Jehu Marshall Maxey

Obituary #1 

Marshall Maxey was born March 1, 1855; departed this life 
September 7, 1927, at his late home in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. He was 
for forty years a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for 
fifteen years was a faithful member of the First Church in Mt. Vernon. 
He had a splendid voice and was for many years a member of the choir. 
His services in revival meetings are recalled by his former pastors, 
and it is said that many were led to know and accept the Saviour through 
his singing. 

Poor health made it necessary for him to give up his work in the 
church, and for the past few years he had been confined to his home. 
He was interested to the last in the work of his brethren, and inquired 
as to the progress of his church. 

His good wife is left to travel the way alone, as they had no children. 
The Rev. J.C. Kinison, a former pastor, preached the funeral sermon, 
and the remains were laid to rest in the West Salem cemetery. 

Obituary #2 - Mt. Vernon Newspaper - 1927 

J. Marshall Maxey, Highly Respected Resident, Will be Buried at 
West Salem Thursday Afternoon 

J. Marshall Maxey died at 3:00 o'clock this morning at the family 
home on the Richview Road in the northwest part of Mt. Vernon. 

Mr. Maxey had been in poor health for the past six years and for 
the last three years had been confined to his home. Death was due 
to Bright's disease. 

Mr. Maxey was born in Jefferson county and his entire life was 
spent in this county. He was 72 years old March 1st of this year. 
November 13, 1879, he was united in marriage with Miss Ella Moss 
of Shiloh township. Mrs. Maxey survives and one brother, Will Maxey, 
also survives. 

Mr. Maxey was a son of the late William Thomas Maxey (in his day 
known as "Tom Cannon" Maxey). 

At the age of 25 Mr. Maxey was converted and united with the M.E. 
church. He retained his membership in the New Shiloh M.E. church 
until he and Mrs. Maxey located in Mt. Vernon and transferred their
 membership to the First M.E. church about twenty years ago. 

While a member of the New Shiloh M.E. church, Mr. Maxey was in 
fact a pillar of the church and one of its most devout members. He 
took a prominent part in all the activities of the church and for 
many years served as chorister of the church. 

He was of a deeply pios nature, honorable and upright in all his 
dealings, a model citizen and member of society, and his influence 
was ever on the side of right on all moral and religious questions 
or any issue involving the general good. 

After uniting with the First M.E. church here he and Mrs. Maxey 
were members of the choir for many years. 

Mr. Maxey engaged in general farming and stock raising while a 
resident of Shiloh township, and was a fine judge of stock and a 
successful exhibitor of stock and farm products at Jefferson county 
and other fairs. He specialized in cattle , hogs, and sheep. 

The last part about the funeral arrangements was missing from the 
copy of the article I copied this from............ Mary Jane Ohms 

Obituary #3 

J. Marshall Maxey, son of Thomas and Mary Cummins Maxey, was born 
in Shiloh Township, Jefferson county, Illinois on the 1st day of 
March 1855; here he grew to manhood, attending the public schools 
of that day and securing what education he could. He was united in 
marriage with Miss Ella E. Moss daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Moss, 
on the 13th day of November 1879. Mr. Maxey loved music and from young 
manhood, was a leader in singing, leading choruses or singing solos. 
He had a rich strong voice and loved to sing and in the old time way 
and many were led to victory and salvation by his gracious singing. 
Mr. Maxey was not converted until after his marriage, he then united 
with the Shiloh M.E. Church and continued a member of the same holding 
many offices in the church and was choir leader for several years; till 
some 20 years ago he moved to Mt. Vernon, and he and his wife then placed 
their membership in the First M.E. Church when held membership till the 
end came and he was transferred to the church triumphant. He had been 
failing in health for some 6 years, and gradually grew weaker as the 
malady got a stronger grip on him, he fought bravely on never giving up. 
On last Friday September 2nd, he took his bed, getting gradually worse 
until at 3:00 a.m. September 7th, 1927, he passed away. He leaves his 
devoted wife who has walked by his side for almost 48 years, one brother 
W.H. Maxey of Shiloh township, and many relatives and friends. Mr. Maxey 
was of the old and well known pioneer families of Jefferson County; he 
was a man who stood for right in all questions pertaining to morality, 
righteousness and uprightness of life. 

A good citizen, a loyal true friend of the church, a man who believed in 
God the Father of us all. It is great to put ones life on God's altar and 
love and serve him during a life of three score and more years. A loving 
husband, a true brother, a kind friend, an honored citizen is gone and we 
can sing with the poet - 

Asleep in Jesus blessed sleep. 
Then we think of the lines of the poet who said, 
I sit and think, when the sunset's gold 
Of flushing river and hill and shore, 
I shall one day stand by the water cold 
And list for the sound of the boatman's oar. 
I shall watch for the gleam of the flapping sail, 
I shall hear the boat as it gains the strand, 
I shall pass from the site with the boatman pale, 
To the better shore of the spirit land. 
I shall know the loved who have gone before, 
And joyfully sweet will the meeting be, 
When over the river, the peaceful river, 
The angel of death shall carry me. 

The funeral was conducted from the First Methodist church in Mt. 
Vernon at 4 p.m. Thursday September 8th, 1927. Rev. G.R. Goodman read the 
scripture and prayed, Rev. J.C. Kinison, read the obituary and brought the 
funeral, message, Rev. C.C. Hall spoke words of comfort cheer and offered 
prayer. The body was then taken to West Salem cemetery for burial. 

* He and Ella are both buried in West Salem cemetery. 
Submitted by Mary Jane Ohms
June 5, 2001