TIMELINE
(1879-1919)
1879
June 13 Perry Duke Maxwell is born in Princeton, Kentucky. [Passport application]
1896
May Maxwell graduates with honors from Marion Graded School in Marion, Kentucky. [Crittenden (KY) Press, May 13, 1897; Daily Ardmoreite, January 4, 1953]
1897
Unknown Maxwell attends the University of Kentucky in Lexington. [“Perry Duke Maxwell”, by Charles Evans, The Chronicles of Oklahoma 31 (Summer 1953)]
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April 15 Maxwell returns home to Marion, Kentucky from the Indian Territory where he spent several months. [Crittenden Press (Marion, KY), April 15, 1897]
1898
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March 17 Maxwell takes sick leave from the Agricultural College (University of Kentucky). [Crittenden Press (Marion, KY), March 17, 1898] Editorial Note: Later reports indicate that Maxwell suffered from tuberculosis. [Shreveport Times, August 20, 1950]
Unknown Maxwell attends Stetson University in Deland, Florida. [“Perry Duke Maxwell”, by Charles Evans, The Chronicles of Oklahoma 31 (Summer 1953)]
1899
Unknown Maxwell travels through much of south looking for place to relocate to help with his health issues. [“Perry Duke Maxwell”, by Charles Evans, The Chronicles of Oklahoma 31 (Summer 1953)]
July 19 Maxwell uncle (Pressley) buys stock in Marion Bank in Marion, Kentucky and Perry is elected Assistant Cashier. [Crittenden Press (Marion, KY), July 20, 1899]
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September 1 Maxwell starts work as Assistant Cashier at Marion Bank. [Crittenden Press (Marion, KY), July 20, 1899]
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1900
Winter Maxwell spends the winter in DeLand, Florida. [Crittenden Press (Marion, KY), January 11, 1900]
May 2 Maxwell re-elected Assistant Cashier of Marion Bank in Marion, Kentucky. [Crittenden Press (Marion, KY), May 3, 1900]
July 3 Maxwell leaves Marion, Kentucky for Kansas City to attend Democratic National Convention. [Crittenden Press (Marion, KY), July 5, 1900]
July 5 Maxwell has resigned position at Marion Bank. [Crittenden Press (Marion, KY), July 5, 1900]
August 25 Maxwell leaves Marion, Kentucky with his mother and sister for Palo Alto, California, by way of Chicago, Seattle and San Francisco. They will spend the winter in Palo Alto and Maxwell and his sister will attend Stanford University. [Crittenden Press (Marion, KY), August 23, 1900]
1902
June 12 Maxwell and Ray Woods are married in Louisville, Kentucky and plan on residing in Marion, Kentucky. [Paducah (KY) Sun, June 14, 1902]
1903
Unknown Pressley Maxwell (Perry’s uncle) buys stock in the Ardmore National Bank in Ardmore, Oklahoma with money from the discovery of oil on Texas property. [“The Midwest Associate”, by Christopher Clouser (2006), Pg. 16] Editorial Note: Clouser’s information is based in part on interviews he conducted with now deceased descendants of Maxwell. We accept their recollection of events in the absence of any information to the contrary.
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Unknown Elizabeth Duke Maxwell is born in Marion, Kentucky. [www.ancestry.com] Editorial Note: No specific birth records have been located for Elizabeth Maxwell. However, based on the family’s travel dates in early 1904, it seems likely that Ms. Maxwell was actually born in 1903.
1904
March 20 Maxwell, his wife and daughter are in Ardmore, Oklahoma visiting W.I. Cruce and family. [Daily Ardmoreite, March 20, 1934]
July 14 Maxwell and his wife and daughter leave Marion, Kentucky for Ardmore, Oklahoma “where they will spend a few months looking over the country and hoping that the more even temperature of that country may be beneficial to their health… If they are pleased with the country they may locate there.” [Crittenden Press (Marion, KY), July 15, 1904]
Unknown Maxwell settles in Ardmore with his wife and daughter. [Daily Ardmoreite, July 5, 1919]
August 6 The Maxwells are in Ardmore by this date at the latest. [Daily Ardmoreite, August 7, 1904]
1905
May 8 The Maxwells purchase a home on West Main Street in Ardmore, Oklahoma. [Daily Ardmoreite, May 8, 1905]
November 9 Press Maxwell, Perry’s uncle, is elected to the Kentucky state senate. [Crittenden Press (Marion, KY), November 9, 1905]
1906
January 2 Maxwell named treasurer of the Ardmore, Oklahoma Commercial Club. [Daily Ardmoreite, January 3, 1906]
1907
Unknown Ray Woods family moves to Ardmore. [“The Midwest Associate”, by Christopher Clouser (2006), Pg. 17] Editorial Note: Clouser’s information is based in part on interviews he conducted with now deceased descendants of Maxwell. We accept their recollection of events in the absence of any information to the contrary.
