by J C Overmeyer, Columbus, Ohio; circa 1940
John Waggoner Jr, second child and first son of John Waggoner Sr, and his wife, Elizabeth
Leach Waggoner, was born in Frederick County, Maryland, January 15, 1790. He accompanied
his parents in their migrations westward, first to Bedford County, PA in 1797, and to
Perry County, Ohio in 1803.
Being the oldest son of the family, naturally much of the labor and responsibility
incident to pioneer life on the Western frontier devolved upon him, assisting his parents
in rearing a large family in the forests of Perry County, Ohio. He no doubt often listened
to the narratives and stories told by his illustrious father relating his experiences in
the American Army during the Revolutionary War, and when the Second War for American
Independance, known as the War of 1812, came to an issue, we find the son filled with a
desire to assist his country in this war as his father had served in the previous
one.
In the "Roster of Ohio Soldiers who served in the War of 1812", we find his name
as a private in various companies for periods of time from April 27, 1812, to January 11,
1815, serving under Captains George Gibson, Henry Ulney, Jeremiah Simms, Jacob Catterline,
and Daniel Conner.
The name of "John Waggoner" appears on the rolls of the above companies at pages
11, 14, 16, 26, and 127, but may not always have been the same person, as we were not
personally contacted by the Adjutant-General's office in the War Department at Washington,
D C, to verify the records there as found in Volume One and Two of the "Records of
the War of 1812". We know, however by tradition, that the subject of this sketch was
enrolled as a private in this war, and that his enlistment was from some county in the
vicinity of Perry County, as that county was not organized until 1818, and his enrollment
would therefore be credited to some county other than Perry.
Return Jonathan Meigs was governor of Ohio at that time and on April 6, 1812, he received
instructions from President James Madison, to assemble the militia at Dayton, Ohio, where
the men were to be drilled and otherwise prepared for war, and all enrollments were to
cease at the end of the month. Ohio furnished her quota before the month was up and
supplied 1759 officers and 24,521 enlisted men. They left Dayton June 1, 1812, and many of
them were not finally discharged until early in 1815, when the war was over. We also find
the names of Jacob and David, twin brothers of John Jr, who were two years younger than
John.
After the close of the war John Jr engaged in farming in Reading Township, Perry County,
Ohio, and on January 16, 1816, was united in marriage with Mary Bowman; Philip Spohn, J P,
Reading Township, officiating (Fairfield County Records, Volume One, Page 101). Mary
Bowman was born April 7, 1798, at Lehigh Gap, Northamton County, PA; the daughter of
Joseph and Magdalena
Seger Bowman. Her parents operated a tavern at Lehigh Gap, which was formerly owned and
operated by his father, Barnhart Bowman, who was a lieutenant in his brother Henry
Bowman's Company during the Revolutionary War. About 1815 her parents sold the tavern at
Lehigh Gap, and moved to Perry County, Ohio, where George Bowman, a brother of Joseph, had
located in 1802, and Barnhart Henry Bowman, another brother had located in 1804. In 1809,
Barnhart had married Elizabeth "Betsey" Waggoner, the oldest sister of John
Jr.
Mary Bowman Waggoner, wife of John Jr, was therefore a niece of Barnhart Henry Bowman, the
husband of "Betsey" Waggoner, thus bringing the pioneer Bowman and Waggoner
families into close relationship. George Bowman, above mentioned, a brother of Joseph,
married Susannah Rugh, in Westmoreland County, PA, and emigrated to Perry County, Ohio in
1802 and their oldest daughter, Mary Bowman, born September 10, 1801, marriedGeorge L
Overmeyer, May 16, 1816, just four months after the marriage of her first cousin, Mary
Bowman, the daughter of Joseph; to John Waggoner Jr.
George L Overmeyer and Mary Bowman were the parents of twelve children, of which Barnhart
B Overmeyer, the writer's father, was next to the youngest.
Mary Bowman Waggoner was also the mother of twelve children and the two families lived
neighbors in Perry County and later in Sandusky County. Both were members of the Lutheran
Church at the Four-Mile House, and both are buried in the cemetary there.
Mary, the daughter of Joseph and Magdalena Seger Bowman, was born April 7, 1798, and
married the subject of this sketch, John Waggoner Jr. After the death of her father,
Joseph, in September, 1822, her mother disposed of the farm in Reading Township, and
purchased from the government on May 29, 1829, the East 1/2 of the Northeast 1/4 of
Section Thirteen, consisting of 80 acres, in Washington Township, Sandusky County, Ohio;
later known as the George Boyer farm, and located just west of the quarter section owned
and occupied by her daughter, Mary Waggoner, and family. She died April 13, 1860, and her
remains rest in a lot adjoining her daughter Mary and husband, John Waggoner Jr, while
those of her husband, Joseph Bowman, are interred in Perry County, Ohio.
