Thomas is shown in the 1850 census of Overton Co., Tennessee with his parents and siblings.

Name: Cornelius Maxwell Age: 32 Birth Year: abt 1818 Birthplace: Tennessee Home in 1850: District 2, Overton, Tennessee Gender: Male Family Number: 727

Name: Nancy Maxwell Age: 26 Birth Year: abt 1824 Birthplace: Tennessee

Name: Alexander Maxwell Age: 9 Birth Year: abt 1841 Birthplace: Tennessee

Name: Elizabeth Maxwell Age: 6 Birth Year: abt 1844 Birthplace: Tennessee

Name: Mary J. Maxwell Age: 4 Birth Year: abt 1846 Birthplace: Tennessee

Name: James Thomas Maxwell Age: 1 Birth Year: abt 1849 Birthplace: Tennessee .

Note: Thomas's sister Lettie and brother Philander were born after the 1850 census was taken.
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Thomas and his young bride Emma moved to Baker Co., Oregon where his sister Lettie Maxwell McCarty and her family had moved. Two of Emma's brothers also lived in Baker County. Emma and Thomas were not poor and lived a good life until Thomas became ill.
Just six months after his last daughter was born Thomas was taken to the Asylum in Salem, Oregon.
Something happened that tore the family apart, it's not known what may have transpired to cause the breakdown of Thomas, but he was committed to the asylum in Salem, Marion, Oregon, sadly he would never come home.
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Note:The county listed is where the patient resided.
The well known Hawthorne Asylum in Portland had opened another location in Salem Oregon, it remains there today , however the name has changed to Oregon State Hospital.
In January 2008, The United States Department of Justice threatened a massive lawsuit if the atrocious conditions endured by patients were not alleviated in a timely manner. The DOJ deemed conditions to abhorrently infringe upon the constitutional rights of patients.One can only have nightmares about the conditions back in the 1800's when Mr. Maxwell was admitted.
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Oregon State Archive:
Case# 059 Name Maxwell, Thomas #1763 Date July 17, 1889 Record Type Commitment County Baker Source Hawthorne Asylum Identifier Farmer Remarks: Married.
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(News Article)
Date: 1889-07-18;
Paper: Oregonian
One more for the asylum. Deputy Sheriff R.M. Robet of Baker County, passed through the city yesterday with Thomas Maxwell, an insane patient en route to Salem.
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Oregon State Archives:
Case# Vol. 1G Name Maxwell, Thomas Date 9/18/1890 Record Type: Death., County: no county., Source: State Hospital.

Thomas died on September 18, 1890 not long after being admitted. His estate was settled in 1894,.
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Oregon State Archives :
Case# Name Maxwell, T J Estate Date 1894 Record Type Assessment County Baker Source County.
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State Asylum Cemetery Records
#188- Thomas Maxwell- of Baker County,d. 18 Sept 1890 (age 34, b. Tennessee)(Incorrect age )

For some very interesting reading about how bad lives can turn out, click on Thomas's sister Lettie A. Maxwell McCarty and her husband William McCarty, there are plenty of stories on the web about Bill McCarty.

Research and bio by JMB