Hello, I have four independent sources that touch upon Arthur Maxwell.  I am wondering whether these sources refer to the same Arthur Maxwell.  I suspect that there might be two different Arthurs: 1) Arthur Maxwell, son of James Maxwell (Esq. of Drumbeg, Co. Down, Ireland).  This Arthur was at Strabane (Co. Tyrone) in 1679. 2) Arthur Maxwell (Esq. of Drumbeg), will dated November 2, 1720, possible son of Thomas Maxwell of Strabane. The four sources are: A) Letter from Arthur Maxwell (Strabane) to his father, James Maxwell, Esq. of Drumbeg.  Dated June 20, 1679 at Strabane.  Source:  Fraser, W. 1863. Memoirs of the Maxwells of Pollok, Vol. 2. Edinburgh. pp. 332-3. B) Will of Arthur Maxwell; November 2, 1720; Registry of Deeds, Dublin Abstracts of Wills (#19221) http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cotyroneireland/surnames/mccausland.html C) Genealogy entry under "Skipton of Beechhill." In:  Burke, Sir Bernard. 1871. A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, Vol. 2, 5th ed. Harrison; London. p. 1271. D) Query in: Ulster Journal of Archaeology, Vol. V., October 1898, No. 1. p. 227 I give these sources verbatim below. Sources B and C mention Jane Kennedy (nee Maxwell), who is given as the "niece" of Arthur Maxwell in Source B.  Taking his term at face value (ie. the daughter of a brother surnamed Maxwell), this puts Arthur as the brother of William Maxwell and as the son of Thomas Maxwell of Strabane.  Thus, in Sources B and C, Arthur is the son of Thomas, NOT the son of James in Source A. Complicating things is Source D, which seems to make Arthur the son of James (consistent with Source A), while being a brother of Margaret wife of Archibald Hamilton (consistent with Source B). Can anybody shed light on this Arthur Maxwell? SOURCE A Letter from Arthur Maxwell (Strabane) to his father, James Maxwell, Esq. of Drumbeg.  Dated June 20, 1679 at Strabane.  Source:  Fraser, W. 1863. Memoirs of the Maxwells of Pollok, Vol. 2. Edinburgh. pp. 332-3. "Arthur Maxwell, Strabane, to his Father, James Maxwell of Drumbeg. "'Straban, 20th June 1679. "'Dear Father, yours I received by my man upon Saturday at night, but could not come this weeke.  I intend, God willing, to take jorney next weeke.  Sir William, as I wrote, since I spoke to him last, hath been at Kilkenny, is not yet come home.  I doubt I shall be forced to leave your letter to him with my brother Cuninghame, bot I am confident yow will get noe money at this tyme, for I was informed that he borrowed 50 pounds when he went from hence.  Wee have the lamentable Scotch newes, and the preparations against you.  All freands heer are well, praised be God for it!  My duty to your self, and my mother, is all else at present from "'Your dutyfull son, "'Arthur Maxwell. "'Captain James Stwart, nicknamed mad, is just dying; soe that they are providing things heer for his funerall. "'To James Maxwell of Drumbeg, Esq., near Lisnegarvie.  Post paid.'" SOURCE B Will of Arthur Maxwell; November 2, 1720; Registry of Deeds, Dublin Abstracts of Wills (#19221) http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cotyroneireland/surnames/mccausland.html Arthur Maxwell, Drumbeg, Co. Down, Esq. Written 2 Nov. 1720. Codicil 19 Jan. 1720/21. Probate  25 Feb. 1720/21. Wife Anne Maxwell. Sister Margaret Hamilton als. Maxwell, her husband Archbald Hamilton, her sons James Hamilton, Belfast, merchant, Arthur Hamilton, Liverpool, merchant, Archbald Hamilton, then of Rotterdam, and her daughters Mary Hamilton and Ann Hamilton. Grand-nephew Maxwell Hamilton, son of Arthur Hamilton of Liverpool. Niece Katherine Mankin als. Hamilton, James Hamilton her brother, her husband Michael and her son Arthur Mankin.   