John Waggoner Jr and his wife Mary Bowman Waggoner, after their marriage in 1816, engaged
in farming in Reading Township, Perry County, Ohio, and purchased lands, evidently
intending to make their permanent home, but when the stories of the opening of the sale of
government land in the "Black Swamp" area of Seneca and Sandusky Counties at
$1.25 per acre became hearth-stone topic of conversation in every pioneer home in Perry
County, and the fact that his sister, Nancy, and her husband, John Mackling, had purchased
Pike Tracts Nos. 133 and 134 in Washington Township, Sandusky County as early as May 1,
1825, intending to locate there as soon as they could dispose of their lands in Perry
County; and the further fact that his twin brothers, Jacob and David, had each entered
land from the government in Seneca County, filled John Jr and his wife with a desire to
sell their holdings in Perry County and locate in Sandusky County, Ohio.
On Christmas Day, 1827, they sold their land in Sections Twenty-eight and Twenty-nine in
Reading Township to Nick Lyons.
His parents, John Sr and Elizabeth Leach Waggoner, at the same time sold lands in the same
sections, which might indicate that they owned the tracts jointly, and at least two deeds
of later date given by his parents in the sale of real estate bear the name of John Jr as
a witness. One of these is under date of January 13, 1829, and the other March 28, 1829,
and no doubt were executed just prior to the departure of John Jr and family for Sandusky
County. On February 25, 1828, John Jr entered from the government the Northwest 1/4,
Section Eighteen, Sandusky Township, containing 153.71 acres, and during the summer of
1829 they, with six or seven small children ranging from infancy to thirteen years of age,
moved with team and wagon from Perry County to Sandusky County, Ohio, and settled in a log
cabin on their quarter-section in Sandusky Township. This tract was adjacent to the three
quarter-section tracts purchased by Michael and George L Overmeyer and Daniel Hensel SR,
who entered them from the government in 1827. They moved from Perry
County in the autumn of that year and had cabins in the wilderness which they occupied
when John Jr and his family arrived in 1829. The hardships endured by this pioneer family
were not unlike those which all encountered and their coming to Sandusky County was no
doubt the inspiration that
brought his parents to purchase the quarter-section to the north of theirs from Michael
Overmeyer and locate there in 1830.
Magdalena Bowman, the widowed mother of Mary Bowman Waggoner, purchased eighty acres just
west of the tract owned by John Jr, May 29, 1829. Solomon Waggoner, a brother of John Jr,
purchased 240 acres in Section Two, Washington Township, May 28,1828. John Jr bought the
Southeast 1/4 of Section Thirteen, Washington Townshi, 160 acres, July 15, 1829. This is
located just south of the tract owned by his mother-in-law, Magdalena Bowman. John Jr also
purchased 160 acres in the North 1/2 of Section Eleven, Washington Township, February 22,
1830, and February 17, 1834, he purchased 40 acres in Section Seven, lying just north of
the original quarter-section he owned and occupied in Section Eighteen, Sandusky
Township.
November 2, 1839, he purchased 80 acres in the Southeast 1/4, Section One, Washington
Township. This was just south of the tract owned by his brother, Samuel. He also purchased
60 acres in the Southwest 1/4 of Section Six, Rice Township.
From the above brief record of the purchases of real estate by John Jr, from 1828 to 1839,
amounting to 670 acres, it will be seen that he was quite active and prosperous after
locating in Sandusky County. His homestead and place of residence, Section Eighteen,
Sandusky Township, is known as the Samuel B Waggoner farm, and is still in the possession
of the family (1940), while the tract in Section Eleven was transferred to his oldest son,
Daniel; thence to Amos E, and is now owned by Clyde Waggoner, a great-grandson of John
Jr.
The tracts in Section One, Washington Township, and Section Six, Rice Township, are now
owned by Dr. Chester Waggoner, another great-grandson of John Jr. Thus it will be observed
that nearly all of the lands owned by John Jr, and purchased by him from the government
and previous owners, has descended for more than a century in the Waggoner family. The
original family of John Jr and his wife, Mary, consisting of six or seven children when
they located in Sandusky County, increased in number until 1842, when there were twelve
children in the family; however, four of the older
children were married before the younger children of John Jr and Mary were born. One died
in childhood, so the size of their family under the parental roof remained about the same
during those years. The primative log cabin was replaced by a larger and more modern one
and the brick house now occupying the site was erected by the son, Samuel B, after he
acquired thehomestead farm from his brother, Jacob, in 1971.
