Oloff and Albert Stanton in their Maxwell
Today new cell phones, electronic gadgets and other technological innovations are all the rave when they are released for consumer consumption each year. Yet in an earlier age, a new car was the cutting edge of the day and it put you in the "jet-set" if you could tool around your town in a shiny new vehicle. This was especially true when the automobile was first introduced in the early 1900s.
In our area, three Maxwell model automobiles were shipped to the Atmore area in 1910. Among those purchasing one of the cars was A.M. Coley, post master at Hadley, in Monroe County Alabama. Coley was the postmaster for the community. A register from July 1, 1897 showed him being paid the princely sum of $18.27 for his services to the community.
According to Monroe Journal articles from the era he also ran for office and his sister Grace M. Coley lived in Atmore at Rt. 2 Box 136 as late as 1946.
Perhaps Mr. Coley had received a raise by 1910 when he purchased the Maxwell. The Maxwell-Briscoe Company of Terrytown, New York was considered one of the three largest auto makers of its time.
By 1914, Maxwell had sold 60,000 cars. As cars continued to drop in costs, the Maxwell brands eventually sold some new cars for an amazingly low price of $250 (their Model 25). Their touring car sold for $695, had five seats, a high-tension magneto ignition, electric horn, electric starter, headlights and a shock absorber to protect the radiator. Even Junior Samples of Hee Haw fame would have blushed at these low prices.
Yet due to the price war between automakers, Maxwell eventually over-extended themselves and ended up deeply in debt, with over half of their vehicles unsold in the post-World War I recession in 1920. The following year, Walter Chrysler took over a controlling interest in the company, yet he continued to manufacture Chrysler's in the old Maxwell factory until 2008. The last Maxwell was phased out by Chrysler in 1925.
A.M. Coley took possession of one of the three Maxwell's shipped to the Atmore area. Later he sold the vehicle to C. Oloff Stanton and his brother Albert from Canoe Station. Their father, Phillip Stanton, ran a store in Canoe. He was also on the board of the Canoe Bank, and had a potato shed at one time. Albert died in World War I, was buried in France and later returned to Canoe where he is buried in the Hall Cemetery. Oloff died in 1962.
Mr. Coley died in 1946, his wife Susie was listed as the executrix on his will. He had a brother named Fredrick who lived at RFD Atmore, the sister listed above and Sadie Coley, his niece who was living in Pensacola. Other relatives were listed but space would limit our ability to list them all.
Coming soon: Shadows and Dust III-view the trailer on Canoe Civic Club's Facebook Page.
