OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS - Seneca Co., Ohio

DANIEL WAGNER. He to whom this memoir is dedicated passed practically his entire life in Seneca county, and for the long span of his useful and honorable career as a farmer he was prominently identified with the industrial activities of this section of the state, his days having been part and portion of the indissoluble chain which linked the annals of the early pioneer epoch with those of latter day progress and prosperity. This record is entered as a slight tribute to a man who stood "four square to every wind that blows" and whose strength was as the number of his days.
Daniel Wagner was born in Perry County, Ohio, on the 26th day of July, 1825, being the son of David Wagner, who was born in Pennsylvania, whence he emigrated to Ohio in the early pioneer days. The family came from Perry to Seneca county in 1828, locating on a tract of wild forest land on section 19, in Eden township, the place now owned by Wesley Crum. David Wagner cleared this farm of its heavy growth of native timber, place the land under cultivation and there continued to make his home until his death, at the age of eighty years. Our subject was but three years of age at the time of the removal to Seneca county, and here he grew up under the sturdy discipline of the pioneer farm, receiving such educational advantages as were afforded in the primitive schools of the place and period. He continued to assist in the work of the old homestead until he had attained the age of twenty-one years, through he had been married a year previously, and he then took up his residence on another farm, in the same township, where he devoted his attention to general agriculture for a period of twelve years, at the expiration of which he removed to the farm where his widow now resides and where his death occurred, on the 28th of February, 1892. In the home farm are comprised one hundred and forty-two acres, and upon the place he made the best of improvements, including a fine modern farm residence. He was the owner of three hundred and two acres of land at the time of his death, and was well known as one of the substantial farmers and influential citizens of the community, honored as one of hte sterling pioneers of the county. In his political affiliation he was arrayed in support of the Democratic party, and his religious views were indicated in his being a devoted member of the United Brethren church, of which his widow also is an adherent.
On the 12th of April, 1855, Mr. Wagner was united in marriage to Miss Angeline Musgrave, who was born in this county, of which her father, Elijah Musgrave was an early settler. To Mr. and Mrs. Wagner seven children were born, namely: Filmore, a resident of Lyon county, Kansas; Elmore, who is a farmer, maintaining his home in Fostoria; George, a farmer of Wyandot county; Hattie, the wife of Philo Keller, a mechanic of Tiffin; William, a farmer of Eden township; Orpha, the wife of Joseph Heck, who has charge of the homestead; and Ida, who remains with her mother in the old home.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Seneca County, Ohio - Publ. by Lewis Publishing Company - 1902

SAMUEL WAGNER. The soldier who risks his life on the field of battle for a cause in which he believes, has always received the highest praise of men; next to him stands the pioneer, who braves the dangers and hardships of the frontier, opening up new districts to the march of civilization. Deprived of the comforts and conveniences of the older settled sections, the quiet endurance of difficulties and the overcoming of innumerable obstacles, he works on, day after day, at the arduous task of making the wild land, hitherto uncultivated, bring forth the harvests that shall provide him and his family with sustenance. In the work of early improvement and development in Seneca county the father of our subject took part, as one of its pioneers, and as our subject himself is a native son of the county and was born in the pioneer epoch, it is needless to say that he too contributed his quota to this work, while he now stands as one of the prominent and successful farmers of the county, honored as a pioneer citizen and as a man of indubitable probity in all the relations of life.
     Samuel Wagner was born on the old homestead farm in Eden township, on the 3d of November, 1838, being one of the eleven children of David and Susan (Up) Wagner, the former of whom was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and the latter in Perry county, same state. The father had been previously married, and his first wife left at her death two sons, Jacob and John, both of whom are now deceased. Of the children of the second marriage the following are deceased: Polly, the wife of Jacob Anden; Christiana, the wife of Adam Gunber; Nancy, who married Jacob Von Blon; Annie, who married Samuel Balon; Daniel; and Sally, the wife of Jacob Sharp. The survivors of the family are: Elizabeth, the widow of Christopher Wagner, of Miami county, Indiana; Lydia, the wife of Silas Thomas, of Kosciusko county, that state; Catherine, the widow of Jerry Sailor; Samuel, the subject of this review; and George, a resident of Defiance county, Ohio. In the year 1827 the father of our subject removed with his family to Seneca county, Ohio, settling in Eden township and taking up a tract of one hundred and sixty acres on section 19, where Wesley Crum now lives, and in addition to this he later secured in the same township eighty acres of government land, the entire tract being practically unreclaimed from the forest wilds. There was a log cabin on the homestead, the same having been built by either Indians or hunters, and this primitive domicile constituted the first home of the family in this township. The father cleared and otherwise improved much of his land, and here continued to reside until his death, about the year 1864, and here continued to reside until his death, about the year 1853, at the age of seventy-three years, his wife surviving until 1869, when she passed away, at the age of seventy-four. They were folk of enterprise, piety and honesty, being industrious and unpretentious and representative of that exalted integrity which has characteristic of the noble pioneer element in Ohio.
     The subject of this review grew to maturity on the old homestead, early becoming inured to the sturdy toil involved in its reclamation and cultivation, and having such educational privileges as where afforded in the pioneer schools. After the death of his father he assumed charge of the home farm, where he remained until 1873, when he located on a farm in Clinton township, there remaining two years, and he then came to his present fine homestead farm, in his native township of Eden, where he has eighty acres of highly productive land, while the improvements on the place are of exceptional excellence, including a commodious and substantial residence. Ever mindful of the duties of citizenship and taking a deep interest in all that concerns the advancement and stable prosperity of his native county, Mr. Wagner is known as a public spirited and progressive citizen, and he exercises his franchise in support of the Democratic party and its principles.
     In the year 1861 Mr. Wagner was united in marriage to Miss Maria Isabel Messer, who proved to him a devoted companion and helpmate, aiding and encouraging him in his efforts to gain a competency and a position of independence and proving a loving wife and mother. She was summoned into eternal rest on the 26th of September, 1899, leaving two sons, - William H. and Charles. William H. Wagner, who is a resident of Tiffin, married Miss Della Bour, and they have three children, - Irene, William and Paul. Charles Wagner, who has charge of the homestead farm, married Miss Cora Biles, and they have two children, - Ross and Glenn.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Seneca County, Ohio - Publ. by Lewis Publishing Company - 1902 - Page 721

