History of Elberton, (Elbert County) Georgia United States of America

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Augustus Emmett Maxwell, representative and jurist, was born in Elberton, Ga., Sept. 21, 1820; son of Simeon and Elizabeth (Fortson) Maxwell; grandson of John and James (Henry) Maxwell; great-grandson of Thomas Maxwell, who migrated from Orange county, Va., to Georgia in 1792, and great2grandson of Joel Maxwell, who came from Scotland to America early in 1700. He was a student from Alabama at the University of Virginia, 1837-41, and was admitted to the Alabama bar in 1843, and practised law in Eutaw, 1843-45; removing to Tallahassee. Fla., in 1845. He was a representative in the Florida legislature in 1847; secretary of state in 1848, and a member of the state senate in 1850. He was a Democratic representative from Florida in the 33d and 34th congresses, 1853-57, and was U.S. navy agent at Pensacola, Fla., by appointment of President Buchanan, 1857-61. He was a member of the Confederate States senate, 1862-65, and after the civil war was appointed judge of the supreme court of Florida. He was judge of the circuit court of Florida, 1877-85; a member of the state constitutional convention in 1885; chief justice, and afterward associate justice of the supreme court of that state, 1887-91. He was married at the University of Virginia in 1843 to Sarah Roane, daughter of Arthur and Lucy Brockenborough; and after her death, in 1847, he married at Pensacola, Fla., 1853, Julia H., daughter of Chief-Justice Walker and Phoebe (Hawks) Anderson, who died in 1886. He retired from the bench and from active practice in 1891. He died in Chipley, Fla., May 5, 1903.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Elberton, (Elbert County) Georgia

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