July 27 Maxwell leads Ardmore team to victory in tennis matches against Marietta. [Daily Ardmoreite, July 30, 1907]
November 16 Oklahoma becomes the 46th state in the union. [http://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/oklahoma/]
1909
June 3 Mary Belle Maxwell is born in Ardmore. [Daily Ardmoreite, June 6, 1909]
August 26 Maxwell returns to Ardmore from Dallas where he played in a tennis tournament. “Mr. Maxwell showed up well in the finals.” [Daily Ardmoreite, August 27, 1909]
September 7 Maxwell holds tennis matches at his home in Ardmore. “Mr. Maxwell has one of the finest tennis courts at his home that is to be found in the state”. [Daily Ardmoreite, September 7, 1909]
October 11 Maxwell plays in state tennis championship tournament in Shawnee. At conclusion of tournament, a permanent association is formed to hold the annual state tennis championship. [Daily Ardmoreite, October 14, 1909]
1910
Unknown Maxwell serves on the executive committee of Oklahoma state tennis association. [The Daily Oklahoman, August 9, 1914]
January 11 Maxwell elected Cashier of Ardmore National Bank. [The Daily Oklahoman, January 12, 1910]
April 4 Maxwell among group extolling the use Bermuda grass for farming in Oklahoma. One quarter of Maxwell’s farm is sodded with Bermuda. [Daily Ardmoreite, April 5, 1910]
1912
July 22 Dora Maxwell is born at Primrose Farm in Ardmore, Oklahoma. [Daily Ardmoreite, July 23, 1912; Santa Fe New Mexican, October 5, 2005]
August 7-8 Maxwell is in McAlester, Oklahoma to play in state tennis championship tournament. [The Daily Oklahoman, August 8, 1912]
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November 15-16 Maxwell in Norman, Oklahoma for a tennis match with the OU dean. “If Perry Maxwell has a hobby which he thinks more of than demonstrating that Bermuda grass makes the finest pasture that can be grown in Oklahoma that hobby is the playing of tennis.” [Daily Ardmoreite, November 17, 1912]
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1913
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Unknown Maxwell’s wife suggests he quit playing tennis since the summer heat wore him down physically and caused him to lose too much weight. Maxwell turns to up golf as a hobby. [Shreveport Times, August 20, 1950]
Unknown Maxwell reads “The Ideal Golf Links” by H.J. Whigham about the National Golf Links of America in the May, 1909 issue of Scribner’s Magazine. [Bulletin of Green Section of USGA, Vol. IV, No. 2, February 23, 1924, Pg. 34-35]
Unknown Maxwell visits sand green courses in north Texas. [Bulletin of Green Section of USGA, Vol. IV, No. 2, February 23, 1924, Pg. 34-35]
Unknown Maxwell writes to the Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC about which grasses might work in Oklahoman. They replied “We are afraid you are a little too far south for bluegrass and a little too far north for Bermuda.” [Bulletin of Green Section of USGA, Vol. IV, No. 2, February 23, 1924, Pg. 34-35]
Unknown Maxwell spends “two months looking at layouts in Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Boston before returning to Ardmore to begin planning Dornick Hills.” [The Daily Oklahoman, March 21, 1950]
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April 9 Maxwell declares “Bermuda is to Oklahoma what blue grass is to Kentucky.” [Daily Ardmoreite, April 9, 1913]
October 17 Maxwell attends exhibition match between Harry Vardon and Ted Ray at Dallas Country Club. [Dallas Morning News, October 18, 1913]
October 18-19 Maxwell spends the weekend in Dallas at a tennis tournament. [Daily Ardmoreite, October 19, 1913]
1914
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Unknown Maxwell takes “an extended tour of eastern states and their prize clubs.” [Daily Ardmoreite, June 6, 1937]
Unknown Maxwell visits the National Golf Links of America on Long Island and meets Charles Blair Macdonald. [“The Midwest Associate”, by Christopher Clouser (2006), Pg. 20] Editorial Note: Clouser’s information is based in part on interviews he conducted with now deceased descendants of Maxwell. We accept their recollection of events in the absence of any information to the contrary.
