Note: WorldConnect family trees will be removed from RootsWeb on April 15, 2023 and will be migrated to Ancestry later in 2023. (More info)

Individual Page


Family
Marriage: Children:
  1. James Henry Waggener: Birth: 20 APR 1839 in Jefferson Co., Kentucky. Death: 1912 in Unknown

  2. Elizabeth Waggener: Birth: 22 DEC 1840 in Jefferson Co., Kentucky. Death: 04 FEB 1908 in Hematite, Jefferson Co., Missouri

  3. Richard Andrew Waggener: Birth: 1842 in Rush Tower, Jefferson Co., Missouri. Death: 1852 in Rush Tower, Jefferson Co., Missouri

  4. Reuben Garnett Waggener: Birth: 1845 in Rush Tower, Jefferson Co., Missouri. Death: 1846 in Jefferson Co., Missouri

  5. John Edmund Waggener: Birth: 23 DEC 1847 in Rush Tower, Jefferson Co., Missouri. Death: 15 JAN 1927 in Richland Twp., Scott Co., Missouri

  6. Stokely Thomas Waggener: Birth: 04 NOV 1848 in Rush Tower, Jefferson Co., Missouri. Death: 02 JAN 1933 in Richmond Heights, St. Louis Co., Missouri

  7. Jesse David Waggener: Birth: 30 DEC 1850 in Rush Tower, Jefferson Co., Missouri. Death: 13 DEC 1935 in Highland Park, Wayne Co., Michigan

  8. Frank Southern Waggener: Birth: 16 JAN 1853 in Rush Tower, Jefferson Co., Missouri. Death: 15 OCT 1933 in Joachim Twp., Jefferson Co., Missouri

  9. Alice Harriet Waggener: Birth: 15 OCT 1855 in Rush Tower, Jefferson Co., Missouri. Death: 18 APR 1913 in Fayette, Howard Co., Missouri

  10. Mary Lilly Waggener: Birth: 30 AUG 1857 in Rush Tower, Jefferson Co., Missouri. Death: 24 APR 1937 in St Louis City, Missouri

  11. William Horace Waggener: Birth: 27 APR 1859 in Rush Tower, Jefferson Co., Missouri. Death: 28 OCT 1933 in Festus, Jefferson Co., Missouri


Sources
1. Title:   1850 United States Federal Census
Page:   Year: 1850; Census Place: District 42, Jefferson, Missouri; Roll: M432_402; Page: 468A; Image: 488
Author:   Ancestry.com
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2009;
2. Title:   1870 United States Federal Census
Page:   Year: 1870; Census Place: Plattin, Jefferson, Missouri; Roll: M593_783; Page: 312B; Image: 629; Family History Library Film: 552282
Author:   Ancestry.com
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2009;
3. Title:   1880 United States Federal Census
Page:   Year: 1880; Census Place: Plattin, Jefferson, Missouri; Roll: 695; Family History Film: 1254695; Page: 53C; Enumeration District: 191; Image: 0386
Author:   Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;
4. Title:   1860 United States Federal Census
Page:   Year: 1860; Census Place: Plattin, Jefferson, Missouri; Roll: M653_626; Page: 480; Image: 12; Family History Library Film: 803626
Author:   Ancestry.com
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2009;
5. Title:   Web: Missouri, Find A Grave Index, 1812-2012
Author:   Ancestry.com
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2012;
6. Title:   1860 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules
Author:   Ancestry.com
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;
7. Title:   1840 United States Federal Census
Page:   Year: 1840; Census Place: Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky; Roll: 115; Page: 35; Image: 74; Family History Library Film: 0007828
Author:   Ancestry.com
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;
8. Title:   1850 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules
Author:   Ancestry.com
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2004;
9. Title:   U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907
Author:   Ancestry.com
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2008;
10. Title:   War of 1812 Pension Application Files Index, 1812-1815
Author:   Ancestry.com
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;
11. Title:   U.S., War of 1812 Service Records, 1812-1815
Author:   Direct Data Capture, comp
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 1999;
12. Title:   U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
Author:   Ancestry.com
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2012;

