Findings

The Life and Times….

  • Emerged as a ship captain in the late 1780s
  • Owed much of his success to his older brother, Arthur
  • Traded almost entirely with the West Indies, hauling corn, beef, and more in return for molasses, rum, and cigars
  • Rapidly became wealthy, by 1790 bought his house and began purchasing status goods
  • Ran afoul of poor business choices and career decisions, lost most of his money by the end of the century
  • Leaves Middletown in 1800 after selling everything to his creditors

Middletown’s Mercantile Past

During Magill’s life, Connecticut was in a tumultuous time trade-wise. The US was under heavy restrictions by Europe post Revolution, but when war broke out in 1793, Connecticut seized the opportunity to trade with the West Indies. By 1824, the port district was home to hundreds of houses, many warehouses and wharves, and spanned 47 acres. Yet presently, little remains of this bustling port industry. I found the life of Charles Magill to be a poetic parallel to the history of Middletown’s port, both experienced vast success, but rapidly fell away.

Project Gallery