TAYLOR-MAGILL HOTEL
1873-1881
[Excerpt from Benjamin Burrough's obituary.]
A few months after their marriage Mr. BURROUGHS began life as a hotel keeper
in Wayland, New York, and for thirty-one years was engaged in that business. When
the Magill House was finished, in 1873, Mr. Burroughs became the landlord, and till
1881 he managed that hotel, when he retired from the business. Mrs. Burroughs died
on the 7th of June, 1880, which had the effect of changing his plans in life. No
hotel man had a wider acquaintance among the traveling public, and as a landlord
he was popular.
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March 11, 1881
THE MAGILL HOUSE HAS CHANGED PROPRIETORS.
For more than a week negotiations were pending between Messrs. BURROUGHS &smp; SON and A. W. RAZEY for the purchase of the furniture of the Magill House by the latter, and last Saturday the bargain was closed and Mr. Razey became the landlord of the hotel. For nearly eight years Burroughs & Son have managed the hotel, they having leased it just after it was completed in 1873. For the past year Mr. Burroughs has been anxious to sell out and we are glad that the hotel has fallen into the hands of our genial friend, Abe Razey. Abe has grown from childhood to man’s estate in Clinton, and we all know him to be a wide-awake, active man of business. In his new undertaking he will want the kindly sympathy of everybody, and especially of his personal friends, and we hope he will not be disappointed. It is his desire to make the Magill House so popular that every farmer in the county will feel free to patronize it. To that end, reduced prices will be given to residents of this county at all times. Mr. Razey intends to make some changes that will be beneficial. The old billiard room will be converted into a reading room, which will be accessible to everybody. One thing we take pleasure in promising for the new proprietor, and that is that there will be no bar or saloon connected with the hotel. We hope that the farmers of DeWitt county, who may be in attendance at the next term of the circuit court, as jurors or witnesses, will give the Magill House a fair share of their patronage. THE PUBLIC extends congratulations to Mr. Razey in his new role as landlord, and hope that it may prove a pleasant and profitable business to him.
1882
[From A. W. Razey's biography, dated 1882.]
The genial proprietor of the Magill House, Clinton, Illinois was born February
16th, 1850, in Perry, Pike county, Illinois. ...in 1875 he again became a clerk
for Magill Bros., this time as head salesman and bookkeeper. Here he remained until
1881, when he took charge of the hotel he now occupies.
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[Source: History of DeWitt County, IL; W. R. Brinks & Co., 1882; Philadelphia, PA.]
Magill House: This is an establishment of which the people of Clinton may well
be proud, being one of the finest, largest, and best arranged hotels in Central
Illinois. It was constructed by the Magill Brothers, at a cost of $35,000,
the first work being done in 1871, and completed in 1872. It is a brick structure,
three stories high, besides the basement, and covers half a block. The rooms
are large and airy, being forty-five in number, besides three store rooms on the
first floor. It is situated just north of the square, fronting on Center Street.
The building was originally heated by hot air, the furnaces being situated in the
basement. This mode of heating was soon abandoned on account of the expense
being too great for the income of the house. The dining room, billiard room,
and halls, are large and commodious. The basement is now utilized for a laundry.
A. W. Razey is the present efficient landlord. There are two other hotels
in the city, the Clinton House and the City Hotel. Both are situated on Center
Street, a little north of the Magill House.
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July 14, 1882
Clinton Register
Fire! Fire! That’s the word that sounded on all sides about
9:30 o'clock Tuesday evening, as the fire bells rang out the alarm. A
large crowd soon appeared at the Magill house in this city, in the basement of which,
under the kitchen range, the fire was discovered. It was communicated to the
wood work and supports of the floor from the range becoming over heated, but had
not gained such headway but that a few well-aimed shots from the nozzle of Mr. RAZEY’s
new hose soon made a corpse of the fire, and the excitement retired and went to
sleep. If this fire had started about 2 o'clock in the morning, it would
have made several insurance companies mighty sick.