March 10 Maxwell plays golf “on the golf links of the local club” with Oklahoma Governor Cruce. “While the Governor is here there will be a meeting of the members and a permanent organization perfected. The grounds north of Lorena park are ideally located for a country club and before another year, the members hope to have a magnificent clubhouse erected.” [Daily Ardmoreite, March 10, 1914] Editorial Note: This was presumably the first 4 holes of the course that would eventually become Dornick Hills.
April 3 Maxwell is elected chairman of the board of Dornick Hills Country Club. Name of the club officially changed from Ardmore Country Club to Dornick Hills “in honor of one of the greatest golf clubs in Scotland, where the game originated.” [Daily Ardmoreite, April 5, 1914]
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May 8 Maxwell is elected President of Dornick Hills Country Club. [Daily Ardmoreite, May 8, 1944]
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June 1 Maxwell purchases 230 acre Primrose Hill “poor farm” from the County “adjoining the Country club to be used as an addition to the golf grounds.” [Daily Ardmoreite, June 1, 1914; Muskogee Times-Democrat, June 2, 1914]
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June 7 Plans for the Dornick Hills clubhouse have been drawn and approved and “work on the building will begin within the next thirty days.” Maxwell’s acquisition of the County farm “has added sixty acres to the club grounds and a full eighteen hole golf course will be laid out.” [Daily Ardmoreite, June 7, 1914]
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August 25 Maxwell returns to Ardmore from “an extended vacation to the New England states.” [Daily Ardmoreite, August 25, 1914]
Aug. 31-Sep. 5 Maxwell attends U.S. Amateur at Ekwanok Country Club in Manchester, Vermont, won by Francis Ouimet. [“Golf Architect Says Game Flourishing in Oklahoma”, by A. Linda Fowler, The Christian Science Monitor, May 4, 1943; Chicago Daily Tribune, August 30, 1914; Chicago Daily Tribune, September 6, 1914]
September Maxwell goes to Wright and Ditson’s sporting goods store in Boston, where Francis Ouimet worked. Ouimet helps Maxwell buy his first set of golf clubs and they become good friends. [“Golf Architect Says Game Flourishing in Oklahoma”, by A. Linda Fowler, The Christian Science Monitor, May 4, 1943]
October 13 Maxwell and John T, Bailey of Albion donate a silver shield to be awarded annually to the doubles tennis champions at the University of Oklahoma tournament. [Daily Oklahoman, October 14, 1914]
1915
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Unknown Maxwell visits Bermuda grass courses in Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta and Florida. [Bulletin of Green Section of USGA, Vol. IV, No.2, February 23, 1924, Pg. 34-35]
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Unknown Maxwell visits “a dozen or more” of the most prominent courses on the east coast with a letter of introduction from R.C. Watson. [Bulletin of Green Section of USGA, Vol. IV, No. 2, February 23, 1924, Pg. 34-35] Editorial Note: In his remarks to the USGA Green Section, Maxwell notes that he visited “practically every golf course in the south, over a five or six year period,” presumably starting in 1915.
