Sir  James Johnston of that Ilk in 1608 and fled to the continent, only to be executed on  his return in 1613. He was succeeded by his brother Robert who was created Earl of  Nithsdale (the title of Earl of Morton was restored to the Douglases). The title  reverted to Lord Herries when the direct line ended. The 5th Earl joined the Jacobite  Rising of 1715 and was captured and sentenced to death, he escaped from the Tower of  London dressed in female attire and then he escaped to Rome where he was forced to  live in poverty until his death. Other Maxwell families include those of Pollock,  Monreith, Cardoness and Corruchan. William Maxwell of Corruchan established in Lyon  Court his claim as heir male of the Maxwells.

In their illustrious history, the Maxwells have held numerous titles and offices,  such as Earl of Nithsdale, Earl of Morton, Earl of Dirleton, Lords Maxwell, Carlyle,  Elbottle, Eskdale, Herries of Terregles, Kingston, Farnham and DeRos. They have held  five baronetcies: that of Calderwood in Lanarkshire, Cardoness in Kirkcudbrightshire,  Monreith in Wigtonshrie, Pollock of Renfrewshire and Springkell in Dumfriesshire.  Maxwells were Wardens of the West March of the Scotland/English border  
                                  
  Many were the castles and estates that belonged to the Maxwells over the centuries,  such as Threave, Annan Tower, Lochmaben, Langhol, Hills, Terregles, Maxwell's Castle  (Dumfries), Barend, Kirkconnell, Hoddom, Cardoness, Orchardtown, Corra, Preston  (Wrieth's Tower), Castlemilk, Cowhill, Fourmerkland, The Isle, Friar's Carse,  Myretown Tower, Auldhouse, Monreith, and in Strathclyde there was Pollock, Hags,  Calderwood, Newark, Stainley, and Dargavel House. However, the great castle of the  Maxwells and their Clan seat is Caerlaverock Castle, south of Dumfries on the Solway,  a unique and awesome sight even in its partial state of ruin today!

With the union of the crowns of Scotland and England in 1605, many Maxwells along  with other Scots moved south into England. The eighteenth century saw many Maxwells  dispersed throughout the British Empire.

All the Maxwell families who live in Ireland or who ever have lived in Ireland, have  their origins in Scotland. Many of these Maxwells forebears went there during the  17th century and have long forgotten their Scottish 
 roots.                               
  
 Since earliest times, the Maxwell family enjoyed a mobility accorded only to the  nobility and merchant classes. Their castle at Caerlaverock on the Solway had its own  port and one must assume that the early Maxwells travelled within the Irish Sea  trading triangle that linked the east coast of Ireland with the north-west coast of  England and the south-west of Scotland. From both the Galloway coast and the Clyde  estuary, Maxwells are likely to have traded with the Celtic people on the Irish  mainland

One of the Maxwells who lived in Ireland was the Reverend Robert  Maxwell, a younger son of Maxwell of Calderwood. He went to Ireland late in the reign  of Queen Elizabeth and lived within the English pale. When King James VI of Scotland  came to the English throne in 1603, Robert Maxwell was made Dean of Armagh. From  Robert, the Maxwells of Farnham, Finnebrogue, Ballyrolly and Killyleagh are all  descended.Other Maxwells to go to ireland were hugh Maxwell who fled the Jacobites in  1715 he went to co Down with his three sons and farmed at carrick hills  Hugh was married to Mary Meinzies who was also born at dumfries, but I do not at  this 
 stage in my research know if she accompanied them to Ireland.









I AM IN POSSESSION ,HAVING PURCHASED  THE MCGIFFERT LETTERS WRITTEN TO DAVID MCGIFFERT IN ALABAMA  BY COUSINS OUR 
 ANCESTORS IN IRELAND . WRITTEN BY THE SIBLINGS OF ELIZABETH MCGIFFERT/MAXWELL TO THEIR BROTHER  WHILE HE WAS IN MELBOURNE AND CALIFORNIA. ALSO MANY LETTERS WRITTEN TO DAVID MCGIFFERT THEIR  COUSIN LETTERS ALSO WRITTEN BY ISABELLA RACHEL JANE MCGIFFERT TO BROTHER WILLIAM (BILL) WHILE HE  WAS ON THE CALIFORIAN GOLDFIELDS. STRANGLEY NO LETTER WAS WRITTEN TO OR BY OUR ANCESTOR ELIZABETH (ELIZA) MCGIFFERT/MAXWELL. 
 CHILDREN OF THEIR UNCLE JAMES MCGIFFERT THEIR FATHER BEING WILLIAM MCGIFFERT AND MARY THEIR MOTHER.

LOOK AT THE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE MENTIONED TO GET A VERY SHORT SUMMARY OF EACH LETTER AND THE  CONTENTS OF THEM

WALKING, I AM LISTENING 
 TO A DEEPER WAY.
 SUDDENLY, ALL MY 
 ANCESTORS ARE BEHIND ME.

BE STILL, THEY SAY.
 WATCH AND LISTEN.

YOUR ARE THE RESULT OF
 THE LOVE OF THOUSANDS.

~ Linda Hogan