Samuel P. McGill

For my hero essay, I chose Samuel Peyton McGill. He was my great-grandfather and also the State Senator of Georgia, yet I never had the honor of getting to know him. He was born in 1914 to Lillian Norman McGill and Adolphus Cecil McGill in Hart County, Georgia, and was the oldest of six children. Sam was raised in Lincoln County on a farm. He moved to Washington, Georgia, which is in Wilkes County, where he resided from 1939 until his death in 1988. Sam was married to my great-grandmother, Florence Clary McGill, for 52 years beginning in 1935 and ending with her death in August 1987. Sam died in 1988. He went shortly after his wife and best friend, so many say he died from a broken heart.

Sam was a farmer and a businessman. Before he went into office, he owned a farm equipment and automobile dealership. In 1949, Sam opened the Stockyard. It is still owned and operated today by his two children (one of which is my grandmother). The Stockyard is the oldest cattle market in Georgia. Sam was also very fond of the younger generations. He was a huge supporter of the University of Georgia’s Vet School (he was a big supporter of Georgia Football, also). Sam McGill was a community and state leader in Georgia. He was champion of agriculture his whole life, leading as the Chairman of the Agricultural Board. He said that he was always a farmer first before anything else. However, Sam’s biggest accomplishment was that he was a state senator in Georgia. He served from 1956 until 1958 and again in 1962 until his death in 1988. He was elected 14 consecutive terms and died a week later after the general election of ‘88.

My hero lived in Washington, Georgia when he wasn’t in session in Atlanta for forty days. He lived directly across the street from his youngest child, Mrs. Kathryn Lamar (my grandmother), and her three children: Kathy, Leigh, and Gray. The town of Washington was very fond of my great-grandfather. Today, he is honored with the “Sam McGill Memorial Parkway,” which is the main highway running through town. The “McGill Marketplace” also recognizes him, which is the Georgia Agricultural Center in Perry.

My hero lived during the 20th century from 1914-1988. He was born when World War One had just begun, and Woodrow Wilson had been president. He died when George H.W. Bush was in office. He lived through many historic events such as both World Wars and the dark days of Hitler to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the inspirational words of Dr. Martin Luther King. My great-grandfather watched as the first space shuttle went up in 1969 to the Moon from Earth. He was a young teenager when the stock market crashed and America was faced with the Great Depression. Therefore, Sam McGill witnessed some of the greatest historical times of the 1900’s.

Samuel Peyton McGill is important to me because he is my great-grandfather. Aside from that, he made an impact on the government of Georgia and was the voice for the farmers residing there. Sam McGill was not only known politically; he was also remembered for his good morals. He never saw a difference in anyone and taught our family to treat everyone equally. Education was also a main factor in his eyes for on his deathbed he told my uncles that “football, baseball, and soccer were great to be involved with, but education should always rank first.” My hero worked hard to provide for his family and also for his state - both of which he loved. My great-grandfather also taught valuable lessons to each member of my family, teaching us right from wrong. Sam McGill is my hero because he was a diligent worker with strong principles and is remembered for his great accomplishments.