Notes
a. Note:   Reuben would have been born on the estate of his parents James Jones Waggener and Elizabeth (Garnett) Waggener, in Culpeper County, Virginia. The date of his birth is listed in a couple of sources as July 7, 1797. Several of the censuses would seem to indicate that he was born a bit earlier. Reuben spent his childhood in Culpeper County. I am not really sure where his parent's home was, but it was probably not too far from the town of Rapidan on the Rapidan River. Reuben served in the War of 1812. He was reportedly drafted to serve in Ballowe's 2nd Regiment of Captain John Thom's Company, of the Virginia Militia. He entered the service at the age of 17, on August 6, 1814 and was honorably discharged 6 months later on February 14, 1815, at Camp Holly Springs, Virginia. I have obtained a copy of Reuben's military pension file (#17950). He received a pension of $8 a month, from 1871 until his death. I also received copies of pay and muster rolls for the periods of his service. He was paid $8/ month for the service in 1814-5. This seems to show he was based at Camp Holly the entire 6 months. This is located about 12 miles south of Richmond in Henrico County. His son James Henry Waggener reported that Reuben was in one or two battles and several skirmishes, and that in one of these he was wounded in the foot with a musket ball. In the Cemetery Transcription below from the Jefferson County Historical Society, he is described as a "War of 1812 prisoner." I have not found much information about his actual service, and I have yet to verify any of these reports. It is reported in his son John Edmond Waggener's biographies that in about 1816 or 1817, Reuben left Culpeper County and moved to Kentucky. This would have been just after he returned from the war. I believe he probably moved to Jefferson County, Kentucky, and was living there with his older brother James in 1820. On the 1820 census in Jefferson County, there is one white male 16-25 year old, listed as living with James. I believe this is probably Reuben. Reuben is also listed in the will of his brother James as a trustee of the estate. This will was written and probated in 1822 in Jefferson County. In the 1823 Personal Property Tax List from Jefferson County, Reuben is listed with what was previously his brother James' property, presumably in his capacity as trustee of the estate. Reuben's son James Henry reported that from 1828 to 1830, Reuben "followed flat boating on the Ohio and Mississippi, between Louisville and New Orleans." He reportedly would take a flat boat down the rivers to New Orleans, where he would sell both the boat and the cargo, and then walk back to Louisville. James further reported that when the steam boats began to run, Reuben became a pilot from Cincinnati and Louisville to New Orleans, and that he did this up until they moved to Rush Tower, Missouri in the fall of 1841. In John Edmond's biographies below, Reuben is described as having served as a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, for almost 25 years. It was reported there that he piloted on the first line of steamers that ran from Louisville to New Orleans. In the story below about the house in Rush Tower, Reuben is identified as "Captain Waggener." This was a title he apparently picked up as a "Captain" of riverboats. Presumably Reuben considered Louisville his "home," during this period, although I have yet to find any records to confirm this after 1823. On May 3, 1835 Reuben married Mary Moore in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky. Mary's family appears to have also been in the Louisville area for a number of years, although Mary was born in Washington County, Illinois. Rueben was apparently 37 years old at the time they were married, and Mary was 17 years old. In the census record from 1850, Reuben is actually listed as being 22 years older than Mary. Reuben was apparently still a river boat pilot or captain, during the 5-6 years that he and Mary lived in Kentucky. On the property tax record in Louisiville in 1840, Reuben is listed as living on Main Street, between 1st Street and Brook Street (now apparently North Brook Street). This seem to pinpoint the location they were living in at least in 1840. This is just a few blocks away from the docks on the river. Reportedly, three children were born to Reuben and Mary there. The first was a daughter, who was reportedly