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December 29, 1882
Clinton Public
Mr. Abe RAZEY drops out as the presiding genius of the Magill House on next Monday
morning, and will devote his attention to the furnishing of amusements for Clinton.
He has leased DeWitt Hall for a term of years, and he will at once make some changes
in the interior that are necessary. He proposes to enlarge the stage and refit
it with scenery, put a new floor in and deaden the sound between the joists so that
persons walking in the hall during a performance can not disturb the audience.
Roller skating is all the rage now, and Abe will nourish the amusement by giving
better facilities to its devotees. He will also continue to run the billiard
hall in the Magill House. Mr. Razey, as soon as he gets the hall into shape,
will arrange for the appearance of some of the better class of theatrical companies
in this city.
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December 29, 1882
Clinton Public
With New Year’s day the Magill House will pass under the control of a new landlord, Mr. Abe RAZEY having leased his interest to Mr. J. MARIS, of Danville, Ill. The new Boniface has been a commercial traveler for the past fifteen years, and in that time he has been the guest of hotels of every shade and variety. With this experience to guide him, he thinks he fully understands the wants of the traveling public, and it will be his aim to cater to their appetites and furnish them a comfortable home in their weary pilgrimage through life. Mr. Maris has a jolly look, and we have no doubt he will make a good landlord. It is his intention to make some important additions to the furnishing of the house. He looks as though he could enjoy good living, and this is certainly an indication that his guests will fare sumptuously. Success to the new landlord of the Magill House.
1883
January 5, 1883
Clinton Public
With the ringing out of the old year and the ushering in of the new, Abe RAZEY
stepped down and out as landlord of the MAGILL House and Mr. J. MARIS assumed control
of affairs. To celebrate the event Mr. Maris invited a number of our prominent
citizens to dine with him on New Year's Day, and for the occasion a splendid
bill of fare was prepared. Everything that could be had in the way of luxuries
was set before the guests, and it would be needless to add that ample justice was
done to the dinner. Mr. Maris evidently understands how to cater for his guests,
and if last Monday's dinner is a sample of what he is capable of we can certainly
hope that that the fame of the Magill House will spread far and wide and that the
house will be constantly filled with guests. As THE PUBLIC said last week,
Mr. Maris is an old commercial traveler, and during the past fifteen years he has
had ample opportunity of studying hotel life. This experience is alone better
than gold as a capital for the landlord of a hotel. Clinton will hope for a prosperous
career for the new landlord of the Magill House.
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January 5, 1883
Clinton Public
Some ten or twelve couples of Clinton’s youth and beauty met in the MAGILL
House parlors, on New Year’s night, and celebrated the advent of 1883 with
music and dancing. RICHEY’s parlor orchestra furnished the music, and
the supper was prepared by the Magill House.
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January 19, 1883
Clinton Public
The Magill House, under its new landlord, is winning golden opinions from its patrons. Mr. MARIS has associated with him his son-in-law, Mr. WEAVER, and by their joint efforts they make their guests feel at home. They offer special inducements to farmers to visit their house when in the city.
1884
April 25, 1884Clinton Public
The History of the Magill House.
The Advertisement in THE PUBLIC for the sale of the Magill House by Master’s sale has stirred up our old townsman, F. H. BOGAR, to write us a letter. In it he refers to the days when the hotel was built, and speaks of the part which he, the late George W. PHILLIPS and the editor of THE PUBLIC [Richard Butler?] took to secure for Clinton such a fine hotel. As a bit of Clinton history it may not be amiss to relate the causes which produced the hotel. Twelve years ago the public square of Clinton was a sorry-looking spot. There was then but eighteen storerooms in brick buildings, the balance of the business being done in old tumble-down frame shanties. Take the west half of the square and the only buildings on it that had any appearance of respectability were the three rooms now occupied by the Woodbine, post-office and Mrs. McFAIL’s millinery establishment. The whole west side, from Wall’s corner down to Woy & Scott’s, was occupied either by old shanties or the lots were vacant. The lot on which the Magill House stands had two or three old shanties, one of which was occupied by the express company.