John Jr, being the oldest son of John Sr, the common ancestor of the family in Ohio, and
living on adjoining lands they owned respectively, naturally made him the main help and
advisor to his father during his declining years and after the death of his father,
December 15, 1842, it was found that his father in his will had named John Jr and David
Engler, a neighbor, as executors of his estate.
The settlement of this estate was in every instance signed by John Jr, with his
"mark" or "cross" only, which would indicate that he had very few or
no educational advantages in his youth in the frontier settlements of western Pennsylvania
and Perry County, Ohio. David Engler Sr, who came to Sandusky County from Frederick
County, Maryland, the original home of John Sr, and perhaps knew the family in that state,
apparently did the clerical work necessary in administering the estate of John Sr. John Jr
only survived the death of his father about five years and passed to his reward November
7, 1847, aged 57. His widow, Mary Bowman Waggoner, continued to reside on the homestead
farm in Section Eighteen until her death, twenty-six years after the death of her husband,
She died November 2, 1873, aged 75 years, and her remains were interred in the Four-Mile
Cemetary, beside those of her husband and her mother, Magdalena Bowman. A suitable and
imposing monument marks their last resting place. The inscription for John Jr, however
reads "John
Sr",which no doubt was made to distinguish him from his son, John, with no thought of
his own father as "John Sr". The remains of John Sr at that time were resting in
the Bowles Cemetary in Section Twenty-nine, Sandusky Township, and were not removed to the
Four-Mile Cemetary until about 1900 or 1901.
John Jr and his family were members of the Lutheran Church and were among the pioneer
members in that organization of the Lutheran congragation at the Four-Mile House, now
known as the Salem congregation. The congregation was organized by Rev. A A Conrad as
early as 1835, but the Constitution and By-Laws were not written and adopted until 1839.
The first Confirmation Class consisting of twenty-one members was confirmed April 27 and
28, 1839, by Rev. Conrad and the four eldest of the twelve children born to John Jr and
his wife, Mary Bowman, were members of this class, viz: Daniel, Salome, John B, and Nancy;
although Salome was married in 1836 and her name as a member of this class is given as
Salome Reed. Elizabeth and Harriet Waggoner were also members of the class, but they were
daughters of Solomon and Elizabeth Stockberger Waggoner.
The sons and daughters of John Jr and Mary Bowman Waggoner grew to maturity and married
into the pioneer families in the community and with their descendants form one of the
principal and perhaps the largest chapter in the History of the Wagner-Waggoner-Wagoner
Family. They were a thrifty, honest, industrious God-fearing people, with
large families as a rule, and their descendants form a very important part of the
community where this pioneer couple established a home in the unbroken forest of the
"Black Swamp" 110 years ago, while others have gone into various walks of life
into remote parts of the country.
Their descendants today are legion who can reflect over the deeds and accomplishments of
their forebears with just and enviable pride to be able to trace their lineage to John
Waggoner Jr, and his wife, Mary Bowman Waggoner, whose life-span over a period of about
eighty-three years, from
January 15, 1790 to November 2, 1873, as briefly set forth in these pages, should be an
inspiration to those now living and worthy of emulation by generations yet unborn.
DANIEL WAGGONER by Grace Waggoner Roush
Daniel Waggoner, oldest child of John Jr and Mary Bowman Waggoner, born October 21, 1816.
Married, April 14, 1840, Susannah Overmeyer, born February 25, 1818. They lived near
Lindsay, Ohio. Susannah died June 24, 1863. Daniel died May 31, 1876. Both are interred in
Four-Mile Cemetary, four miles west of Fremont, Ohio. Graves marked. They were the parents
of four children: Louisa Waggoner "Loose", 1841 to 1927; Joseph Waggoner, 1843
to 1913; John J Waggoner, 1846 to 1890; and Amos E Waggoner, 1849 to 1935. Daniel Waggoner
married a second wife, Elizabeth Shisler Bliker, born December 12, 1823; died September
30, 1881. Interred in Lindsey Cemetary. Grave marked. They had one child; Mary Ellen
Waggoner "Knight", 1867 to ?
