Last Updated on October 17, 2011 by
H. W. Magee, attorney at law, Mattoon; was born in Coles Co., Ill., in October, 1847; his father came from Cynthiana, Ky., and settled in Coles Co., Ill., in 1832; here he engaged in farming; he relates that his father labored a whole year for Joseph VanDeren for $96; when H. W., was 2 years of age, his father moved to the western portion of Missouri, and was there during the border troubles; in the fall of 1857, he returned with his family to Coles Co., and settled in what is known as ” Dead Man’s Grove ;” in 1872, he moved to Louisa Co., Iowa, where he at present resides; having obtained a good common-school education, at the age of 20 years, H. W. entered the office of the Circuit Clerk, at Charleston, as Deputy; here he remained about two and a half years; in the winter of 1869, he entered the law department of Michigan University, from which he graduated in the spring of 1872; at that date, he was admitted to practice in the courts of Michigan, and, the summer of 1872, was admitted to the courts of Illinois; he began the practice of his profession in Mattoon, his present residence. He was married in the spring of 1873 to Ellen J. Barnes, a native of Indianapolis; has one child-Gracie.