buried there. Her name does not seem to be recorded, indicating that perhaps she died at birth. The second and third, James Henry and Elizabeth, went with them to Rush Tower, in Jefferson County, Missouri. Rush Tower is about 25-30 miles south of St. Louis, along the Mississippi. If Reuben ever made trips to St. Louis, he would have sailed past it. No doubt they sailed there on the rivers, when they moved there from Louisville. One can logically assume that Mary was not pleased with the long periods of time that a river boat pilot would be away from home, and that she had a significant influence on the major move and career change that Reuben made at age 43 or 44. Their son James Henry was born in Louisville in April of 1839, and their daughter Elizabeth was born there in December of 1840. They are listed on the 1840 census in Louisville, and Reuben's occupation seems to listed as engaged in river navigation. Their son James Henry later reported that they move to Rush Tower in October of 1841. Reuben and Mary established their home on the family farm near Rush Tower, Missouri, and remained there until Reuben's death at the age of 87. A pretty detailed description of the size and location of the property is listed below. In 1876, they owned a total of 520 acres. This particular area was known at the time for it's significant wheat production and I found one record confirming that Reuben grew wheat on his farm. I found a newspaper story about an apparent pet fox that had escaped from the farm with a chain on, and another about son William Horace falling from the hay loft, both of which would seem to show that this was very much a family farm. From the numerous records and stories that I have found in Jefferson County, it seems clear that Reuben and a number of his children, played a very prominent role in the county for many years. The road that this farm was on was named Waggoner Rd., reportedly after Reuben, but misspelled by the state road board. The house that the family lived in was described as a two story log house, covered with shingles. Although the old farm house was reportedly torn down in the 1970's, the current address for that location is 13069 Waggoner Road. The owner of that property in the 1990's, Mr. Oliver Hayes, reported to me that there was another house on the property, that he had been told was where Reuben's slaves lived. He also said that he had been told that prior to coming to Rush Tower, Reuben had engaged in the trading of slaves. I have verified that Reuben owned eight slaves in 1850 and seven slaves is 1860, but I do not know if there is any truth to the report that he was a slave trader. Nine other children were born to Reuben and Mary in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Two of the children died young, Richard Andrew and Reuben Garnett Jr. They are reportedly buried with their father in the family burying ground on the family farm. Mr. Hayes also reported that the graveyard is still there on the property, and that it was refurbished some years ago by members of the England family. It was reported that nine of the twelve children survived Reuben's death. From James Henry's account, Reuben's death was precipitated by an accident on December 18, 1884. He was apparently rather feeble at the time, and required a cane to support himself. He reportedly was looking at the mantel clock over the fireplace in the family house, and somehow slipped and stumbled into the fire that was burning. He reportedly suffered significant burns on his feet and legs. James Henry stated that Reuben never recovered from the shock and the injuries, and he passed away six days later on Christmas Eve of 1884. Rick Waggener ======== Reuben served in the War of 1812. He was apparently drafted to serve in the 2nd Regiment of Captain John Thomas' Company, of the Virginia Volunteers. He entered the service on August 6, 1814 and was honorably discharged on February 14, 1815 at Camp Holly Springs. I have obtained a copy of Reuben's military pension file (#11784), from the National Archives. From the paperwork in the file, it appears that he initially applied for the pension in 1871. It does not appear that he had any problem obtaining the pension, and that he started receiving $8 a month, sometime that year. After his death in 1884, it appears that his wife Mary applied for a widow's pension (#34147), which she also seems to have received without