WINFIELD S. WAGNER. Upon a few principles of natural justice is erected the whole superstructure of civil laws tending to meet the desires and relieve the wants of all alike. It has been said that "the business of the lawyer is not to make the laws but to apply them to the daily affairs of men." But the interests of men are of so diverse a nature, and so intermingled and complex, that the problem presented to both lawyer and judge often seems to demand the wisdom of an oracle. The relations of life are constantly changing; the exigencies of the law are those of today, and a lawyer is essentially a man of the present and must meet the issues of the hour. His work is such as to bring him into contact with every relation of life; and, thus the worthy devotee of the legal profession must needs be a man of natural ability and broad mental grasp, in addition to being thoroughly read in the science of jurisprudence. Among the representative members of the bar in Seneca county is Judge Winfield Scott Wagner, who now presides on the probate bench of the county, and who figures as one of the county's native sons, who has here attained distinction. We shall here note the more salient points in his genealogical and individual history.
     Winfield S. Wagner was born on the homestead farm in Pleasant township, Seneca county, on the 27th of June, 1862, being the son of Edmund Carpenter Wagner, who was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he was reared under the invigorating discipline of the farm. As a young man he emigrated thence to Ohio, in 1843; and, after passing about a year in Tiffin, located on a farm near Fort Seneca. He soon afterward purchased, in that locality, a tract of wild land, which he reclaimed, there continuing his residence until 1862, when he purchased a farm in Liberty township, where he made his home until 1884. He later resided a few months in the city of Tiffin and then removed to Cowley county, Kansas, where he bought a tract of land, though thereafter he resided in Winfield, until his death, in 1889, at the age of sixty-nine years. He espoused the cause of the Republican party at its organization, but in 1874 transferred his allegiance to the Democratic party, with which he was identified until his demise. He was a self-made man, having depended upon his own exertions from early youth, and he so ordered his life as to merit and retain the confidence and esteem of his fellow men. He was a son of George and Josephine (Carpenter) Wagner, the former of whom was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and the latter at Fort McHenry, near Baltimore, Maryland. George Wagner was engaged in farming and stock-growing in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, until about 1854, when he came with his family to Seneca county, Ohio, buying land in Pleasant township, where he remained until his death, at the age of eighty-one years, while his wife passed away at the age of eighty-six, having been a devoted member of the Reformed church. Tow of her brothers were active participants in the war of 1812-13.
     The maiden name of Judge Wagner's mother was Catherine Berkey ,and she was born in Seneca county, Ohio, in 1830, being the daughter of John and Lydia (Reeme) Berkey, who were born and reared in Pennsylvania, where their marriage was solemnized. They were numbered among the early pioneers of Ohio, having settled in Perry county as early as 1818, and there residing until 1829, when they came to Seneca county, and were among the first settlers in Liberty township, where Mr. Berkley took up a tract of government land in the virgin forest. He improved a farm and there died, at the age of fifty-nine years, his wife surviving him until 1867, when she passed away at the age of sixty-nine years. The mother of our subject was born on the old homestead and recalls that during her childhood the Indians were still numerous throughout this section, where the white settlers were rapidly encroaching on their original domain. She is still living, making her home in Topeka, Kansas, having attained the venerable age of seventy-two years. Of her eight children Judge Wagner was the sixth in order of birth and is one of the five yet living.
     Winfield S. Wagner grew up on the homestead farm, attending the public schools until 1879, when he was matriculated in the Northwestern Ohio Normal School, at Ada, where he completed a two years course. Thereafter he put his scholastic acquirements to practical use by engaging in pedagogic work, being one of the successful teachers in the public schools of his native county for a period of six years. He then began the reading of law in the office of George E. Schroth, a prominent member of the bar of the county, residing in Tiffin, and in 1889 he was duly admitted to the bar of the state. He then engaged in the practice of his profession in Tiffin, gaining prestige as an able and discriminating lawyer and securing a representative clientage. He was in control of a growing and lucrative practice of general character until 1896, when he was elected to the office of judge of the probate court of the county, of which he has since continued in tenure, by successive re-elections, his able and signally discriminating administration having gained to him the most unequivocal endorsement on the part of his professional confreres and the general public. Judge Wagner has ever given a stanch allegiance to the Democratic party, of whose principles and policies he has been an effective advocate, having rendered material assistance in forwarding the party's cause in the local field. Prior to his election to the probate bench he had served for two years as chairman of the Democratic central committee of Seneca county, and he was again chosen to this office in the spring of 1901. The Judge is a man of gracious personality and has the power of winning and maintaining strong friendships. His popularity is thus assured, and yet no one shows greater tenacity of purpose or is firmer in the courage and defence of his convictions.
     On the 16th of April, 1884, Judge Wagner was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Bealer, who like himself is a native of Seneca county. She is the daughter of Andrew and Catherine Bealer, two of the sterling pioneers of the county. Judge and Mrs. Wagner have one daughter, Gertrude, who was born on the 10th of November, 1885. The pleasant home of the family is in center of gracious hospitality and our subject and his wife are prominent in the social life of the community.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Seneca County, Ohio - Publ. by Lewis Publishing Company - 1902 - Page 755

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