Sister-in-law Mrs. Elinor Stewart and her daughter Anne Stewart. Niece Anne Stewart of Newry, widow, her son Arthur, her second son Alexander, her third son James, her daughter Katherine Stewart.   Niece Katherine Rainey. Nephew William Rainey, junr., Belfast, merchant (sole exor. and trustee), his sons Arthur, second son John, third son William.   Sister Elizabeth Shaw als. Maxwell. Niece Mary Shaw. Sister Mrs. Helena Dalway als. Shaw. Brother Henry Dalway. Nephew Robert Dalway and his wife and three sisters Betty, Elinor and Leny Dalway. Niece Jane Kenedy als. Maxwell of Londonderry, widow. to ‘Brother Oliver McCausland of Strabane, Esq., œ2O for use of his niece Jane Kennedy of Londonderry.”   Person obtaining possession of testator’s estate to take name and arms of Maxwell. Hugh Henry, Dublin, Esq., William Rainey, junr., Belfast, trustees. Joseph Marriott, Thomas Street, Dublin. Arthur Maxwell, son to John Maxwell late of Strabane, Patrick Maxwell of Belfast. John Dalway, Dublin, Esq., and his wife.   Other legatees: Isaac McCartney, Esq., Rev. James Killpatrick of Belfast (friend), James Cobham, Broad Island (friend), Robert Rainey, Newry. George Long, Loughbrickland, Michael Bruce, Hollywood (friend). Arthur Maxwell, son to George Maxwell, Laird of Dalswinton near Dumfries in Scotland. Andrew Craford. James Stewart of Kirkdonnald. Alexander Tomkins, Prehenne, Esq., his wife and his mother. Richard Maxwell, Strabane, Esq., and his wife. John Brown, Killileagh. Archibald Edmonstone, Duntreath, Esq., and his lady. Edward Bruce, Esq., Mr. Patrick Bruce and his wife. Rev. James Bruce. ce3 per annum stipend to Mr. Patrick Bruce for his two seats in the meeting house of Drumboe so long as he is preacher to that congregation. John Malcom and elders to distribute legacy to poor of Dunmurry congregation. SOURCE C Genealogy entry under "Skipton of Beechhill." In:  Burke, Sir Bernard. 1871. A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, Vol. 2, 5th ed. Harrison; London. p. 1271. "Gervias Kennedy, his [Captain Horas Kennedy's] son and heir, m. Jane, grand-dau. of Thomas Maxwell, of Strabane and Kirkminster, sheriff of Tyrone 1681, and dau. of William Maxwell and Jane, heiress of John Moderwell, sheriff of Tyrone 1678, by Katherine Lecky. By this marriage, the Kennedy family acquired the lands of Knockroe, co. Tyrone. He d. 1721, aged 36; his wife d. the following year, leaving to the guardianship of her aunt, Mrs. Tomkins, of Prehen, two daus. (Mrs. Skipton and Mrs. Evory) and one son, then aged ten, viz., "William Kennedy, who m. Easter, grand-dau. of Captain John Crookshank and Eliza Pitt, and dau. and heiress of George Crookshank, by Mary, sister of Archdeacon Bacon, of Glebe Hall, and dau. of Capt. Robert Bacon and Hester Howard; he d. 1783, aged 70, having issue, ..." SOURCE D Query in: Ulster Journal of Archaeology, Vol. V., October 1898, No. 1. p. 227 "Queries. "Archibald Hamilton. -- I shall be greatly obliged to any correspondent who will assist me in identifying the Archibald Hamilton who married Margaret, daughter and eventually heiress of Colonel James Maxwell of Drumbeg, County Down.  The inscription on their tomb in Drumbeg states that he died "February, 1725, aged 80" (? 75) years, and his wife died in January 1736.  They had inter alias James Hamilton, who assumed the name of Maxwell (according to injunction contained in the will of his uncle, Arthur Maxwell of Drumbeg, who died "2nd day of January, 1720, aged 74 years," old tomb), and married Letitia --- (?)  He died in 1751, leaving at least one son, Arthur-Hamilton Maxwell, who inherited all his property, and died in 1757; and I wish to ascertain the names of all his younger children. "Wm. Jackson Pigott, Manor House, Dundrum, Co. Down." === Mike Maxwell mmaxwell@nu.edu