SALOME WAGGONER by Mary Waggoner-Reed Gainer, R.F.D., Fremont, Ohio
Salome Waggoner, daughter of John Jr and Mary Bowman Waggoner, born in Perry County, Ohio,
July 30, 1818; married Michael Reed, February 4, 1836, George L Overmeyer, J.P.
officiating. Michael Reed, born in 1812, died in 1868. Salome died in 1896. Both are
buried in Four-Mile Cemetary. Graves marked. They had fourteen children: Elizabeth Reed
"Immel", 1835 to 1926; Catharine Reed "Hannum", 1838 to 1903; William
Reed, 1840 to 1903; Lucy Ann Reed "Engler", 1842 to 1863; Emanuel Reed, 1843 to
1897; George Reed, 1846 to 1932; Caroline Reed "Smith", 1849 to 1921; Sarah Reed
"Wagner", 1851 to 1934, Isabelle Reed "Wolf", 1855 to ?; John Reed,
1857 to 1936; M Franklin Reed, 1861 to ?; Moses Reed, 1862 to 1906; Alfred Reed, 1865 to
?;
JOHN B WAGGONER by Mrs. Gertrude Ethel Wagoner Markley, Akron, Ohio
John Bowerman Waggoner, the third child of John Jr and Mary Bowman Waggoner, was born in
Perry County, Ohio, June 3, 1819, and died in Swan Creek Township, Fulton County, Ohio,
October 14, 1906. On November 28, 1841, he was united in marriage to Catherine Kessler,
who also was born in Perry County, Ohio, January 28, 1823. She departed this life on June
6, 1868. They were married by James Rose, Justice of Peace. They had nine children: Simon
Marion Waggoner, 1843 to 1924; Mahala Waggoner, 1844 to 1914; John Baird Waggoner, 1848 to
1891; Mary Waggoner "Stevens", 1850 to ?; Jacob Waggoner, 1854 to 1926; Thomas
Jefferson Waggoner, 1858 to 1938, and his twin brother George Washington Waggoner, 1858 to
1861; Sarah Waggoner "Gaster", 1860 to 1931; Emma Waggoner "Gabriel",
1863 to 1935.
NANCY WAGGONER by Mary Waggoner-Reed Gainer, R.F.D., Fremont, Ohio
Nancy Waggoner, fourth child of John Jr and Mary Bowman Waggoner, born in Perry County,
Ohio, December 6, 1823; married William Hufford, December 12, 1841. She, with her husband,
occupied a farm in Sandusky Township, Sandusky County, Ohio. At her death, October 27,
1908, her body was interred in the Muscalonge Cemetary, within sight of the homestead
which she, with her husband, owned and worked. They had nine children: Louise Hufford
"Roberts", 1843 to 1916; Mary Hufford "Shively", 1844 to 1935;
Catharine Hufford, 1849 to 1920; Ellen Hufford, 1851 to 1877; John Hufford, died in
infancy; William J Hufford, 1866 to ?; Adaline M Hufford, 1858 to 1872; Virgil M Hufford,
1860 to 1893; and Hettie Hufford "Michael", 1861 to 1941.
CAROLINE WAGGONER
Caroline Waggoner, daughter of John Jr and mary Bowman Waggoner, died at about six weeks
of age. The little daughter's body is buried in the Four-Mile House Cemetary.
SAMUEL B WAGGONER by Mary Waggoner-Reed Gainer, R.F.D., Fremont, Ohio
Samuel B Waggoner, son of John Jr and Mary Bowman Waggoner, born in Perry County, Ohio,
January 6, 1827, came to Sandusky County, Ohio, in 1829; died June 5, 1901. Married
Elizabeth Hawk Overmeyer, December 13, 1849. Elizabeth died december 21, 1904. They were
the parents of six children: Mary Elizabeth Waggoner "Seighenthaler", 1850 to
1934; John Waggoner, 1851 to 1881; Israel Waggoner, 1855 to 1915; Louisa Waggoner
"Eberts", 1857 to 1905; Amineely Waggoner "Lay", 1861 to 1917; and
William V Waggoner, 1865 to 1893.
SOPHIA WAGGONER by Mary Waggoner-Reed Gainer, R.F.D., Fremont, Ohio
Sophia Waggoner, born July 7, 1829, in Perry County, Ohio. On February 2, 1845, was united
in marriage with Nicholas Box, John Berry, J.P., performing the ceremony. She died January
20, 1849. Buried in Four-Mile Cemetary. They had two sons: John Box, 1847 to 1856; and
Nicholas Box, 1848 to ?