This was the condition of the square in the spring of 1872. The completion of the Gilman, Clinton & Springfield railroad and the location of its shops in Clinton and the building of the road now owned by the Wabash opened up wider prospects for the future of Clinton, and there was a boom in business lots, and the old shanties and waste places assumed a value the owners had never before dreamed they possessed.
The MAGILL Bros. had bought the half block from the corner to the Woodbine and were figuring on the cost of building three brick business houses of two stories each. There was no hotel in the city worthy of the name, and as a consequence Clinton had a bad name abroad as a place to entertain travelers. THE PUBLIC urged the Magill Bros. to enlarge their designs of building and in place of only stores and offices to erect a hotel over the stores. THE PUBLIC kept harping on the hotel project for several weeks, and others took up the song and urged it upon the Magills. Finally Mr. Henry Magill came to the editor of THE PUBLIC and made the proposition that if the people of the city who were interested in having a hotel would subscribe $10,000 in stock toward the cost they would venture to invest the balance. The next week THE PUBLIC made known the conditions on which Clinton could have a hotel, when the Hon. C. H. MOORE volunteered to contribute $2500 of the amount. But who were to be the missionaries to go among the people to solicit the remaining $7500? No one felt inclined to assume the job, and there were fears that the project would fall through, when the late George W. Phillips, F. H. Bogar and the editor of THE PUBLIC finally consented to try their hands as solicitors. It was no small undertaking, but the solicitors went at it, and day after day and week after week the people of Clinton and the farmers living within two or three miles of the city were visited and urged to take stock. The shares were $100 each. The solicitors could not hold out any inducements of prospective dividends in the near future, but they urged the importance and advantage of a hotel for a city the size of Clinton. After about five weeks of hard work the solicitors had the pleasure of reporting that they had secured the requisite $10,000, and at once the Magills proceeded to let the contract for building the block. To build the hotel and three stores the Magills invested $25,000 in addition to the $10,000 subscribed by less than eighty men. It was considerable pleasure to Messrs. Phillips, Bogar and THE PUBLIC to see the result of their labors in the fine building which was being erected. Besides canvassing for the subscriptions each of us gave our share toward the fund. The editor of THE PUBLIC was treasurer of the fund, and each month the subscribers, with the exception of two or three, called and paid in the money, which we transferred over to the Magills. When the hotel was completed and ready to be opened, the subscribers concluded that rather than go into a joint stock company they would sell their stock at fifteen cents on the dollar, some at less, and let the Magills have the whole management in their own hands.
When Mr. Bogar wrote us the other day, he said that of the seven who were the original prime movers in securing the hotel only himself and the editor of THE PUBLIC were now living. George W. Phillips and the four Magills have passed away.
What an impetus the building of the Magill House gave to Clinton. Wolf & McHenry and G. Savage got the building fever, and together they erected the first brick block on the west side. The national bank then invested $25,000 in a handsome building, and this was followed by the Union Block. Bogar then concluded that his old furniture ware-rooms looked small and shabby in comparison with its brick surroundings, and he invested about $6,000 in a new building. Then the Masons wanted a new hall, so they erected a fine three-story building.
All this was accomplished in two years, and took its start from the building of the Magill House. In after years, other brick blocks took the place of frame shanties on the square, till now, with the exception of "chicken row" and a small space on the south side of the square, Clinton is well provided with business houses. Lots that had hardly any value got to be worth $100 and upwards per front foot during the building boom of 1872-73.
No more public-spirited men ever lived in Clinton than George W. Phillips and
Fenton H. Bogar. Phillips now quietly sleeps in Woodlawn Cemetery, while Mr.
Bogar, in his efforts to start a manufacturing boom in Clinton, lost the savings
of years and is now living in Florida, broken down in health and spirits.
As he writes in his letter, all the actors in the first building boom of Clinton
are dead excepting himself and the editor of THE PUBLIC, and we only are left to
see the sale of the Magill House.
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June 13, 1884
Clinton Public
The Magill House was stormed yesterday by commercial travelers, no less than
forty-seven having registered during the day. Last night many of the guests
had to put up with cots in the parlors.
