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HUGH S. MAGILL. - There are many very interesting features connected with the Magill family. The subject of the sketch was born June 10, 1830, in the county of Downs, the most northeasterly county of Ireland, separated from Scotland by the North Channel. His birthplace was near Belfast, the manufacturing city of Ireland, and the largest linen manufacturing city in the world. The "Giant's Causeway," so celebrated in the history of Ireland, is only a short distance from his birthplace. The inhabitants are largely of Scottish descent, and of strong religious principles. His father, James Magill, was born in 1784; was a cotton goods manufacturer. His mother was Elizabeth Stuart, born October 12, 1792; was in direct line of descent from Robert Stuart, of Scotland. On May 12, 1844, the elder Magill with a family of eight children, landed in New York, and at once went to Utica, where he again engaged in cotton good manufacturing. He died in Utica, October 2, 1855. His widow died February 11, 1881, at the residence of her daughter, in Winnebago county, Illinois, eighty-nine years of age. Her body was buried beside her husband in Utica. H. S. Magill moved to Sangamon county, Chatham township, March 1, 1856; bought one hundred and sixty acres of unimproved rolling prairie. In a few days he had a house built and moved into it. The house thus hastily built forms a part of the present structure. From the time the first blow was struck, he has been steadily increasing his gains, beautifying his buildings and grounds. While he is thus engaged, he is not unmindful of his own or his family's mental culture. He has a good library, to which he adds from time to time, besides he provides himself with the general news of the day by papers and periodicals. He married Charlotte A. Richmond, born in Madison county, New Jersey, September 7, 1831. They were married November 24, 1853, in Utica, New York. Her father was Dr. Hoyt Richmond, born in Castleton, Vermont, January 15, 1805. He graduated at Castleton Medical College, and for many years was a successful physician and surgeon. Her mother was Lydia Cazier, born in South Britton, Conn., June 26, 1803. She was a daughter of Matthias Cazier, born 1760, on Staten Island, New York; was a Presbyterian clergyman, who graduated at Princeton College, New Jersey, soon after the close of the Revolutionary war. The father of Matthias, and Guat Grome, father of Miss Magill, was one of the Huguenots (a sect of Protestants) who, for years, were persecuted in France, (see History of Reformation) and finally, with others, fled to America. Mr. Cazier settled on Staten Island, and obtained large possessions, bringing much wealth with him. At what date they came is not defined. At the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, we find the elder Cazier, with his four sons, able to bear arms, rallying around the standard of liberty. Matthias was the youngest, but when seventeen years old he too, joined the army. There are many amusing, as well as sad incidents connected with their war history. At the time they lived upon Staten Island, slavery had been introduced into America, and the Cazier family owned a few slaves. Their treatment to them was kind indeed, and a mutual attachment existed between master and slaves.

One day, when Mrs. Cazier was nearly alone on the farm with the slaves, a number of Tories, who knew her situation, came to the place, collected all the valuable stock, and with several slaves they urged to go with them, drove the stock away. Mrs. Cazier sadly felt the loss of the stock, but was greatly grieved to have the slaves she had been so kind to, go away at that time from her. A few days after, she saw her faithful slaves returning, driving the entire stock back; going out to meet them, they sad: "Missus, dat was de best way to fool dem beats." The slaves had been so willing to go that the Tories put them in charge of the stock - how faithfully they held their charge is seen.

During the long years of war, Mrs. Cazier had died, the British had captured New York, the Cazier property had been destroyed or scattered, all of the heirs except Matthias, had died, or been killed. At the close of the war Mr. Cazier returned to his home to find desolation made desolate. The brave old man, who had faced the bloody carnage of Catholic France for his religious liberties, and for eight long years had stood shoulder to shoulder with his comrades, in defense of the liberties of his adopted country, looked upon the scene - his brain reeled - he took a last look upon his once loved home, became a wanderer, and of his death no one knows.

Some kind friend aided the young Matthias, he finished his collegiate course at Princeton, and when properly fitted, was ordained, and settled at Castleton, Vermont; was the first settled minister in the State.

Vermont, at some time later, passed a law giving to the "first settled minister in the State" a certain amount of land. After preaching a while, (time not known) in Vermont, he went to Pelham, Massachusetts, thence to South Britton, Connecticut, where the mother of Mrs. Magill was born, in 1803. It must have been about this time the law in Vermont came in force, and he came into possession of his land.

Three years later, (1806) we find he had sold the land, and moved to Madison county, New York; there he invested his money in lands again, and from the proceeds made his own support. He was so Calvinistic in his belief, that he always regarded it as a special interposition of Providence in his behalf. He continued in the ministry, preaching regularly, for thirty years, but he would never receive a cent in payment. He died in 1856; was seventy-six years of age. Thus closed the last chapter of the eventful life of that family of devoted Huguenots.