Walter Warren Magee

Walter Warren Magee (May 23, 1861 – May 25, 1927) was an American lawyer and Republican politician from New York who served as a United States Representative from 1915 until his death in 1927. Over seven consecutive terms in Congress, he contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in American history, representing the interests of his New York constituents and playing an active role in the appropriations work of the House of Representatives.

Magee was born in Groveland, Livingston County, New York, on May 23, 1861, the son of farmers John Magee and Marietta (Patchin) Magee. His father served as a colonel in the New York state militia, and Magee was raised in a rural environment that emphasized education and public service. He attended local schools in Groveland and then the Wadsworth Normal and Training School, an institution for teacher education that later became part of the State University of New York at Geneseo. These early experiences in upstate New York helped shape his familiarity with agricultural and local governmental concerns that would later inform his legislative work.

After completing his preparatory studies, Magee enrolled at Harvard University, from which he graduated in 1889. At Harvard he distinguished himself academically and was selected to deliver the class oration at his graduation ceremony, an honor reflecting his reputation as an able speaker and student leader. In addition to his academic pursuits, Magee was known as a talented athlete; he competed in tennis tournaments and other athletic events, gaining local notice for his participation in state tennis competitions. His combination of intellectual achievement and athletic vigor contributed to his public profile as he embarked on a professional career.

Following his graduation from Harvard, Magee studied law in Syracuse, New York, in the offices of the firm Baldwin & Kennedy. He was admitted to the bar in 1891 and began practicing law in Syracuse, where he quickly gained a reputation as a skilled trial attorney. He maintained a successful practice there until 1904, handling a variety of civil and municipal matters. His legal work brought him into close contact with the business and civic life of Syracuse and helped establish the connections that would support his later political career.

Magee’s entry into public office came through local government. A Republican, he served on the Onondaga County Board of Supervisors from 1892 to 1893, participating in county-level administration and finance. His performance in county government led to further responsibilities in municipal law. From 1904 to 1914, he served as corporation counsel for the city of Syracuse, acting as the city’s chief legal officer. In that capacity he advised municipal officials, represented the city in litigation, and helped shape Syracuse’s legal and regulatory framework during a period of urban growth and modernization.

In 1914, Magee was elected as a Republican to the United States House of Representatives from New York, beginning his congressional service on March 4, 1915. He was subsequently reelected six times, serving continuously through the Sixty-third to the Seventieth Congresses. His tenure in the House coincided with major national developments, including World War I and the early years of the postwar era, and he participated in the democratic process at the federal level during this transformative period. Magee was appointed to the powerful Committee on Appropriations, where he rose through seniority to become chairman of its Subcommittee on Agriculture. In that role he exercised influence over federal spending related to agricultural programs and rural development, responsibilities that drew on his early familiarity with farming communities and his long-standing interest in the economic life of upstate New York.

In his personal life, Magee married Sarah Genevieve (“Genevieve”) Wood in 1895. Born in 1873, she was the daughter of United States Army Brigadier General Palmer G. Wood (1843–1915). The couple made their home in Syracuse and remained married until Magee’s death; they had no children. Genevieve Magee survived her husband by a decade, dying in 1937.

Walter Warren Magee died suddenly in office in Syracuse, New York, on May 25, 1927, while still serving as a member of the House of Representatives. His death brought to a close more than three decades of combined legal and public service at the local, county, municipal, and national levels. He was interred at Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse. Magee’s name appears among the members of the United States Congress who died in office between 1900 and 1949, and his career was later commemorated in memorial addresses delivered in the House of Representatives and published by the U.S. Government Printing Office.