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August 22, 1884
Clinton Public
The Magill House has had a splendid run of custom all of this summer, and this week the house has been crowded even to overflowing, the proprietors having to refuse accommodations to many who applied.
1885
December 4, 1885
Clinton Public
The Magill House changed landlords last Tuesday morning, MARIS & Co. retiring from the management and Mr. F. A. ROSS entering upon his duty as host. Hotel business in a town the size of Clinton may not be as profitable as owning a bank, but a landlord who will look after the comfort of his guests and set a good table can be sure of making a fair profit on his investment. Mr. Ross comes to Clinton well recommended as a landlord who will keep a good hotel, and we hope he and his guests will wax fat and keep up the credit of the city for good entertainment.
1886
June 18, 1886
Clinton Public
The Magill House will change landlords next Sunday night so that the new firm
will prepare breakfast on Monday morning. Mr. F. A. ROSS, who has had charge
of the house for the past six months, is a clever gentleman, but he has no taste
for hotel life. The new landlords, COLBY and VANORDSTRAND, are young men full
of life and energy, and under their management the Magill house will be a financial
success. Every landlord who has had charge of the house since it was built
has succeeded. Mr. Colby has been in the hotel business all of his life and
thoroughly understands how to manage affairs. To him is attributed much of
the success of the Hotel Roberts in Bloomington, and as he is favorably known to
traveling men the Magill House will be sure of that class of custom. Mr. Vanordstrand
is the son of Mr. Isaac Vanordstrand, of Heyworth. He is fat and jolly and
will make such a landlord as we read of in the olden times.
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June 25, 1886
Clinton Public
COLBY & VANORDSTRAND, the new landlords of the Magill House, have made a
good beginning. They are having the house thoroughly renovated, have had the
dining room newly painted and papered; and, best of all, they have improved the
bill of fare so that their dining room is full at every meal. They evidently
understand their business and will make the Magill one of the most popular hostelries
in the state.
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July 9, 1886
Clinton Public
The Magill House, under its new management, is winning the favor of the traveling
public, and the register each day shows a large list of guests. The table
is supplied with the best the market affords, and in the kitchen are two first-class
cooks to prepare the food. Messrs. COLBY & VANORDSTRAND give their personal
attention to the comfort of their guests.
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August 6, 1886
Clinton Public
There has been another change in the management of the Magill House. W. C. COLBY, the head man of the firm has retired, and Mr. VANORDSTRAND will continue the business. Mr. Colby had a tempting offer to go on the Chicago and Alton road and take charge of one of the dining cars. This he thought would be more profitable than keeping hotel, so he accepted. We are sorry to lose him from Clinton as he is a real live hotel man and knows how to make his guests comfortable.
1887
May 13, 1887
Clinton Public
We learn from a Maroa paper that Mr. George W. FREY, landlord of the Magill House
in this city, has resumed the charge of Central House in Maroa. He was proprietor
of the Central before he came to Clinton. He is a first-rate landlord and
has the executive ability to manage both hotels.
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August 19, 1887
Clinton Public
Death of a Former Landlord of the Magill House.
John MARIS, who for three years was landlord of the MAGILL House in this city, died at the home of his son-in-law, Ed. P. WEAVER, in Danville, last Sunday morning. His age was fifty-nine years, eight months and ten days, and he leaves a wife and one daughter, Mrs. WEAVER. Mr. Maris had been in poor health for six months, caused from what some believe to have been stomach trouble, while others thought it was because he could not get food to reach his stomach. It has been five months since he has been able to eat a meal of victuals, and has subsisted all that time on milk and beef tea. He had become very thin in flesh. Last Saturday while at the Tremont House in Danville he was taken with hemorrhage. He was taken home in a carriage, and from that time until death relieved him of his sufferings he had six additional hemorrhages. He was conscious and hopeful to the last. Mr. Maris moved to Danville about a year ago from LaFayette, Ind., to which city he went after he sold the Magill House. He was an old traveling man, having been on the road for eighteen years. It is not long ago that he was in Clinton and at that time he was complaining of poor health.