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February 12 Workmen are working on the greens at Dornick Hills. [Daily Ardmoreite, February 12, 1915]
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April 14 Maxwell releases herd of sheep at Dornick Hills to graze fairways and reduce maintenance costs. [Daily Ardmoreite, April 14, 1915,]
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April 16 Maxwell is made a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church, which is an ordination for life and “the highest distinction that can come to a member of the Presbyterian Church.” [Daily Ardmoreite, January 17, 1943]
April 30 Maxwell plays in match at Dornick Hills with Governor Cruce, so course open for limited play at least by this date. [Daily Ardmoreite, April 30, 1915]
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May 21 Maxwell is re-elected as President of Dornick Hills Country Club. [Daily Ardmoreite, May 21, 1945]
June 17 Maxwell is in Ardmore for the official opening of Dornick Hills. [Daily Ardmoreite, June 18, 1915]
July 17 Maxwell donates the use of Dornick Hills Country Club’s “mowing machine” to cut the grass for play in Ardmore’s baseball park. [Daily Ardmoreite, July 16, 1915]
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August 12 Maxwell is elected second vice president of the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce. [The Daily Oklahoman, August 13, 1915]
September 27 A train yard explosion almost destroys most of downtown Ardmore. [Daily Ardmoreite, September 27, 1916]
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1916
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February 12 Maxwell departs Ardmore “for Dallas and Ft. Worth where he will visit the country clubs in those cities.” Maxwell planning to make improvements to Dornick Hills “this spring and wants to observe clubs in order that he might use good judgment in making Dornick Hills a pleasanter place for its members.” [Daily Ardmoreite, February 13, 1916]
April 7 Maxwell plays golf at Dornick Hills in Ardmore with a group that includes Governor Cruce. [Daily Ardmoreite, April 6, 1916]
June 11 Maxwell is among a group of ten men that purchase property in Ardmore to be held for the building of a city convention hall. “None expect nor signed the agreement with the idea of making any investment, but because they believed Ardmore would be compelled to secure some property and that they were saving dollars to the taxpayers by their actions.” [Daily Ardmoreite, June 11, 1916]
June 18-21 Maxwell is in Muskogee for meeting of the board of directors of the Oklahoma State Golf Association and is elected Vice President. [Daily Ardmoreite, June 22, 1916]
August 6 Maxwell leaves Ardmore for Colorado where he will join his family. “They will return about the middle of September.” [Daily Ardmoreite, August 6, 1916]
September 26 Maxwell plays golf in Ardmore at Dornick Hills. [Daily Ardmoreite, September 27, 1916]
October 12 Maxwell ties the amateur 9-hole course record at Dornick Hills of 37. [Daily Ardmoreite, October 13, 1916]
November 7 James Press Maxwell is born in Ardmore, Oklahoma. [ancestry.com]
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1917
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May 31 Maxwell has made “several trips” to Sulphur, Oklahoma to advise on proposed Platt National Park golf course. “His aid and suggestions have been helpful to the golf committee.” [Daily Ardmoreite, May 31, 1917]
June 3 9-hole Platt National Park golf course in Sulphur, Oklahoma “laid out under the supervision of experts”. [Daily Ardmoreite, June 3, 1917] Editorial Note: While no specific mention of Maxwell is made, the report from 4 days prior that he had made trips to advise with respect to the Platt National Park course strongly suggest that, at a minimum, he was one of the experts referenced.
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June 11 Maxwell wins opening match of Oklahoma state championship golf tournament in Oklahoma City. [Daily Ardmoreite, June 12, 1917]
June 16 Maxwell is on the board of directors for and is the treasurer of the Von Keller Hospital Association, which is being built to replace the hospital destroyed by the 1915 rail yards explosion. [Daily Ardmoreite, June 16, 1917]
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September 15 Maxwell is in Springfield, Missouri. [Daily Ardmoreite, September 19, 1917]
October 29 Ardmore National Bank consolidates with First National Bank. Maxwell is named vice president of First National Bank. [Bank Consolidation Notice]
1918
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August 17 Maxwell departs Ardmore for Colorado Springs to join his wife and children for “the remainder of the summer.” [Daily Ardmoreite, August 18, 1918]
1919
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April 25 Maxwell meets former President William H. Taft at Dornick Hills and offers to donate $10 to the Red Cross for each ball Taft can drive from the tee over a hill. Taft tries and fails. [Daily Ardmoreite, April 25, 1919]
July 4 Maxwell’s wife, Ray Woods Maxwell, passes away in Ardmore. [Daily Ardmoreite, July 5, 1919]
July 5 Maxwell buries his wife on the hill overlooking the current 7th hole at Dornick Hills. [Daily Ardmoreite, July 5, 1919]
July 23 Maxwell leaves Ardmore for a “short visit at Kansas City.” [Daily Ardmoreite, July 24, 1919]
August 8 Maxwell leaves Ardmore for “an extended Eastern trip.” [Daily Ardmoreite, August 10, 1919]
October 1 Maxwell elected First Vice-President of the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce. [Daily Ardmoreite, October 2, 1919]
October 14 Maxwell is chairman of fundraising campaign for the Carter County, Oklahoma Red Cross. [Daily Ardmoreite, October 16, 1919]
November 1 Maxwell has succeeded to presidency of the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce after resignation of elected president. [Daily Ardmoreite, November 2, 1919; Daily Ardmoreite, December 11, 1919]
December 21 Maxwell elected treasurer of the Carter County Red Cross. [Daily Ardmoreite, December 21, 1919]
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