From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902. 

Typed by Laurie Birks Dean

pp. 462, 465

Dr. William P. MEGRAIL, who has served as county physician of Ohio 
county, West Virginia, is one of the best-known practitioners of 
medicine in the city of Wheeling.  He was born in Jefferson county, 
Ohio, and has lived in Wheeling only since 1891.
	Dr. Megrail was reared and schooled in his native county, and 
also attended Richmond College from 1880 to 1882.  He then followed 
civil engineering for nearly five years, when he began the study of 
medicine with Dr. J. W. Kerr, of Richmond.  He studied with that 
gentleman two years and then attended the Western Reserve University 
at Cleveland, Ohio, and received the degree of M. D. in 1888.  Dr. 
Megrail then practiced his profession at the Green Spring Sanitarium, 
and during 1889-1890 lectured on physiology and hygiene at Green 
Spring Academy, which is connected with the Western Reserve 
University.  He had also taught at Richmond College during the summer 
of 1883.
	Dr. Megrail located in Wheeling in the fall of 1891.  He is now 
serving in the capacity of county physician, - this being his seventh 
year in that office.  He succeeded Dr. L. D. Wilson, who had for many 
years filled that office most creditably.  Ohio county has had but 
four county physicians, namely:  Dr. Will Bates, Dr. E. L. Armbrecht, 
Dr. L. D. Wilson and Dr. Megrail.  Dr. Megrail also has a large 
general practice.  His knowledge of his profession is very thorough, 
and he has wond the confidence of all his fellow-citizens by his 
genial and courteous manners.
	Dr. Megrail is the only one in a family of six children who 
lives in Wheeling.  He was married in Ohio to Hannah Cunningham, 
whose mother, Mrs. Kate D. Cunningham, resides with him.  Dr. Megrail 
and his wife have one son, - Emerson, who is eleven years old.  They 
live on the Island, at the corner of Zane and South Penn streets.
	Dr. Megrail has taken considerable interest in politics.  He 
has served two terms as a member of the second branch of the city 
council, and in January, 1901, was elected a member of the first 
branch from the seventh ward; he is now serving a four-year term in 
that body.  He has always been a Republican.  Socially, Dr. Megrail 
is a member of the Knight's of Pythias.  He is also a member of the 
Uniform Rank of that order, and served as assistant surgeon from 1894 
to 1899, when he was promoted to be colonel and assistant surgeon 
general of the West Virginia Brigade.  He is a member of the Ohio 
County Medical Society, of which he is serving as vice-president.  He 
is also a member of the West Virginia State Medical Association and 
the American Medical Association.  The family belong to the Thomson 
M. E. church.