much trouble. Mary was receiving a pension of $12 a month at the time of her death in 1904. Although the various documents and affidavits seem to confirm some of the previously know facts about Reuben and Mary's lives, there is almost no mention of his actual military service. Some of the names that show up in the affidavits, namely John Conn and B.F. England, were long time neighbors of Reuben and Mary. Rick Waggener =========== From Direct Data Capture, comp. U.S., War of 1812 Service Records, 1812-1815 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999: Name: Reuben Waggoner Company: 2 REG'T (BALLOWE'S) VIRGINIA MILITIA. Rank - Induction: PRIVATE Rank - Discharge: PRIVATE Roll Box: 217 Microfilm Publication: M602 (I am pretty sure this record from ancestry.com, taken from muster records, pertains to Reuben. -RW) =========== The following record was taken from the Kentucky Earlier Settlers, the Records of Jefferson County, Kentucky; from the Filson Club History Quarterly, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1988: ****** From the Calendar of Early Jefferson County, Kentucky Wills; Will Book No. 2, pg. 193: Will of James Waggener, dated July 27, 1822, proved October 15, 1822, recorded November 18, 1822. To brothers, Armstead and Reubin Waggener, estate, in trust, for wife Elizabeth and her three children George, Mary and Elesis Waggener. Executors: None named. Witnesses: Ben W. Johnston, William Lewis. (This record seems to show that Reuben was in Jefferson County, Kentucky in 1822. It would seem to further confirm that this was where he very likely came initially, when he moved to Kentucky after the War of 1812. - Rick Waggener) ========= From the Jefferson County, Kentucky Personal Property Tax List for 1811-1825, and sent to me by Crystal Dingler: ****** 1823 Waggoner, Reuben: 233 acres on Mill Creek, original patentee Wm Pope, 1 white male >21, 1 bl males>16, 3 blacks total, 4 horses, mares, etc., land valued at $10/acre, total value $3570. (This record is of the land of Reuben's brother James, and seems to confirm that he indeed was in Jefferson County at this time, and that he acted as the trustee of his brother's estate. Crystal said that the 1824 record was unreadable and that there were no Waggener/ Waggoners in 1825. - Rick Waggener) ========= From Jefferson County Kentucky Marriages, Vol II, 1784-1842; film #482706, Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1966: Page #151; Reuben G. Waggoner to Mary Moore; The said Mary Moore being the daughter of Jesse Moore of Illinois and living with her uncle Francis A. Moore of the City of Louisville; License obtained on May 1st, 1835; Married May 3, 1835, by Samuel A. Wood. (The date and location of their marriage, as well as Mary's maiden name, were verified in Reuben's military pension file. - Rick Waggener) ======== From the 1840 Federal Census of Jefferson County, Kentucky, Louisville; from ancestry.com, images 67-68 of 274: Rub G Wagner; 1 male under 5 years (James Henry), 1 male 40-49 years (Reuben); 1 female 20-29 years (Mary); 1 male slave 20-23 years, 1 male slave 24-35 years; 1 person engaged in the navigation of canals, rivers, and lakes. (This confirms that they were still in Louisville and that Reuben was still a river boat captain. - Rick Waggener) ======== From the Louisville, Kentucky Tax Assessment books, 1838-1841; Film #959113, filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1974: ****** 1840; Wagener, R. G.; resides- Main 1st Brook, 1 white male, 1 slave (value $60), total value- $60 (This seems to pinpoint the location Reuben and Mary were living at in Louisville, at least in 1840, that being on Main Street between 1st Street and North Brook Street.- RW) ======== From the Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office records: Reuben G. Waggener purchased two 40 acre parcels of land from the federal government in Jefferson County, on January 1, 1846; Township: 39-N, Range: 6-E, Sections: 1 & 2 ======== From the 1850 Federal Census of Jefferson County, Missouri, District 42, page 468-A, taken October 18, 1850, household, from ancestry.com, image 123 of 153: Reuben G. Waggener; age-54, male, occupation- farmer, real estate- $2,000, born- Virginia Mary Waggener; age-32, female, born-Illinois James H. Waggener; age-11, male, born- Kentucky, in school Elizabeth Waggener; age-9, female, born- Kentucky, in school Richard