An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company, Spokane, WA. 1905, page 259-260. JOHN B. MAGILL, who is one of the most prominent and enterprising farmers in Wasco county, resides three-quarters of a mile east of Wamic. He was born March 10, 1837, in St. Clairsville, Belmont county, Ohio, the son of Archibald G. and Sarah A. (Bailey) Magill, both natives of Virginia. The parents of the paternal grandfather of our subject were, also, natives of Virginia, springing from an old and distinguished family. In 1816 they emigrated to Ohio overland. He was a wagonmaker by trade, dying in Nebraska in 1899. The mother of our subject died when he was a lad ten years of age. The paternal grandfather of our subject participated in the war of 1812. Until he was twenty years of age John B. Magill remained in Ohio where he attended district schools, one of them being under the tuition of Judge Matthew Deady, deceased, once a prominent citizen of Portland, Oregon. The aunt of our subject taught in one of the rooms of this school; Judge Matthew Deady in the other. In 1857 our subject went to Iowa and for eighteen months worked there burning brick used in the construction of the State insane asylum. Thence he removed to Iron Mountain, Missouri, where he was employed burning charcoal and farming, about three years. At the opening of the war of the Rebellion he was in the state militia four months, participating in several skirmishes and guarding bridges, etc. At the expiration of his term of service he went to Iowa that he might again enlist, but the enlistment of his brothers William and Thomas in the First Iowa Cavalry, compelled our subject, patriotic though he was, to remain at home for the purpose of caring for his father and the homestead. Thomas was killed at the assault on Little Rock, Arkansas, and William died from disease contracted during the war. In 1874 Mr. Magill went to San Francisco and thence to Portland, Oregon, where he remained two months treating his children who had contracted the measles en route. At the time of his arrival in Portland he had one thousand dollars, but after purchasing an outfit he had remaining the sum of twelve dollars when the family left over the old Barlow road for Spokane Falls, Washington. On his arrival in the vicinity of where Wamic now is he was warned that it would not be safe to continue his journey as the Indians were quite hostile. He then camped on his present home-stead the first night and decided to remain. Since that period it has been his home. He at first filed on eighty acres, and later purchased eighty acres of railroad land, adding thereto from time to time until he at present has, all told, five hundred and sixty acres. Mr. Magill was among the first to engage in sheep breeding, and at this he has been eminently successful. Owing to his wife's ill health he has been compelled to suspend personal active operations on the ranch. For eight years she has been confined to her bed and is a great sufferer. Mr. Magill has four half brothers living, Franklin and James, in Nebraska, and Samuel and Wesley in Indiana, all farmers. Our subject was married July 4, 1860, at Farmington, Missouri, to Emily J. Gardner, born in Indiana and reared near Burlington, Iowa. Her parents were William and Rachel (Banta) Gardner, the father a native of New York; the mother of Kentucky. Mrs. Magill has three brothers living; Julius and James, living at Nevada, Missouri; and William, an Indiana farmer. Her brother Adolphus, who was a member of the Twentyninth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, was at the siege of Vicksburg, and died shortly afterward. Mr. and Mrs. Magill have seven children; William F., in Wasco county; Fred G., at Wamic; George G.; Annie, wife of Elmer Remington, of Grass Valley, Sherman county, Oregon; Edith, married to John Eubanks, of Wamic; and Jessie, wife of Rufus McCorkle, of Wapinitia; and May, married to Charles Crofoot, of Wamic, who assists his father-in-law in conducting the extensive farm. Mr. Magill is a Republican, but not active. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2005 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.