Samuel Parker McGough was born in Franklin and spent his formative years in both Franklin and Parker, the hometowns of each of his grandparents. At the age of seventeen in 1891, Samuel embarked on his career with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, starting as a Roadman and rising to the position of Division Engineer by 1900. After a stint as a Construction Engineer in New York, he returned to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, eventually becoming the Sales Agent for the Continuous Rail and Joint Co.
In 1902, Samuel married Jean Gibson Donnell in Pittsburgh, and soon after became the manager of the Continuous Rail & Joint Company’s western office in Chicago, where he and Jean settled after honeymooning at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan. By 1908, he joined the management of Lorain Steel, previously known as Johnstown Steel.
During World War I, Samuel was tasked with overseeing the maintenance of the Baltimore & Ohio track, serviced by Lorain Steel, for the war effort. Post-war, he resumed his dual role as Sales Agent for Lorain Steel and Vice President and General Manager of the North American Railway Construction Co. His work was instrumental in the construction and maintenance of the Chicago subway system, an essential extension of the Elevated Railway (the Chicago "El"), which was completed in 1949.
Samuel was known for his patience, a trait that became apparent when, shortly after moving to Chicago, his and Jean’s parents and her grandmother joined them in their household. He was also a complex individual, affectionate and loving towards his family, yet a perfectionist. An incident involving his son, Marshall, who was locked out and nearly shot by a night watchman, highlighted Samuel's strict stance on failure and efficiency. In his personal life, Samuel was meticulous about schedules, and he applied the same precision and structure that he used in business to his family life. Physically imposing, he stood over six feet seven inches tall and weighed more than three hundred pounds, yet he also had a lighter side, often displaying his keen sense of humor.
When their children, Marsh and Jean, were grown, Samuel and Jean McGough moved from their house on Kennilworth to the Sheridan Beach Hotel on Sheridan Road. Later, responding to their daughter Nancy's wish for a backyard, they bought a house in Evanston in 1924, where they lived until 1933 before relocating to Winter Park, Florida.
Samuel's health was a concern for many years. He suffered a minor heart attack in 1923, followed by a trip to Hawaii for relaxation. In 1931, he experienced a paralytic stroke, which left him bedridden for months. Although he recovered and resumed work, he had to retire at 58. The family moved to Winter Park, Florida, in 1933 but returned to Chicago for the summer of 1934. Failing health prevented his return to Florida, and he passed away in Chicago in January 1935, just before his 61st birthday. Samuel was laid to rest in Uniondale Cemetery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Following his death, his widow, two daughters, one son, one daughter-in-law, and an infant granddaughter (Sue) moved back into the house on Maple Avenue in Evanston.
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