In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1879
From Biographical review of Des Moines County, Iowa (1905)
GEORGE SEIBERT MAGEL.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
He is a son of Peter and Alice (Blakeway) Magel, his birth occurring on his father's adjoining farm, Oct. i6, 1879. His father was one of the most successful agriculturists of the county, where he owned a very large tract of land, and where he lived and farmer till he retired in 1905, when he moved to Burlington, where he has a pleasant home. The sketch of his father and brother, Clarence J., may be found elsewhere in this review.
Our subject as a lad was bright and ever ready to attend the district school, where he made rapid progress; and later spent some months at Elliott's Business College, where he gained a fair knowledge of mercantile life. During his boyhood days he had always helped his father with the farm work, and had become quite familiar with the care and feeding of stock: and so when his school life was ended, he still preferred to remain on his grandfather's farm. In 1905 he began to farm independently, and occupies and operates about one hundred acres of his father's farm, which is about three miles from Burlington. March 15, 1905, Mr. JMagel was married to Miss Emma Grothe, a daughter of Fred C. Grothe, who now lives retired on South Adams.Street. Mrs. Magel was born and educated in the city of Burlington, Iowa, and is a great help to her husband and an agreeable acquisition to the neighborhood. Mr. Magel generally cases his vote independently, preferring to assist those whom he thinks best qualified to hold offices of trust, and at the same time bring credit to the community. Mr. Magel has largely inherited those characteristics of his father and grandfather that are calculated to make a thrifty and enterprising farmer, and these, together with strong will and firm determination, will bring success to any man.
Through his straightforward and strict adherence to the principles of right, he has made many friends in the county.
As printed in Biographical review of Des Moines County, Iowa (1905). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1905. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.