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Note: William Horace Waggener was the youngest child born on April 27, 1859 to his parents Reuben Garnett Waggener and Mary E. (Moore) Waggener. He almost certainly was born and grew up in the family house near Rush Tower. He was apparently known by his middle name of Horace. Mary Lucetta Waggener and/or Lottie Halberstadt reported that Horace and his older brother Stokley engaged in the mercantile business in Festus, for many years. This was known as the Waggener Company Store, and it appears to have been founded by Stokley in about 1876. This was about the time that the city that came to be know as Festus, was first beginning to form. Horace would have been just 17 years old at the time, and he was apparently still living on the farm with his parents. From the newspaper records, it appears that Horace joined his brother Stokley in the store business, in about 1884. In a story from 1885, Horace is reported to be living in a house in Festus with his recently widowed mother and a Dr. Brooks. I do not have the exact date of his wedding to Mildred Donnell, but it was apparently in about 1896. I believe her family was quite prominent in the county. Mildred was a half-sister to Florence Donnell, wife to Horace's older brother John Edmond Waggener. From the various records I have found, it seems pretty clear that Horace was a prominent business man in the Festus. Besides the businesses with his brother Stokely, he is described as helping organize the phone company, and serving on the Board of Directors of one bank and as the President of the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Festus. I know that Horace and Mildren had one son, Paul Horace, but I do not know if Paul had any children. Rick Waggener ============== From the 1860 Federal Census of Jefferson County, Missouri; Plattin Township, Avoca Post Office; taken October 14, 1860; household #84. Horace is listed with his parents and family: William Wagoner; age- 1, male, born- Missouri ============== From the 1870 Federal Census of Jefferson County, Missouri; Plattin Township, Hillsboro Post Office; taken June 6, 1870; William Horace is listed with his family in household #104: Waggoner, Horace; age-11, male, white, at home, born-MO, attending school ============== From the 1880 Federal Census of Jefferson County, Missouri, Plattin Township, taken June 16, 1880, household #219. Horace is listed in the home of his parents and some siblings: 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, 15 FEBRUARY 1878 - Horace WAGGENER, son of R.G. WAGGENER, of Rush Tower, was climbing up into the barn loft the other day, when he slipped and fell, and a pencil which he had in the side pocket of his coat, stuck clear through his arm. He went to the house and one of his brother's pulled the pencil out. It made him feel a little sick at the time, but his arm never got sore. (William Horace was 19 years old at the time of this incident.) ****** WEDNESDAY, 2 JANUARY 1884- MARRIED - WAGGENER - BROWN - December 27, '83, at the DOUGLAS school house, by 'Squire McFARLAND, W.H. WAGGENER and Miss Mary F. BROWN, all of Big River township. (I am not really sure that this is William Horace, because I have never seen any further evidence that he was married to a Mary Brown.) ****** WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1884 - A CALL - Judge R. McCORMACK, Hematite, Mo. - DEAR SIR - We, the undersigned citizens and voters of Jefferson county, Mo., knowing you to be a man of firm integrity and honest principles, and believing, as we do, that you would honorably and faithfully represent the people of this county in our next Legislature, we respectfully ask you to allow us to use your name as the Democratic candidate for Representative, promising to give you our earnest and hearty support: Included: R. KENNER, W.H. WAGGENER S.T. WAGGENER ****** November 1884- Married at the residence of the Non. Thomas Byrns, father of the bride, by Rev. S.W. Emory, November 19, 1884, Mr. Lawrence Y. McCormack and Miss Mattie Byrns. Invitations had been sent out to numerous relatives and friends, and notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, about 120 persons were present to witness the ceremony. Misses Missouri Byrns and Julia Bowles were bridesmaids and D. C. McCormack and Horace Waggener were groomsmen.....