Waggener; age-7, male, born- Missouri, in school Edmund Waggener; age-3, male, born- Missouri Stokely Waggener; age-1, male, born- Missouri ========= From the 1850 Federal Slave Census, listing Slave Inhabitants in District 42, Jefferson county, Missouri, page 267, taken on August 26, 1850; sent to me from the Federal Archives in Denver by Charlotte Maness, Roll 16/1 #423: "R.G. Waggener" is listed with 8 slaves: female, age-42, black; male, age-23, black; male, age-23, mulatto; female, age-13, black; female, age-10, mulatto; male, age-8, black; female, age 1, black; male, age-14, black, insane ========= From the Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office records: Reuben G. Waggener purchased 40 acre parcels of land from the federal government in Jefferson County, on September 1, 1857; Township: 39-N, Range: 6-E, Sections: 1 ------------------- Reuben G. Waggener purchased 40 acre parcels of land from the federal government in Jefferson County, on May 2, 1859; Township: 39-N, Range: 6-E, Sections: 2 ========== From the 1860 Federal Census of Jefferson County, Missouri; Plattin Township, Avoca Post Office; taken October 14, 1860; household #84: R. G. Wagoner; age- 64, male, occupation- farmer, real estate- $3,000, personal property- $1,755, born- Virginia Mary, Wagoner; age- 43, female, born-Missouri James Wagoner; age- 21, male, occupation- farmer, born- Kentucky John E. Wagoner; age- 13, male, born- Missouri Stokely Wagoner; age- 12, male, born- Missouri Jessey Wagoner; age- 10, male, born- Missouri Frank Wagoner; age- 8, male, born- Missouri Allice Wagoner; age- 5, female. born- Missouri Lilly Wagoner; age- 3, female, born- Missouri William Wagoner; age- 1, male, born- Missouri ========= From the 1860 Federal Slave Schedule of Jefferson County, Missouri, Plattin Township, taken October 18, 1860: "R. G. Wagner" is listed with 7 slaves: male, age- 36, black female, age- 24, black female, age- 21, mulatto (fugitive) male, age- 18, black female, age- 8, black male, age- 4, black female, age- 3, black (It appears that the four oldest slaves on this census, were also on the 1850 census, and that four of the slaves that were on the 1850 census are not listed on this one. - Rick Waggener) ========= From the 1870 Federal Census of Jefferson County, Missouri; Plattin Township, Hillsboro Post Office; taken June 6, 1870, household #104; from ancestry.com, image 237 of 400: Waggener, R. G.; age- 72, male, occupation- farmer, real estate- $3,000, personal property- $1,385, born- Virginia ------ Mary; age- 50, age- 50, female, occupation- keeping house, born- Missouri ------ Jas. H.; age- 26, male, occupation- school teacher, born- Missouri ------ Edmund; age- 22, male, occupation- clerk in dry goods store, born- Missouri ------ Stokes; age- 21, male, occupation- works on farm, born- Missouri ------ Jesse; age- 19, male, occupation- works on farm, born- Missouri ------ Ben. F.; age- 17, male, occupation- works on farm, born- Missouri, in school ------ Horace; age- 11, male, at home, born- Missouri, in school ------ Alice; age- 14, female, at home, born- Missouri, in school ------ Lillie; age- 12, female, at home, born- Missouri, in school (I am not at all sure who Ben F. is. He probably is their son Frank Southern, who was 17 years old in 1870 and seems to otherwise be missing from the census in Jefferson County. Perhaps he's a 2nd or 3rd cousin. Benjamin Franklin Waggener was a name used in the family and Reuben's family was in contact with many other Waggeners at the time. - Rick Waggener) ========== From the 1880 Federal Census of Jefferson County, Missouri, Plattin Township, taken June 16, 1880, household #219: Waggener, Reuben; age 84, male, head of household, married, farmer, born- VA, parents born- VA/ VA Waggener, Mary; age 65, female, wife, married, keeping house, born- KY, parents born- KY/ KY Waggener, James H.; age- 41, male, son, rep. in legislature, born- KY, parents born- VA/ KY Waggener, Frank; age- 26, male, son, works on farm, born- MO, parents born- VA/ KY Waggener, Alice; age- 24, female, daughter, at home, born- MO, parents born- VA/ KY Waggener, Lillie; age- 22, female, daughter, at home, born- MO, parents born- VA/ KY Waggener, Horace; age- 20, male, son, works on farm, born- MO, parents born- VA/ KY ========= From "The Jefferson Democrat" newspaper of Hillsboro, Jefferson, Missouri; sent to me courtesy of Charlotte Maness: ****** FRIDAY, 