Magee was born in Easton, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, where he attended public schools. He served in the United States Army in the War of 1812; moved to Bath, Steuben County, New York in 1812. He was elected constable in 1818 and served until 1820. He was appointed Sheriff of Steuben County, New York in 1821 and elected to that office in 1822.

Congress edit

Magee was elected to the Twentieth Congress and reelected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-first Congress (March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1831). Magee was nominated again in 1830 but lost to the Anti-Masonic candidate, Grattan H. Wheeler.^[1] Magee served as a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention in 1867. His 1831 home in Bath was the Davenport Free Library from 1893 to 1999, and is a National Register site under the Davenport name. Currently called the Magee House, it now houses Steuben County Historical Society and the Steuben County Historian's office.

Later career and death edit

Magee devoted the remaining years of his life to banking, railroading, and was also interested in mining. Magee died at Watkins, Schuyler County, New York on April 5, 1868 at the age of 73. He is interred in Glenwood Cemetery.

Legacy edit

Watkins Glen, New York and Wellsboro, Pennsylvania each have a Magee Street named for John Magee, or for his family. Duncan Township, in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, is named for one of this sons.^[2]

  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

• United States Congress. "John Magee (id: M000047)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2010-01-02
• A Biography of John Magee by Gary M. Emerson
• John Magee and the Southern Tier Stage Lines by James D. Folts
• Memorial of John Magee. Rev. Franklin Shumway Howe (1870).

• John Magee at The Political Graveyard
• "John Magee". Find a Grave. Retrieved 2010-01-02.