The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-06-20
DEATH OF J. v. L. MCMAHON ESQ

one COPY, mos TO Ten COPIES, ". 1876 &c
DEATH OF J. v. L. McMAHON ESQ.
The almost simultaneous death of
Hon. c. L. VALLANDIGHAM and Hon.
JOHN VAN LEAR MCMAHON, his brother
in'law, is peculiarly affecting to the
families of the illustrious deceased.
Mr.. MCMAHON died at Cumberland, Nd,
last Thursday morning. We find in the
Baltimore Sun of Friday the following
sketch of his life.
Mr.. McMahon was born in Cumber'
land, August 18th, 1900. His father
William Mcmahon, was a highly re-
spected farmer of Allegheny county.
Mr.. Mcmahon graduated when very
young, with the first honors of Prince
ton College. He Immediately COM
menced the study of law with Roger
Perry, the father Of Judge Perry, of
Cumberland, and was admitted to the
bar in the nineteenth year of his age.
He was at once successful, being retain
ed as counsel in almost every consider
able case. AS soon as he had reach
ed his majority he was elected to the
Legislature. The next year he was re-
elected, and at that session became the
leader OF the House of Delegates, and
made his famous speech in favor of
giving to the Jews OF the State an equal
ity of all rights. He was urged by his
friends and admirers to remove his resi-.
dence to Baltimore city, which he did,
and was elected to the Legislature, with
George H. Steuart, ESQ. twice in sue
cession, by Jackson Democrats. The
same party unanimously nominated
him as their candidate for Congress,
which he peremptorily refused to &C.
cept. He afterwards became identified
with the Wing party, and in 1910 he
was President OF the great National
Wing Mass Convention which gathered
its thousands in this city, at Canton,
where, in his stentorian voice, he "called
the nation to order" and proclaimed
that every mountain has sent forth its
rill, every valley its stream, and 10 the
avalanche Of the people is here"
When General Harrison became Presi-
dent, Mr.. Mcmahon was offered, by
letter, any office, except one, in the
Presidential gift. But he declined to
accept any office of a political nature,
although the highest honors Of his
State were also offered him.
Mr. Mcmahon was delegate to the
State Internal improvement Conven-
ton in 1925, Of which Charles Carroll,
Of Carrollton, was president. and was
the leader in it, although such men rs
John Nelson and Charles Fenton Mer-
Ger were members of it. In 1926 meet
ing was held in Baltimore, at which
were present Philip E. Thomas, Evan
Thomas, George Brown, Benjamin c.
Howard and j. V. L. Mcmahon, then
only &c years of age, at which it was
determined to construct the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad. Mr.. Mcmahon
drew the charter, which has ever since
served as model for railroad charters
in this country. In 1881 Mr.. Mcmahon
published the first volume of his His
tory of Maryland, but the work was
never completed.
Mr.. McMahon continued to be the
leader Of the Baltimore bar from 1877
to 1859, in which year, whilst preparing
brief in cause in the Court Of APP
peals, he was stricken with partial
blindness, which continued to grow
worse thereafter In consequence he
gradually withdrew from the bar, and
in 1868 removed to his native town,
Cumberland, where he resided with his
brothers-in.law, the late Joseph Sprigg,
ESQ, and DR.. Robert McKaig, who
married his sisters. He also passed
portion OF his time in Dayton, Ohio,
where another brother.in-law, Hon. c.
L. Nallandigham, resides.
Mr.. Mcmahon retired with an ample
competency, derived from the practice
OF his profession. He was about twenty
five years ago, called upon by lady OF
Charles county, in this State, to draw
her will which he did, at her request
leaving a blank for the name for the
devisee. He was greatly astonished at
the death of the lady not long after, to
learn that his name had been inserted
in the blank places in the will, and
that, in admiration Of his talents, she
had bequeathed him her property, val
ued at over $4,000. In his residence
in this city Mr.. Mcmahon made his
home at the Eutaw House, from the
time it was erected until he left the city,
in 1868. At the annual reunion Of the
Princeton Alumni Association Of Mary
land held in this city on the 9th instant,
the health and happiness Of their ven
cradle absent brothers was one OF the
sentiments offered, which included the
name of j. V. L. Mcmahon. 1t ex-
pressed the hope that their closing days
might be as serene as their earlier
lives had been distinguished. honorable
and useful"