Dr. M. McMahon, discharging his professional duties with a sense of
conscientious obligation because of his thorough understanding of the
responsibility that devolves upon the physician and surgeon, has won for
himself a foremost place in the ranks of the medical fraternity in this
part of the county. He has practiced successfully in Palmyra for several
years and the public has attested its faith in his skill and ability by
giving to him a liberal patronage.
A native of Illinois, he was
born near Whitehall, Greene county, on the 17th of October, 1858, a son
of John and Margaret (Coffey) McMahon, both natives of Newport, County
Tipperary, Ireland. The father came to America in 1849, landing at New
Orleans, and he walked from that city to St. Louis, Missouri, where he
engaged at railroading for a time. He remained in that city from 1849
until 1857, and in the latter year came to Illinois, locating near
Whitehall, Greene county. Here he became identified with the contracting
business, in which he continued until his failure, owing to the failure
of the Rock Island Railroad in 1858, after which he engaged in farming.
In 1873 he came to Macoupin county and operated a farm near Scottville
for a time, also engaging in the stock-raising business. He moved to
South Palmyra in March, 1875, locating three and onehalf miles south of
town, and he passed away in South Palmyra on the 18th of February, 1888,
at the age of sixty-six years. He was married in August, 1857, in St.
Louis, Missouri, and after his death his widow continued to make her
home within the borders of this county until her demise on the 6th of
October, 1909. He was a communicant of the Catholic church and in
politics was a stanch democrat.
Dr. M. McMahon acquired his
preliminary education in the common schools of Illinois and upon
attaining his majority purchased a farm in South Palmyra township, upon
which he carried on agricultural pursuits until 1883. Thinking to find a
professional life more remunerative and congenial, in that year he took
up the study of medicine, entering the old Missouri Medical College, now
known as the Washington University at St. Louis, Missouri. He was
graduated from that institution with honors on the 5th of March, 1885,
winning his M. D. degree, and at once opened an office for practice at
Palmyra with Dr. S. D. Carslile and later with Dr. R. J. Allmond.
Palmyra has since remained the field of his activities with the
exception of a year and a half spent in Kansas, four years in Irving,
Illinois, and three years in Niantic, Illinois. From the first he has
been successful, his patronage increasing in volume and importance as he
has demonstrated his ability as a physician and surgeon, and he is now
an extremely busy and prosperous practitioner, demands being made
constantly for his services. He also retains the ownership of his farm,
consisting of one hundred and seventy-six acres of land, employing an
overseer to take charge of the actual work of the place while he resides
in Palmyra.
On the 17th of July, 1881, Dr. McMahon was united in
marriage to Miss Rosa J. Solomon, a daughter of George O. and Sarah
(King) Solomon, the former a native of Morgan county and the latter of
Macoupin county, Illinois. Both are now deceased, the mother passing
away when her daughter was but two years of age, while the father, who
was a farmer by occupation, died on May 21, 1882, age fifty-one years.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. McMahon were born two children: Curtman, a physician
of Lovington, Moultrie county, Illinois, who is married and has one
child, Rosa Hope McMahon; and Olivette, who is married to A. C. Compton,
of East St. Louis, Illinois.
The religious views of Dr. McMahon
are indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church of
Palmyra, while fraternally he belongs to Palmyra Lodge, No. 463, A. F. &
A. M., of Palmyra; Palmyra Lodge, No. 348, I. O. O. F.; and the Modern
Woodmen Camp, No. 149, of which he is a charter member and also clerk,
while of the Masonic lodge he is serving as secretary. In politics he is
a republican, serving as collector of taxes of South Palmyra township in
1881. Not only is he numbered among the public-spirited and valued
citizens of Macoupin county, but he also occupies a prominent place in
medical circles, for he has ever kept abreast of the progress which is
continually being carried on in the line of his profession, and by broad
study and research is constantly adding to his knowledge and efficiency.
He is a member of the Macoupin County Medical Society, the Illinois
Medical Society and the American Medical Association.
Extracted 17 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 600-601.
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