He was a genius since childhood

When James Maxwell's mother was 40 years old, she gave birth to him in a prosperous middle-class household. His father practices law. Their surname was originally Clerk, but after inheriting the Maxwell estate, the last name Maxwell was added. Prior to that, they had a daughter named Elizabeth who passed away at a young age.

Early brilliant displays by Maxwell amazed his parents. His mother chose to become his teacher because she recognized his ability. Teaching was a highly esteemed career for women in the Victorian era. Maxwell was able to memorize lengthy paragraphs even the entirety of Psalm 119 by the time he was eight years old. Sadly, his mother was found to have stomach cancer and underwent a fruitless operation. When Maxwell was eight years old, she passed away in 1839.

Then, his father and his father's sister-in-law Jane, who were both significant figures in his life, oversaw his schooling. His formal schooling was started ineffectively with the help of a 16-year-old hired tutor. The young man who was recruited to lead Maxwell is unknown, save for the fact that he was tough with the youngster and called him slow and wayward. In November 1841, the tutor was sacked. On February 12, 1842, James' father took him to see Robert Davidson do a demonstration of electric and magnetic repulsions. James found little significance in the event.