MAGUIRE, Charles L. (The Squire)

The Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, AZ December 29, 1961 Community Saddened At Passing, Of C. L. Maguire; Funeral To Be Friday Charles L. Maguire, affectionately known as “The Squire,” died peacefully at 5:15 o’clock Thursday morning in his home on the South Mesa at Rancho de los Caballeros. He was 83 years old. Wickenburg’s prominent citizen, benefactor and friend had been in declining health for several months. He lapsed into a coma Tuesday and never regained consciousness. With him at the end were his wife, Sylvia, and his only daughter, Mrs. Loren Dunning, who came from Carrizozo, N. M. several weeks ago. Funeral services will be held at 3 o’clock this afternoon (Friday) in St. Albans Episcopal Church which Mr. & Mrs. Maguire built at a gift to the Episcopal congregation of Wickenburg. The Rev. Dean McMann, vicar, and the Right Rev. Arthur B. Kinsolving II of Phoenix, Episcopal bishop of Arizona, will officiate. Burial will be in the Wickenburg Cemetery. The family requests there be no flowers and suggests that friends may wish to donate to Community Hospital. Active pallbearers will be Dallas Gant, Carl Beillen, Robert Biehn, and R. B. Sullivan of Wickenburg, Jene Harper of Denver, Colo., and Larry Laughlin of Phoenix. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Floyd Bralliar, Don McNerney, Alanson Prentiss, Richard Hight, Belford Howard, Hal Warner, C. H. Stafford and John McCarroll of Wickenburg, Allen Morrow of Mt. Pleasant, Mich., Sonny Sonneborn of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Al Stern of Detroit, Mich. Mr. Maguire’s first introduction to Wickenburg was in 1944 when he, Mrs. Maguire and his daughter, Mrs Dunning came here for a winter vacation at Remuda Ranch. Both Mr & Mrs Maguire fell in love with Wickenburg and returned each year winter until 1947 when they built their own home on the South Mesa of Rancho de los Caballeros and became full-time residents. From 1947 on Mr Maguire became a moving factor in Wickenburg's economy. For this he made many friends and Mr Maguire was always proud that the people of this community kept faith with him. Mr Maguire was instrumental in helping finance homes for many young couples. He and Mrs Maguire built St Alban's Episcopal Church as a gift to the Episcopal congregation of Wickenburg. Rancho de los Caballeros is another example of how Mr Maguire added to the development of the community. While the idea of the ranch originated with Mr and Mrs Dallas Gant, it might not have become a reality if it had not been for the willingness of Mr Maguire to help finance it. Mr & Mrs Belford Howard also helped in the financing. Mr Maguire was also the "grandfather" of the Wickenburg Country Club. He gave others the credit for fathering the idea of the club, but he helped financially to make the project a reality. Mr Maguire developed Sunny Cove Heights. He and Mrs Maguire built Sylvan Village and developed the Maguire Addition. He was an officer of the syndicate that developed Country Club Acres. He built the buildings which house Wickenburg Frontier Motors, Los Caballeros Mobil Service and Stuckey's Pecan Shoppe. When Community Hospital was built, Mr Maguire was a liberal contributor. Mr Maguire was born January 23, 1878 in Keokuk, Iowa, where his father, Robert Maguire, was paymaster for the Des Moines Valley Railroad. When the Squire was only one year old the family moved to Milwaukee where his father became treasurer of the Wisconsin Central Railroad. It was there the Squire went to elementary school. When the railroad moved its office to Oak Park, Ill., the family moved there and the Squire went to school there. When the father was made treasurer of the M.K. & T. Railroad, the family moved to Parsons, Kan. But after a year the railroad moved its office to St Louis, Mo., and that is where the Squire finished high school. From high school the Squire went to West Point. But after two years of military training his interests turned to business and he left the military academy to enter the traffic department of the M.K. & T. Railroad in St Louis. Eventually he was promoted and placed in charge of the road's terminal in Oklahoma City. Later Mr Maguire went to St Paul, Minn., as manager of an oil jobbing firm, a position he held for 12 years. He then formed the Northland Oil Co., an oil brokerage firm with offices in St Paul, Chicago and New York City. He helped form and was an officer of the Western Oil Jobbers Association, the Independent Oil Men of America and the American Petroleum Institute. Northland Oil Co. later became the Roosevelt Oil Co., a firm in the business of producing, refining and selling oil products. He remained active in this firm until his retirement in 1946. Roosevelt has since merged with Midwest and Leonard Oil companies and the firm is now known as Leonard Refineries Inc. Mr Maguire remained a stockholder until his death. He and Mrs Maguire, the former Sylvia Fasquelle, a native of Michigan, were married in 1936. She was at that time secretary of the Northland Oil Co. Mr Maguire's father died in 1939. His mother died in 1929. His one brother, Aubrey, died in 1949, and his only sister, Mrs Bess Hewett, died in Wickenburg in 1957. A daughter died when she was 4 1/2 years old and a son died at birth. Only immediate survivors are the widow who resides here, and the daughter, Mrs Dunning.