Another notable local settler was William Maxwell (c.1766-September 10, 1809), he and wife Nancy raised nine children – son John said to be the first non-native child born in Greene County.  William was the first engraver to publish a newspaper in Cincinnati, Ohio. The paper was called the Centinel of the Northwest Territory, and the first issue was published on Saturday, November 9, 1793. The motto of the paper was "Open to all parties–but influenced by none".  He used a portable wood printing press, which he took with him to Lexington, Kentucky and set up a business. In 1793 he left for Cincinnati and began his weekly newspaper, which consisted of four pages and had a limited circulation. The printing press he used was much like the one invented by Johann Gutenberg.

In 1796 he printed Laws of the Territory of the United States Northwest of the Ohio in Cincinnati, a 225 page book with one-thousand issues printed. Subsequently known as ‘Maxwell's Code’, this was the first book printed in the Northwest Territory.  He also purchased 1,015 acres (almost 1.6 square miles!) in the eastern portion of Beavercreek Township in 1796 where he helped cut a road from Dayton east to Alpha; present Dayton-Xenia Road still follows part of that original Road.

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