Biographical Sketch of W Kee MAXWELL, Peoria County, Illinois Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives Copyright 1999 Jan Gillespie W. KEE MAXWELL - SUMMIT COUNTY, OHIO W. KEE MAXWELL, is joint owner and editor of the Akron Evening and Sunday Times, the best local democratic paper in Summit County, and the only Sunday newspaper published in Akron. It is also the only Akron newspaper to carry the Associated Press Service. The Akron Evening and Sunday Times represents a continuous newspaper history in Akron since 1867, when the Akron City Times was established and which with some changes has continued down to the present time. It was a weekly until 1892, when a daily issue was started under the name Times-Democrat. The present owners of the Times came to Akron from Peoria, Illinois, where they were prominent in the newspaper business. W. Kee Maxwell was born at Bardolph, Illinois, January 12, 1879, son of Henry A. and Mary Elizabeth (Kee) Maxwell. He acquired a common school education, and began his newspaper experience as a printer on the Bardolph news. He also had some further experience conducting weekly newspapers at Smithfield, Kane and Oneida, Illinois, and in 1911 moved to Peoria, serving as editor of the Peoria Transcript until 1913, and from 1913 to 1916 was editor of the Peoria Journal. On November 1, 1916, Mr. Maxwell and Ross F. Walker purchased the ownership of the Akron Times, which for nearly twenty years had been published by E.F. Harter and Judge C.R. Grant. They completely reorganized the business, changing the name from the Akron Times to the Akron Evening Times. Mr. Maxwell is a member of the Associated Press and American Editors Association, and is also a member of the American Press Humorists Association. In addition to his routine production through many years through the columns of his own paper, he has been a contributor of fiction and humor to magazines. In Akron he is a member of the Rotary Club, the Akron City Club, the Fairlawn Golf Club, and is affiliated with the Elks and Eagles. He attends the Universalist Church and is a democrat in politics. Mr. Maxwell married, October 12, 1899, Miss Alma Burnett, of Kane, Illinois. Their two children are Burnett K. and Irene. Ross F. Walker, who is manager of the Akron Evening and Sunday Times, was born at Twin Grove in Green County, Wisconsin, January 7, 1877, son of Ed L. and Leah M. (Griffith) Walker. He acquired a common school education, and as a young man went to Chicago, where his newspaper experience began in 1900. In 1902 he took the management of the Peoria Journal, and was prominent in that influential Central Illinois paper until November, 1918, when he and Mr. W. Kee Maxwell came to Akron and bought the Times. Mr. Walker is serving as a member of the Ohio State Prison Commission under appointment from Governor Donahey. He is a director of the Akron Better Business Commission, is a trustee of the Akron Art Institute, a member of the Executive Council of the Boy Scouts, and belongs to the American Newspaper Publishers' Association. He is a democrat in politics and attends the Universalist Church. He has membership in the Akron City club, the Fairlawn Golf Club, the Kiwanis Club, and the Elks and Eagles, fraternities. Mr. Walker married, November 26, 1902, Miss Nettie N. Foster. Their children are Foster, Horace F. and Annabelle. ------------------------------------------------------------------ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organiza- tions or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contri- butor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ----------------------------------------------------------------- File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Jan Gillespie