20 AUGUST 1875 - Rush Tower, Mo., Aug. 14th, 1875 - Editor Jefferson Democrat: I herewith send you partial report of wheat in this neighborhood this season. Will send revised and corrected report soon. Bushels. R.G. WAGGENER 600 (An account in the Historical Atlas in 1876 notes that the Plattin Township area of Jefferson County "grows large quantities of wheat, and more wheat is shipped from Rush Tower, than from any other landing in the Missouri side of the river, between St. Louis and Ste. Genevieve.") ******* FRIDAY, 24 DECEMBER 1875 - We didn't suppose so many pet foxes had escaped with chains around their necks when we mentioned the fact that Mr. BURGESS having caught one. We have since heard of three; the first, with a piece of a chain, escaped from Mr. BUTTS, 3 miles E. of Hillsboro; the second, with a whole chain, from Peter LEE, 3 miles W, of Hillsboro, and the third from Mr. STOFFEL of Maxville. It got away more than a year ago. We were mistaken as to when the fox was caught, and will have to request Mr. BURGESS to inform us just when it was. Still, another, a red fox with a halter chain got away from WAGGENER's at Rush Tower over a year ago (This would seem to clearly pertain to Rueben and Mary's home in Rush Tower. Lillie was 18 and Horace the youngest 16 so presumably the fox was a pet. - Rick Waggener) ****** FRIDAY, 25 JANUARY 1878 - COUNTY COURT - Road Commissioner was ordered to survey and locate new roads as follows: ..... also from R.G. WAGGENER's lane on Rush tower and Potosi road, between lands of CONN and WAGGENER, to north-west corner of AUBACHION's land; ... ****** FRIDAY, 17 MAY 1878 - COUNTY COURT PROCEEDINGS - The following Commissioner's reports on new roads continued till next term: Road from Hematite to north of Hillsboro road; road from Hematite to near Zion Church; road from Jno McCOURT's through Thos. GLENN's field to Hugh McNAMEES; road from Rush Tower and Potosi road near WAGGENER's to Ste. Genevieve road near W.J. BELL's; road from Hematite at SABEN's shop to Rush Tower road at widow McKEE's field; also change of road through lands of W.A. GAMEL and John SWINK ****** FRIDAY, 16 AUGUST 1878 - COUNTY COURT - Report of survey of road from east end of R.G. WAGGENER's land, around, through and between lands of CONN, WAGGENER, HENDRICKS, RUTLEGE and others, to Ste. Genevieve road near BELL's field, was approved and road ordered opened. No damages. (It is hard to tell exactly which road these stories are referring to, since it is not on the 1876 atlas. It appears that it is running north and south and I would guess it must be the current highway 61. The property of John N. Conn was directly adjacent to the north of the Waggener farm, and the property of William Henrix was directly adjacent to the east and south. Also, the properties of John M. Rutledge, F. Aubuchan, and J. M. Brooks were all pretty close neighbors.) ****** WEDNESDAY, 26 MARCH 1884 - UNCLE SAM'S PETS; - The following is a list of persons ---- ---- ---- Missouri, showing reasons why entitled thereto and the rate of pension per month. Reuben WAGGENER survivor of 1812 8.00 ****** WEDNESDAY, 24 DECEMBER 1884 - Mr. R.G. WAGGENER of Plattin, fell into the fire, one day recently, and one leg from the knee down was badly burned. He is over 87 years of age and has been feeble for a long time. His recovery is thought to be impossible. ****** WEDNESDAY, 31 DECEMBER 1884 - Mr. R.G. WAGGENER, whom we mentioned last week as having been badly burned, died of his injuries and was buried last Thursday. He was probably the oldest citizen of the county. He drew a pension as a soldier of the war of 1812. We expect to be furnished with a more extended review of his life. ****** WEDNESDAY, 14 JANUARY 1885 - CRYSTAL AND LIMITVILLE - AN OLD DEMOCRAT - Hon. J.H. WAGGENER, of Rush Tower, Jefferson county, who was a member of the Thirtieth General Assembly, is on the way to Washington to spend the Winter there. He was in this city yesterday and gave the particulars of the death of his father, Mr. Reuben G. WAGGENER, the oldest man in Jefferson county, who died on Christmas Eve at the age of 87 years, 5 months and 17 days. He was born in Culpepper County, Virginia. He served in the War of 1812, having enlisted in his seventeenth year, in 1814, and was in one or two battles and several skirmishes, in one of which he was wounded in the foot by a musket ball. He was an own cousin of