James Maxwell was born in New Zealand around 1838 His family were mainly in the Bay of Islands, Auckland Hauraki Gulf areas He was the son of Thomas Maxwell a Scotsman mariner who became one of NZs earliest pakeha/traders and Te Ngeungeu. There is a lithograph of James with his mother which was done around 1844. It is believed James went to Sydney to live and had a family there (at least a son and daughter)He is recorded as returning to NZ around 1868-70s for a visit with his children. His Maxwell family were known to own a sawmilling, boat building operation at Waiheke Island. His father was lost at sea presumed drowned in 1842 James brothers names were John, George, Patrick, Andrew and Robert