Vehicle
1915 Maxwell Model 25
186cid, I-4, 21bhp

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Jonathan Maxwell had worked for Ransom Olds at Oldsmobile before starting his own company. Benjamin Briscoe had invested in the car being built by David Dunbar Buick. Briscoe felt the “Buick Car” was going to be a failure and wanted to back a winner.

 

The Maxwell-Briscoe Motor Company was backed with funds from J.P. Morgan (Morgan owned 2/3 of the company), and in 1905 purchased an existing plant in Terrytown NY to begin production of their Model L, a two-cylinder, water-cooled, 2 passenger Tour about costing $750. They made 823 in 1905.

 

In 1909, Alice Ramsey and three of her friends drove a Maxwell from Hells Gate New York to Golden Gate (San Francisco), California.  Alice was the first woman to drive across the United States.

 

In 1914, after Benjamin Briscoe had left the company, Jonathan Maxwell assumed the presidency of the company, reincorporated it as Maxwell Motor Company and moved to Detroit.

 

The entertainer/comedian Jack Benny often made jokes about his Maxwell but in fact, he never owned a Maxwell.

 

The LeMay example is a Model 25 5 passenger touring car. It sold new for $695.