1888
February 24, 1888
Clinton Public
[Excerpt from Mrs. Henry Rennick’s obituary.]
Mr. Rennick retired from business some years ago and went on the road as a commercial traveler for one of the leading wholesale grocery houses in Chicago. He has accumulated considerable valuable business property on the public square, among his purchases being the Magill House block. A few weeks ago Mrs. Rennick assumed charge of the management of the hotel till such time as Mr. Rennick could find some suitable landlord.
1890
March 21, 1890
Clinton Public
On account of the continued ill health of Mr. J. M. FLOYD, he and his wife are
compelled to resign their positions as managers of the Magill House. The traveling
public speak kindly of their management of the house and regret the necessity which
compels them to give up the hotel.
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March 21, 1890
Clinton Public
The Magill House will change managers on the first of April, the new landlady
being Mrs. WALLACE, who has for years been a successful and popular hotel keeper
in Saybrook. Mrs. Wallace is the wife of the Rev. Peter WALLACE, and she is
said to be a first-class business woman and has the necessary appreciation of the
wants of the traveling public, and there is no reason why she cannot build up a
large business in the Magill House. Clinton will give a hearty welcome to
Colonel and Mrs. Wallace and will be glad to help them win success as hotel keepers.
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November 21, 1890
Clinton Public
There was a bit of a scare over at the Magill House yesterday morning. While the boy was cleaning the office stove with a mixture of gasoline and black lead the contents of the dish caught fire, and for a second or two there was hustling to get the pan out into the street. The paint on the frame of the office was so badly blistered that it had to be scraped off.
1891
January 16, 1891
Clinton Public
[Excerpt from Henry Taylor’s obituary.]
Away back in the year 1847, in Somerset, Ohio, Henry N. TAYLOR and Henry BELL formed a partnership in the dry goods business, and while there they bought the lot in Clinton on which now stands the Magill House. In 1853 they transferred their business from Ohio to Clinton, and under the firm name of Taylor, Bell & Co. started a general store in a building that stood on the corner where Henry Collins’ barber shop now is, and this they occupied till 1854, when they built a large three story frame building on the present site of the Magill House. Here they opened three large stores—dry goods, groceries, and boots and shoes. In the second story they had a merchant tailoring department and offices which they rented out, and the third story was occupied by the Masonic fraternity as a lodge room. One night in the winter of 1857-58 the building was burned down and they succeeded in saving but a small part of their stock. They had not a dollar of insurance on either building or stock, so that the firm was financially crippled. Gathering up what little they had saved of their goods they moved back to the building they first occupied on the Collins镉 corner and attempted to collect up what was due them. The firm owned a half section of land in Wilson township, a quarter section of which is now owned by J. K. DAVIS, and on this they engaged in the stock business.
1897
December 17, 1897
Clinton Public
The Magill house is having a trade that is wonderful. The house is chock full all the time and part of the time, Mr. HENION informs us, he has to use cots. Good McKinley times are staring us in the face.
1899
April 14, 1899
Clinton Public
Walter TAYLOR, who owns considerable property on East Washington street, is in
favor of paving, but does not favor O. E. HARRIS for mayor. Mr. Taylor realizes
the financial condition of the city, and knows there is only one way that paving
can be done, whoever is elected mayor. It is a conceded fact that the city
is, and will be for several years, unable to pave the intersections of streets.
Therefore paving must be done by individuals at their own expense, and this can
be done without the assistance or advice of ex-Mayor Harris. Mr. Taylor makes
a proposition that the property owners on East Washington street construct a pavement
from the depot to the Magill house, and pro rate the cost of paving the street intersections
among the property owners along the line of improvement. W. H. TAYLOR owns
this property in conjunction with his son, Walter, and says that he is also willing
to pave at once and pay his proportion of the cost of paving on the square, North
Center street, Washington street and East Main street, and on other streets of the
city and will pay his proportion of the entire expense rather than plunge the city
into illegal indebtedness.
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For photos and more information on the Taylor-Magill Hotel, see DeWitt County Today