Hi Robert,  Have a little more for you.  Frank F Maxwell, a congressional personal secretary and newspaperman throughout his life, born April 1871 Frenchtown, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, died 1936.  He's buried in Frenchtown. (A findagrave.com search should pull up his gravestone)  He married, 7 Jun 1905 in Manhatten, New York, Miss Elizabeth Smith  born 1872 Lexington, Lafayette county, Missouri.  She died in Washington DC.  Their only child appears to have been your Dad.  (The Smith family can be credibly traced to Jeremiah Smith, one of the settlers to receive a grant from Lord Fairfax in 1762 in Virginia) Frank was well educated and at one time was nominated to be a candidate for the New Jersey state senate.  The usgenweb Hunterdon county site has some interesting material about Frank and his father, Morris Maxwell  born 1824 New Jersey  died of pneumonia 27th Dec 1892.  Morris married 2nd Sarah Srope, 20th May 1866 in Frenchtown.  She was d/o Isaac R Srope of Frenchtown.  Morris served several terms on the city council and was very active in his church.  Before his 1st marriage to Delilah, Morris spent several years sailing and eventually joined the US Navy.  He resigned his post about 1851 and took up the occupation of his father, a tin smith. Morris and Sarah had three children.  Elizabeth, Frank F and Charles.  Unfortunately, Charles died in 1900.  Charles had been the Principal of Roselle Public school.  He died of typhoid at the age of 27 years 11 months. Morris Maxwell s/o David Maxwell, tin smith, born 1799- 1802 New Jersey  died in Philadelphia in 1866.  David's wife was Lucy Housel d/o Abraham Housel and Hannah Cook.  Lucy was also born in New Jersey and died in 1888 in Philadelphia, Pa. Hope this information will help you in you search.  I used the usgenweb.org, ancestry.com, and familysearch.org looking for the above information.  Oh, and google - of course. Please feel free to email direct.  Sincerely, Lynn