Walter W. Magee
American politician (1861–1927)

Walter Warren Magee (May 23, 1861 – May 25, 1927) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was most notable for his service as a member of the United States House of Representatives; elected as a Republican in 1914, he served from 1915 until his death.
Biography
Magee was born in Groveland, New York on May 23, 1861, a son of farmers Marietta (Patchin) Magee and John Magee, who served as a colonel in the state militia. He attended the local schools and the Wadsworth Normal and Training School (now the State University of New York at Geneseo). Magee graduated from Harvard University in 1889, and delivered the class oration at his graduation ceremony. He then studied law at the Syracuse firm of Baldwin & Kennedy, and was admitted to the bar in 1891. He practiced law in Syracuse until 1904, and gained a reputation as a skilled trial attorney. Magee was also a talented athlete, and competed in tennis tournaments and other events.
A Republican, Magee served on the Onondaga County Board of Supervisors from 1892 to 1893. From 1904 to 1914, Magee served as Syracuse's corporation counsel.
The public source identifies “Walter W. Magee” as american politician (1861–1927). This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Walter, Magee and American.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Walter W. Magee”, the useful work is to connect “american politician (1861–1927)” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Biographical claims are most persuasive when dates, appointments and relationships can be traced to records created close to the events described. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 18, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q7966355. VIAF identifies the subject as 2991174328015401590002. 1 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1861, 1927, 1914 and 1915.
A concise life account rarely captures disputed attribution, private networks or the changing language used to describe a career. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Read biographical claims against dates, named institutions and the cited references. Distinguish a subject’s later reputation from evidence produced during their lifetime.
- Establishing names and roles
- Building a first chronology
- Locating cited institutions
Personal papers, civil or court records, institutional files and the scholarship cited by the source.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Walter W. Magee”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Walter W. Magee primary sources, Walter W. Magee archive and Walter research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Walter W. Magee”?
- Which primary records establish identity, chronology and institutional ties?
- Which claims depend on a single source or contested interpretation?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Walter W. Magee” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.