(from the Jefferson County Genealogical Society) ****** 1 APRIL 1885 - CRYSTAL and LIMITVILLE - S.T. WAGGENER & Bro. have everything torn down in their store, preparatory to a thorough renovation. It looks as though they intend to do business this year. ( I believe by this point that William Horace had joined his brother in business in Festus, and these references to Waggener & Bro. are to them. Limitville was the name that the new town was called, before it was called Festus.) ****** 1 APRIL 1885 - CRYSTAL and LIMITVILLE - Mrs. WAGGONER has moved from the old home place to Dr. BROOK's residence, and is keeping house for her son, Horace, and the Doctor. ****** WEDNESDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 1887 - PROBATE COURT - W.H. WAGGENER vs estate of A.C. JOHNSON, on account; allowed $5.70. ****** WEDNESDAY, 23 MARCH 1887 - LIST OF CONVEYANCES - Filed with the Recorder during the week ending on last Saturday: WAGGENER & Bro. to W.L. BOYER, lot in Festus 600.00 W.S. BOYER to WAGGENER & Bro. Lot in Festus 1,000.00 ****** WEDNESDAY, 30 MARCH 1887 - LIST OF CONVEYANCES; - Filed with the Recorder during the week ending on last Saturday; S.T. & W.H. WAGGENER to C.W. CHARLEVILLE, lot in Festus 75.00 ****** WEDNESDAY, 2 NOVEMBER 1887; - LIST OF CONVEYANCES; - Filed with the Recorder during the week ending on last Saturday. J.M. ENGLAND and wife, J. Ed WAGGENER and wife, Frank BRONDS and wife, Frank WAGGENER and Mary WAGGENER to W.H. WAGGENER, 40a sec11 tp38 r6 200.00 W.J. BELL to S.T. WAGGENER & Bro., lot in Festus 300.00 ******* WEDNESDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER 1888 - MARRIED - A large number of the relatives and friends of Mr. and Mrs. J.M. ENGLAND assembled at their residence on last Wednesday evening, Sept. 12, to witness the marriage of their daughter, Maggie B. ENGLAND, to Mr. Jas. S. IRWIN........ Among the guests from a distance were Mr. C. DUMM, J. H. WATTENER, Mr. Harry GILBERT, Miss Mary KIELTY, St. Louis; Mr. James MITCHELL, Sugar Loaf Springs, Ark.; W.R. DONNELL, and wife Hillsboro; T.A. CHARLES and wife, Pevely; D.C. McCORMACK, Plattin; J.O. JOHNSON and wife, the Misses Essie and Lily IRWIN, sisters of the groom, Miss Lilla BRIERTON, W.H. WAGGENER, Mrs. S.T. WAGGENER, Sidney ENGLAND, Festus Mo.; Miss Lottie ENGLAND, Miss Lilly WAGGENER, B.A. BROOKS, Rush Tower, Mo..... (See the notes of William Horace's niece, Margaret England, for the whole wedding story. ============= From "History of Jefferson County, Missouri and Festus, Missouri" by Howard C. Litton; Festus, Missouri; Second Edition, May 1987: ******Page 31: Horace Waggener helped organize the local telephone company on 1903 from a 1913 publication. ******Pages 43 and 44: Jules Aubuchon, carpenter and early resident recounts history of Festus. He arrive in 1880, seven years before the city was chartered." the same year I came here, Stoke and Horace Waggener also came, so did Uncle Theodore Aubuchon" This was done at the 50th birthday of Festus. and he states he had been there for 57 years,and before it was called Festus. (There was an "F. Aubuchan" on the atlas from 1876, who was a neighbor of the Waggener Farm in Rush Tower. There is an "Aubuchon" who is probably the mentioned Theodore, listed in a newspaper story in 1881, as owning a saloon in Festus near The Waggener Store. It would seem likely that the Waggeners knew this family well for many years.) ******Page 56: S.T. Waggener, W. H. Waggener were among the first board of directors of the Citizens Bank of Festus. (There is no date for this or the entry below.) ****** Page 202: In a series of business notices from December of 1913, "W. H. Waggener" is listed as the President of the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Festus and as the Secretary of the Festus Telephone Company. The same references are made in stories on these two businesses in page 225. ============== From Ancestry.com. Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007: Name: W Horace Waggener Marriage Date: 29 Apr 1896 Marriage Location: Jefferson, Missouri Marriage County: Jefferson Spouse Name: Miss Mildred J Donnell ============== From "Hallemann's Interpretation of the 1898 Historical Atlas of Jefferson County, Missouri" Complied and edited by Dave Hallemann, published in 1998: ****** "Waggoner, W" is listed as owning a parcel of 48.5 acres of land in township 40, range 6 east, section 18. There is a school listed as being on this property. I am not positive that this is owned by William Horace, because there seems to have been another W. Waggener in the county at the time. This person must be a relative, but I have yet to identify him. ================ From the Federal Census of 1900 of Jefferson County, Missouri, Joachin Township, Festus City, taken June 7, 1900 (from Ancestry.com on-line census, Jeff. Co., District #54, image 16 of 26): Listed as living in a house on Grand Avenue, but no house numbers listed on the street, household #151: Waggener, Wm. H; head of household, male, born- April 1860, age- 40, married 4 years, born- Missouri, FA born- Virginia, MO born- Kentucky, occupation- Merchant, r/w, owned home free of mortgage, home is a house ----- Mildred; wife, female, born- Nov 1865, age- 34, married 4 years, 1 child/ 1 living, born- Missouri, FA born- Missouri, MO born- Missouri, no occupation listed, r/w ----- Paul; son, male, born- Oct 1897, age- 2, born- Missouri, FA- born- Missouri, MO born- Missouri ================ From the Jefferson County, Missouri; Official Directory- 1907; Edited by Dave Hallemann; reprinted by Jefferson County Historical Society: ****** In an advertisement in the