MARY ANN WAGGONER by Mary Waggoner-Reed Gainer, R.F.D., Fremont, Ohio
Mary Ann Waggoner, eighth child of John Jr and Mary Bowman Waggoner, born September 14,
1830; died November 17, 1879. Married Simon Lantz, November 17, 1852. They were the
parents of eleven children: Ellen Lantz "Posey", 1853 to 1911; John J Lantz,
1855 to 1856; Fianna E Lantz "Wagner", 1857 to 1937; Catherine C Lantz
"Pohlman", 1858 to ?; Louisa Lantz "Neff", 1860 to ?; William Lantz,
1862 to 1862; Edwin Lantz, 1863 to ?; David V Lantz, 1856 to 1856; Almeda N Lantz
"Nickles", 1869 to ?; Moses F Lantz, 1871 to 1909; and Charles A Lantz, 1875.
CATHARINE WAGGONER by Catharine Scott, Ora, Indiana
Catharine Waggoner, ninth child of John Jr and Mary Bowman Waggoner, born in Sandusky
County, Ohio, December 7, 1833. Married John Overmeyer, son of William and Susan
Overmeyer. John, born May 9,1830; died February 19, 1899. Catharine died January 19, 1929.
Both are buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetary. Graves marked. They were the parents of five
children: Harriet Overmeyer, 1851 to 1873; William H Overmeyer, 1853 to 1886; Mary E
Overmeyer "Agnew", 1854 to 1881; Sarah Ellen Overmeyer "Teems", 1857
to ?; and Isaiah R Overmeyer, 1859 to 1923.
JACOB WAGGONER by Mary Waggoner-Reed Gainer, R.F.D., Fremont, Ohio
Jacob Waggoner, tenth child of John Jr and Mary Bowman Waggoner, was born in Sandusky
County, Ohio, February 25, 1836. On April 23, 1863, was united in marriage with Minerva
Loose, born February 14, 1843, at Lancastewr, Ohio, Rev. Daniel Kerns performing the
ceremony. Jacob Waggoner died January 18, 1916, and Minerva Loose died February 26, 1932.
Both are interred at the cemetary at Monroe, Michigan. Graves marked. They had three
children: Elmer L Waggoner, 1864 to 1940; Hettie A Waggoner "Whistler", 1866 to
1899; and Minnie A Waggoner, 1868 to 1934.
MOSES WAGGONER by Mary Waggoner-Reed Gainer, R.F.D., Fremont, Ohio
Moses Waggoner, youngest son and eleventh child of John Jr and Mary Bowman Waggoner, was
born March 22, 1839; died August 7, 1902. He, true to his Alsatian characteristics, was a
lover of good, well-bred livestock. In 1880, he with his brother Samuel B Waggoner,
visited Belgium for the purpose of importing pure-bred Belgium horses. While there they
found what pleased them and they brought back five head which they placed on their farms.
That their choice was wise was later demonstrated in the improvement of the stock in their
respective communities. On August 27, 1865, he married Rosanna Lattig, born March 6, 1847,
the ceremony being performed by John Bowman, J.P. Rosanna was the daughter of Benjamin and
Marie Messenger Lattig. Rosanna Waggoner died february 21, 1889. Both are buried in the
family burial lot in the Four-Mile House Cemetary, near Fremont, Ohio. Graves
marked. They were the parents of eight children: Simon E Waggoner, 1866 to 1908; William F
Waggoner, 1871 to 1899; John J Waggoner, 1873 to ?; Clara M Waggoner
"Overmeyer", 1875 to 1904; George H Waggoner, 1887 to ?; Charles W Waggoner,
1879 to ?; Bessie M Waggoner, 1883 to 1899; and Hattie L Waggoner "Burmeister",
1885 to ?.
ELIZABETH LOUISA WAGGONER by Mary Waggoner-Reed Gainer, R.F.D., Fremont,
Ohio
Elizabeth Louisa Waggoner, twelfth child and youngest daughter of John Jr and Mary Bowman
Waggoner, born October 6, 1842; died August 6, 1921. Buried in Oakwood Cemetary, Fremont,
Ohio. On November 19, 1862, married George W King, born September 25, 1840; died December
7, 1922. Buried in Oakwood Cemetary. They had eleven children: Mary M King
"Boggs", 1863 to ?; Clara Ellen King "Packard", 1864 to ?; Louisa E
King "Koppus", 1866 to ?; Samuel W King, 1867 to 1913; Celeste Almedia King
"Fetterman", 1869 to ?; Minerva C King "Hetrick", 1871 to ?; John
King, 1872 to ?; Ida I King "Boyer", 1876 to ?; Pearl Annette King
"Monroe", 1879 to ?; Carie E King, 1883 to ?; and Daisy M King
"Kiser", 1886 to ?.