David McGee
Values Codes I – E
David Magee (1849-1927) was born in Pennsylvania and came to Iowa at the age of six with his family.
In 1869, he settled in Sioux City to run the town’s grain mill and elevator.
Magee converted to Judaism to marry Adelia Hattenbach in Sioux City and worked in her family’s grocery and wholesale tobacco company.
He later started a meat packing enterprise.
Magee was elected seven times in his seventeen year political career.
Magee won a seat on the town council in 1877, was re-elected twice and served as mayor pro tempore in 1882.
Magee left the council to spearhead construction of water and street railway lines.
He became first president of the water and streetcar companies.
David returned to politics in 1885 and won election as Sioux City mayor.
After his term ended, he became county sheriff.
He returned to the council in 1894 for another two-year term.
Source
- Mark Rutzik, Breaking New Ground: The Untold Story of Early America’s Jewish Electoral Pioneers – 1788 to 1920, 2025.
Mark Rutzick is the curator of this David Magee exhibit.