In April 1872 Louis D.W. Magie was born in East Orange N.J. An engineer by profession, he spent the first part of his career with General Electric Company in the United States. Following his first marriage in 1900 he and his bride moved to Peterborough where he became works engineer for Canadian General Electric Company Limited. This position he held until his retirement in 1938. Prior to this in June 1923 his wife Emeline Peck died and Mr. Magie as executor had to file U.S. Estate Income Tax returns as well as reports with the probate court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It was this turn of events that brought Mr. Magie in contact with James H. Turner Chartered Accountant and partner at McColl Turner on Queen Street Peterborough.

On July 2, 1925 Mr. Magie married Jessie Fairweather in St. Andrews Church, Toronto. It is a matter of some local interest that Jessie Fairweather was the daughter of William Fairweather who emigrated from Aberdeen in 1867 to start in Peterborough, Wm. Fairweather Co. At that time Peterborough was known as one of the best lumber towns in Ontario. Additionally fur trading was a lively business and Fairweather Company- although dealing in other lines, was always identified with furs. Subsequently the firm moved to Toronto and opened a store at 88-90 Yonge Street. This name went on to become well-known in Canadian retailing.

By 1950-1951 Mr. Magie became concerned with the disposition of his estate and that of Mrs. Magie as there were no immediate family members. He had accumulated through inheritance from his first wife, and prudent investment of their assets, a considerable estate. He therefore turned to Dr. G.S. Cameron and in turn, James H. Turner. The result was the incorporation of The Peterborough Foundation by Letters Patent dated September 24, 1953 the expenses involved being defrayed by Mr. Magie who immediately donated $5,000 to the Foundation to bring it into effective being.

His involvement did not stop there. He went on to issue an extensive letter of direction on his wishes for the ongoing operation of the Foundation. It is typical of the man that he would not allow his name to form part of the official name of the Foundation. Those who were close to Mr. Magie felt that modesty had more to do with it. This view was reinforced by his request that the Foundation remain inactive until after his death.

Mr. Magie named the first Directors: Dr. G.S. Cameron, Messrs. W.M. Cruthers, Ford F. Warren, F.D. Kerr, John A. McColl, T.A. MacKay and James H. Turner.

Other well known Peterborough people who have served as Directors include Dr. R.M. Matthers, Max Comstock, Alexander Fleming, James E. Girven, J.S. Monroe, Tod Willcox, Maurice Clarkson, and Harold Matthews.

Mrs. Jessie F. Magie died on April 3, 1954. In her will she remembered many of their personal friends, distant relatives, her church and favourite charities and then conveyed the balance to the Foundation her husband had established.

On July 7, 1956, Louis D. Magie died in Peterborough. As he had planned, the residue of his estate, after payment of duties and specified bequests, passed to The Peterborough Foundation.

The Foundation is required to pass its accounts before the Surrogate Court of the County of Peterborough at regular intervals. Complete Financial Statements are presented to the Court and, in that sense, become a matter of public record.

Working under the mandate laid down by Mr. Magie, the Foundation has distributed in excess of $2,000,000 and all of this from a capital base of just under $1,000,000. The majority of these funds came from Mr. and Mrs. Magie, although there have been other contributors, which is critical to the ongoing viability of the Foundation, and we encourage your thoughtful consideration.(See the Contribute section.)