Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 508
BENJAMIN F. WAGNER, a retired farmer residing in West Liberty, has been a resident of Iowa since 1853. He is a native of Ohio, born in Montgomery County, on 28th of February, 1814, and is a son of John and Esther ( Trull ) Wagner, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, and of German origin. John Wagner when a child removed with his parents from his native State, to Virginia, where he was reared upon a farm. When twenty-two years of age he emigrated to the State of Ohio and was numbered among the pioneers of Montgomery County. He took up a claim in Montgomery County of 640 acres, which he partially improved, but as he was not able to make the payments he had to give it up, and bought another farm near the city of Dayton, where he made his home until about 1824. In that year Mr. Wagner removed to Wayne County, Ind., where he made his home until 1836, and then removed to Elkhart, County, Ind., and resided there until his death in 1844. He and his wife reared a family of ten children: Philip, one of the pioneer settlers of Louisa County, Iowa, died in that county at the age of seventy-seven years; Susanna, now the widow of Jacob Fudge, is a resident of Randolph County, Ind.; Sarah, who wedded James Ruple, of Michigan; Benjamin F., of this sketch; Delilah, wife of James McConaha, who resides in California; Abraham, now deceased, who was an old resident of Keokuk County, Iowa; Jacob, now living in Oregon; Joseph, who is engaged in farming in Louisa County, Iowa; Isaac, also located in Oregon, and Mary, widow of Marcellus De Camp, of Louisa County.

Our subject passed his boyhood days in his native county, but at the age of ten years he removed with his parents to Wayne County, Ind., where he was reared to manhood upon a farm, receiving only such opportunities for education as the district schools afforded. He learned the pump-maker's trade, which he followed for several years. In 1836 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Hunt, a native of Ohio, and five children were born of their union, namely; Sarah, wife of Nelson Tice, of Mitchell County Kan.; Nancy, who wedded Adam E. Tice ,of Sherman County, Kan.; Mary, deceased wife of William Crammer; John, who served three years in the late war as a member of the 35th Iowa Infantry, died at the age of thirty-one; and Henry, also died at the age of thirty-one years. In 1846 the mother of these children was called to her final rest. Mr. Wagner was again married in 1847, his second union being with Mary, daughter of John Cissne, and a native of Ohio. Three children grace this union: Phoebe, who is now the wife of Charles E. Crammer, of Osborne County, Kan.; Robert C., a resident farmer of Johnson county, Iowa, and Ida R., residing at home.

In the fall of 1853 Mr. Wagner, accompanied by his family, emigrated to Iowa, and located in Louisa County, of which county he was one of the early settlers. He was there angaged in farming until 1864, when he removed to Johnson County and purchased a farm in Lincoln Township. He greatly improved the land, making it his home until 1887, when, renting his farm, he came to the city of West Liberty, where he is living a retired life. He still owns his splendid farm of 160 acres in Johnson County, besides his comfortable home in the city of West Liberty. Politically, he is a Republican, and though never taking an active part in political affairs feels a deep interest in the success of the party whose principles he supports by his ballot. From his youth has been a temperance man of the strictest sort, and believes that the State should prosecute the offenders of the prohibitory law to the fullest extent in its power. He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church of Downey. Though having made their home in West Liberty but a short time, they have gained an enviable place in the hearts of her good people, and have won the love and confidence of all.

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