Thomas L. Magruder
The late Thomas L. Magruder, attorney-at-law, who died at his home in Xenia in 1906, was born in Prince George's county, Maryland, not far from the City of Washington, July 3, 1848, and was consequently fifty-eight years of age at the time of his death. He was a son of Dr. Archibald and Narcissa (Adamson) Magruder, both of whom also were natives of Maryland, in which state they spent all their lives. Mr. Archibald Magruder died at the height of his powers, during the Civil War period, he then being forty-five years of age. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, five of whom died in infancy and three of whom are still living.
After the death of his father Thomas L. Magruder entered the University of Maryland, from which he was graduated in medicine at the age of nineteen years, the youngest man who had ever received a diploma from that college. He practiced medicine for one year in Washington, D. C, under the late Dr. Josiah Magruder, a one time mayor of the City of Washington, which in 1871 lost its local charter and was placed under the control of three commissioners under the direction of the Congress. Mr. Magruder later abandoned the study of medicine for that of law, and in 1874, he then being about twenty-five years of age, determined upon Xenia as a promising place in which to locate for the practice of his profession, and in that year was given a place in the law office of Little & Shearer, and was for two years thus associated, during that time securing admission to the bar. He then opened an office of his own and from that time therce forward practice alone. Mr. Magruder was an "independent" in politics. The only public office he ever held was that of prosecuting attorney for Greene county. He was intensely interested in the raising of fine stock and devoted many years to that avocation. Some of his more notable horses were exported to Europe after his death. By religious persuasion he was a member of the Episcopal church. His death occurred on September, 6, 1906, and his widow still survives him, continuing to make her home at Xenia, where she has always lived in the old Millen home, erected by her father many years ago at 230 North Detroit street, where she now lives with her niece. Miss Emma Davidson.
Mrs. Magruder was born, Margaret Emma Millen, in Xenia, daughter of David and Mary Patterson (Stewart) Millen, and was living there at the time of her marriage on June 24, 1877, to Mr. Magruder, which union was without issue. David Millen, her father, was a native of South Carolina, born in Chester county, that state, one of the ten children born to John and Martha (Moffitt) Millen, the former of whom was born in Scotland and was but a lad when his parents, Robert Millen and wife, came to this country with their family and settled in South Carolina, Robert Millen having received a patent for his land in that state direct from King George. John Millen became an extensive landowner and slaveholder in South Carolina, but when he found death approaching he willed that all his slaves should be given their freedom and some of these freedmen David Millen later brought with him to Ohio when he came to this state. David Millen was born in the year 1813 and grew up on the home plantation in Chester county and was there married. His first wife died within the year of her marriage and after Mr. Millen's removal to Xenia he later married Mary Patterson Stewart of Clark county, Ohio. They located at Oxford, where they made their home for three years, at the end of which time they came to Xenia, where David Millen joined his brother Eli in the mercantile business, Eli Millen having previously located there in 1834. For many years David and Eli Millen carried on a general mercantile business at the northwest corner of Main and Detroit streets, where the Steele building now stands, and then moved to a point in East Main street, now occupied by the Orpheum Theater, where they were for years engaged in the dry-goods business. They also were for some time, in association with the Connable brothers, engaged in the pork-packing business and were likewise interested in various other business enterprises in the city, the Millen interests coming to be recognized as among the most extensive hereabout. David Millen also was engaged quite extensively in real-estate transactions and in this connection built numerous buildings about town, and he and his brother erected the building still known as the Millen block on Greene street. They took a deep interest in Xenia's upbuilding and were liberal contributors to all local good works, the Young Men's Christian Association, the pubic library and other movements of a beneficent or cultural character having their ungrudging support. Mr. Millen was a Republican and for many years served as a member of the city council. He and his wife originally were members of the Associate Reformed church, but after the "union" in 1858 became members of the United Presbyterian church, and in that faith their children were reared. There were five of these children, of whom Mrs. Magruder now is the only survivor, the others having been Eva, who married William Trow, and died at Madison, Indiana; Carrie, who was the wife of Dr. Eber Watt, of Xenia; Edwin Stewart Millen, who died at the age of twenty years, and Mrs. Martha Jane Davidson, whose children, David Millen Davidson, John M. Davidson, Edwin S. Davidson and Emma J. Davidson, are the only surviving grandchildren of David Millen. All live in Xenia with the exception of D. M. Davidson, who is a plantation owner in Guatemala, Central America. In both church and social service Mrs. Magruder has taken an earnest interest and her gentle influence has been helpful in many ways in promoting such movements as have been designed to advance the common welfare hereabout.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918