directory for the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Festus, W. H. Waggener is listed as the bank President and a member of the Board of Directors. There is also an ad for the Citizens Bank, which also lists the bank officers, and does not include Horace's name. From the entry above, this would seem to show that Horace left the Citizen's Bank for the Farmers and Merchants Bank. ****** In the listing for Festus: "Waggoner, W. H., merchant, r. and p. o. Festus." =============== From the 1910 of the City of Festus, Joachim Township, Jefferson County, Missouri, district 33, sheet 17b, taken May 4, 1910, household 372; from ancestry.com, image 34 of 52: Waggener, W. H.; head of household, male, age- 57, married (1st) 14 years, born- Missouri, father born- Virginia, mother born- Illinois, occupation- keeper/ store, r/w's, owns home free of mortgage, home is a house ------ Mildred I.; wife, female, age- 44, married (1st) 14 years, mother of 1 child/ 1 child living, born- Missouri, parents born- Missouri, occupation- housekeeper, r/w's ------ Paul H.; son, male, age- 12, born- Missouri, parents born- Missouri, r/w's, in school =============== From the 1920 Federal Census of Jefferson County, Missouri, Joachim Township, City of Festus, 2nd Ward, District 36, sheet # 5A, taken January 5, 1920 (Ancestry.com, Jeff.Co. #36 11 of 30): At 318 North Second Street: Waggener, Horace; head of household, owned home, male, age- 60, married, reads/writes, born- Missouri, father born- Virginia, mother born- Illinois, occupation- Retired Merchant Bank ---- Mildred; wife, female, age- 53, married, reads/writes, born- Missouri, father born- Tennessee, mother born- Missouri, occupation- none =============== From the 1930 Federal Census of Festus City, Joachim Township, Jefferson County, Missouri, district 14, sheet 7B, taken April 14, 1930, household 143, on North Second Street (number is unreadable); from ancestry.com, image 14 of 17: Waggener, William H.; head of household, owned home/ value- $5,000, owns radio set, home not a farm, male, age- 70, married, 37 years old at 1st marriage, r/w's, born- Missouri, father born- Virginia, mother born- Illinois, occupation- none, not a veteran ------ Mildred; wife, female, age- 64, married, 30 years old at 1st marriage, r/w's, born- Missouri, parents born- Missouri, occupation- none =============== I have obtained a copy of the probate file for William Horace from Jefferson County, Missouri. The file (#5909) contains 26 pages of documents. It begins with his will, dated August 4, 1913, and submitted to probate on November 23, 1933: Last Will and Testament of William Horace Waggener In the name of God, Amen. Know all men by these presents, that I, William Horace Waggener, of the County of Jefferson in the State of Missouri, do make and declare that this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former wills of every description. First. I appoint my wife, Mildred Irene Waggener, to be the Executrix of my Estate, and desire that she not be required to give bond. Second. I devise and bequeath to my son, Paul Waggener, the sum of one dollar. Third. The remainder of my Estate, both Real and Personal, I give, grant, and devise and bequeath to by Wife, Mildred Irene Waggener, for her sole use and benefit, knowing that after my death she will properly provide for my said son, Paul Waggener. In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, on this fourth day of August 1913. William Horace Waggener Signed and declared to be his last Will, by William Horace Waggener, in the presence of the undersigned, and who have, in his presence and in the presence of each other, set our hands hereunto as Witnesses on this Fourth day of August, 1913, J.R. Funk W.L. Townsend The rest of the file is not all that remarkable. There is an inventory of property, most of which seemed to be a significant number of real estate lots, real estate notes, and some stocks. =============== I have obtained a copy of the death certificate for Horace, from the State of Missouri: Missouri State Board of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics Certificate of Death File #33480; Reg. #12 Place of death: Festus, Jefferson County, Missouri Full name: William Horace Waggener Sex: male Color: white Marital status: married Spouse: Mildred Waggener Date of birth: April 20, 1859 Age: 74 years, 6 months, 8 days Occupation: President/ Bank Birthplace; Rush Tower, Mo. Name of father: Reuben Waggener Birthplace: Virginia Maiden name of mother: Mary Moore Birthplace: Kentucky Informant: Mrs. Hallie Jenkinson Address: Festus, Mo. Date of death: October 28, 1933 Cause of death: chronic interstitial nephritis/ chronic prostatitis =============== William and his wife Mildred are buried in the Festus Methodist Cemetery, AKA the Gamel Cemetery, (off Lee Ave. in Festus near Highway A and Interstate 55). Their headstone reads: Waggener Wm. Horace 1859- 1933 Mildred I. 1865- 1943
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