The surname MAXNER is from the original German spelling of MEICHSNER which has changed over the past two hundred years due to differences in pronunciation between the German and English languages. The gradual transformation of this surname can be traced in public documents and gravestone records. Early forms of the Maxner surname were: Meichszner, Meixner and Mixner which continued to be used by some members of the family up to the late 1800's.

Johann Heinrich Meichsner, the founder of the Maxner family of Nova Scotia was born about 1730. He emigrated to Nova Scotia aboard the GALE arriving in Halifax in 1751 with other “Foreign Protestants”. His name appears in the ship's list with a family named Muhlig from Zschorlau, Saxony which is in the Erzgebirge district about 85 kilometers south of the city of Leipzig, Germany. On arrival at Halifax his indebtedness for the passage from Europe was 70 florins. Meichsner remained at Halifax until 1753 when his name appears among the “Foreign Protestants” who settled Lunenburg under the auspices of the British Government. In December of that year he was named as one of the ring leaders of an armed insurrection which occurred at Lunenburg when some of the settlers felt ill-treated by government officials. There is some evidence that Heinrich Meichsner was wounded in the knee by a member of the garrison defending the blockhouse. By 1754, however, Meichsner's name appears in the records as a “good Single Man”, probably meaning that he was industrious and temperate. He and another young man, Gottlieb Muhlig shared Lot A-10 (Rudolph's Div.) in the Lunenburg settlement.

In later years Meichsner seems to have corrected his rebellious nature since the DesBrisay history mentions his leadership at Lunenburg, “with his resolute spirit, and a compass to guide him, would lead the party venturing into the woods”. DesBrisay also lists Captain H. Meixner as a member of an expedition in September 1758, which went in search of hostile Indians.

Johann Heinrich Meichsner was born about 1730 probably in Eastern Saxony and died at Lunenburg on 27 June 1815. He was married to Maria Dorothea __ on 24 April 1757 by the Anglican clergyman at Lunenburg. She was born July 1742 and was buried with the rites of the Lutheran Church on 16 February 1779. Johann Heinrich and Maria Dorothea had at least eight children.