Gen. Edward PENDLETON GAINES, the hero of Fort Erie, their mothers being sisters. Mr. WAGGENER followed flat boating on the Ohio and Mississippi, between Louisville and New Orleans, from 1828 to 1830. He would take his boat down to New Orleans, sell out boat and cargo and then walk back to Louisville. When steamboats began to run he was a pilot from Cincinnati and Louisville to New Orleans, up to the Fall of 1841, when he moved to Rush Tower, Jefferson county, 40 miles below this city, where he died. His death was occasioned by an accident. On the morning of the 18th of December, he rose out of his chair, and as was his custom looked at the clock on the mantelpiece, and leaning forward with his left hand on the mantelpiece, holding his cane in his right hand, he slipped and fell with his knees and feet almost in the embers of a very hot fire. The burns and the shock caused his death in six days. He never suffered a moment from the effects of the burn, and was perfectly conscious until he died. There was no one present when he fell, and when found he was lying unconscious. He was taken up and placed on the bed, and on recovering his senses he exclaimed: "Catch me! don't let me fall in the fire!" He leaves an only brother, Stokley T. WAGGENER, living in Russellville, Ky., who is two years his junior. He leaves a family of six sons and three daughters. The old gentleman cast his first vote for James MONROE for President, and voted for Gen. Andrew JACKSON in the presidential elections of 1824, 1828 and 1831, and he has voted the solid Democratic ticket ever since. - St. Louis Republican. ****** WEDNESDAY, 21 JAN 1885 - DEATHS; reported during week ending Jan. 19th, 1885, as follows: Dec. 24 - R.G. WAGGENER, aged 87 =========== I have found two different biographical sketches of Reuben. Both are attached to biographical sketches of his son John Edmond Waggener in Jefferson County. The first came from the 1876 Atlas, of which John was a patron. The second appears to have been written in about 1887-88, and seems to borrow significantly on the information contained in the first. Rather than duplicating information, I have copied below the first part of the earlier biography, and the second part of the later one. ******From the "Historical Atlas Map of Jefferson County, Mo." originally published by Brink, McDonaugh & Co. 1876; reprinted by the Jefferson County Historical Society in 1999, edited by Lisa K. Thompson: From the chapter titled "Biographical Sketches of Citizens of Jefferson County, Missouri, p.14: "...R. G. Waggener, was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, July, 1797. At the time the British invaded Maryland, during the War of 1812, he enlisted in the army, and served six months against the enemy. In 1816 or 1817 he came to Kentucky. For about twenty-five years he was a pilot on the Mississippi and Ohio River, and he was pilot on the first line of steamers that ran from Louisville to New Orleans. In the year 1835, he married Marry Moore, in Louisville, Kentucky. He came to Missouri in 1839 and settled where he now lives, two miles from Rush Tower. He has engaged in farming since residing in Jefferson County..." ******From "Biographies of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and Gasconade Counties, Missouri, Heritage Books,1995" (Courtesy of Christine Merseal): "...He died January, 1885. The mother is still living on the old farm, and of the twelve children born to her marriage, nine are now living, and our subject (John Edmond Waggener) is the sixth." ========== From "Hallemann's Interpretation of the 1876 Historical Atlas of Jefferson County, Missouri" Complied and edited by Dave Hallemann, published in 1998; and from the 1876 Jefferson County, Missouri Atlas: "R.G. Waggener" is listed as owning 5 parcels of land. They are all in Township 39, Range 6 East. From the atlas itself, it looks like they are actually 2 tracts of land, laying in 4 different sections. The two tracts seem to be separated 'kitty-corner' by parcels of land owned by a "P. Van Hoesen" and a "Wm Hendrix." The first tract, laying north and east of the other seems to be the main tract. It is rectangular in shape, and is comprised of one parcel of 120 acres, laying in Section 1; and a second parcel of 160 acres, laying in Section 2. There is a road traversing diagonally through the parcel from the northeast to the southwest. I believe that this is the "Waggoner Road" noted above. On the road, in the 160 section, there are markings indicating that there is a building and an orchard there. It seems logical that this would be the main house where the family lived. This tract of land totals 280 acres. Adjacent to the western edge of this tract, and running further north, is a land parcel of 120 acres owned by "J.E. Waggener," who is presumably Reuben and Mary's son, James Edmond Waggener. The second tract lays to the south west, and is south of the "Waggener Road," which runs through the property owned by Van Hoesen. It is not rectangular, rather being shaped somewhat like a stealth bomber, pointing northeast. It is comprised of 3 parcels, the first being 40 acres and lying in Section 3; the second being 80 acres and lying in Section 2; and the third being 120 acres and lying in section 11. The Saline Creek cuts diagonally southwest to northeast, through the 120 acre tract in Section 11, and there is a building on it also. It would seem that this must be a barn. It does not seem to be touched by any of the main roads. This tract totals 240 acres, making the total acreage for the 2 tracts to be 520 acres. ========== From a series of transcribed family letters, sent to me by Judy Senter. There is a letter written by Reuben's Neice, Olive K. Waller (daughter of Stokely Towles Waggener), who is writing from Clarksville, Tennessee on January 26, 1876, to her aunt, Mary Frances (Anderson) Waggener, who was in Hancock County, Illinois. Olive mentions receiving a letter from one of Reuben's sons. I think it shows that Reuben and his family remained in touch with relatives back in Kentucky and Tennessee. She writes: "...We have also lately received some letters from Uncle Reuben's son. He is still living at Rush Tower, Mo. his boys write very good letters, he has several sons but no daughters living..." ========== From the book "Historic Sites of Jefferson County, Missouri" by Walter J. Eschbach and Malcolm C. Drummond, 1968, pg. 64: There is a drawing of a two story house with the following caption: "Captain Waggener Place Near Rush Tower on the west side of Waggener Road, west of Highway 61, stands the two-story house covered with shingles once owned by Captain Waggener. In 1839 Captain Waggener settled in Jefferson County and built this house. Prior to that time, he served as a pilot on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, and was pilot of the first line of steamboats that ran from Louisville to New Orleans." ========== From a series of Cemetery Transcriptions from Jefferson County, Missouri, gathered and transcribed by the Jefferson County Historical Society (currently housed at the De Soto Public Library), and put on-line by Patty Frazer (http://www.rootsweb.com/~mojeffer/dpl_cemeteries.html): Reuben appears to be listed twice, with the first one being the following: ****** Name: Waggener, Reuben; DOB: No Date Given; Date of Death: Dec 24, 1884; Age: 87 yrs 8 mo; Cemetery/ Burial: Family Residence; Other: War of 1812 prisoner (I am not sure where this reference to being a prisoner came from, as I have no further information that he was ever a prisoner. Possibly this came from the original marker or headstone, which has since been replaced.-RW) The second listing is one of 3 listed in the "Waggener Cemetery." The other two names are the 2 children who were born and died young at Rush Tower: Richard and Reuben Jr. Apparently this cemetery is the same as above, somewhere on what was the family farm. ****** Name: Waggener, Reuben G Jr; DOB: 1845; Date of Death: 1846; Burial: Waggener Cemetery ****** Name: Waggener, Richard; DOB: 1842; Date of Death: 1852; Burial: Waggener Cemetery ****** Name: Waggener, Rueben G; DOB: 1797; Date of Death: 1884; Burial: Waggener Cemetery =========== I have a photo of the current headstone, marking the grave of him and his two sons also buried there. The grave is on the property of what was the family home in Rush Tower. The address is 13069 Waggoner Road. I believe the headstone was place there by members of the England family in the 1970's or 1980's, and replaced an earlier marker or headstone. The current headstone reads: Waggener Reuben G. Richard Reuben G. Jr. 1797- 1884 1842-1852 1845-1845


RootsWeb.com is NOT responsible for the content of the GEDCOMs uploaded through the WorldConnect Program. The creator of each GEDCOM is solely responsible for its content.