Otelia M. McGill

Who is Otelia M. McGill?

Otelia McGill of Petersburg, Virginia was the daughter of Otelia Mahone and Confederate General and United States Senator William Mahone.

Otelia and her two older brothers, William Mahone Jr. and Robert Butler Mahone were the only surviving children of 13 born to her parents. Otelia traveled extensively in Europe and in 1895 married William L. McGill who was from a prominent Petersburg, Virginia family.

Otelia McGill is credited with preserving many of her famous father's papers, chronicling his career in building and operating Virginia's railroads, serving in the Confederate Army, and his political career as leader during Reconstruction of the Readjuster Party. Her maternal grandfather was Dr. Robert Butler of Smithfield, who had served as Virginia's State Treasurer until his death in 1853.