George W. WAGGONER, deceased, was born in Hardin County, Ky., October 8, 1826, to Adam and Mary Ann (TERRY) WAGGONER, natives of Kentucky. The WAGGONER family is of German extraction, but came to America before the war of the Revolution; in the struggle, they espoused the patriot cause, and bore their part in the struggle to throw off the yoke of British oppression. David, Adam WAGGONER's father, was a soldier in the war, and he was the fortunate father of a family who have ever been loyal to the calls of their country. Adam WAGGONER was born January 30, 1800, and died August 8, 1860; his wife was born August 11, 1800, and died January 26, 1874; she was the daughter of Jasper and Sarah Terry; this family is of English descent, and has a history running back to the period of the earliest settlements of this country. George WAGGONER was brought to Jersey County, Ill., in 1830, by his parents, who were among the first to enter upon pioneer life in the then far West; his early life was spent upon the homestead farm, assisting in improvements and in all the agricultural pursuits incident to early pioneer industries; his educational privileges were limited to the common schools at that early day. In 1849, he entered 480 acres of wild prairie land in Montgomery County, which he eventually increased until he had in his possession about eight hundred acres of land, nearly all of which he improved, and which, as a practical farmer, he kept in a high state of cultivation. Mr. WAGGONER was one of the few men possessing all the energy and enterprise of a man bound to make his mark in the world; he entered upon his career in life comparatively a poor man, and his subsequent possessions represented the dollars earned by himself, and through the result of his good management and thorough and practical business ability; he was a public-spirited man, always interested in all public improvements and enterprises, and generous in his donations for the advancement of educational and church privileges; he was for a number of years prior to his death an active member of the Baptist Church, and, in his daily walk in life, emulated the principles of Christianity. He was married, in Macoupin County, Ill., December 2, 1851, to Elizabeth J. McCOLLOUGH, and, during the fifteen years of married life, Mr. WAGGONER proved himself to be a kind father and devoted husband; his death occurred September 29, 1866; he was the father of four children, viz.: Horace G., George B., Henry Q. and John M., all of whom have grown to maturity. Mrs. WAGGONER was born in Rocking ham County, Va.; March 22, 1827; at the death of her husband, she was left with a family of small children, the oldest of whom was but eleven years of age; she took upon herself the management of the property and support of her children; she is a lady possessing all the womanly graces, combined with energy and enterprise, and she also has the faculty of managing business affairs with a shrewdness and ability which but few women possess, whether thrown upon their own resources through misfortune or otherwise; she has added to he property, left by her husband, about twelve hundred acres of land, and most of which is now rented, but all of which has been under her own management; she is now surrounded by her children, in the declining days of her life, which to her is a comfort and a blessing; the farm lands now consist of about twenty-two hundred acres of land, which Mrs. WAGGONER and her suns have mutually decided to divide the property without the assistance of administrators or otherwise. Mrs. WAGGONER was a daughter of John and Sarah (McCREA) McCOLLOUGH; he was a native of Belfast, Ireland, born September 24, 1791, and was one of the early settlers of Macoupin County; he was a farmer by occupation; his death occurred August 30, 1844; his wife was born in Pendleton County, Va., March 27, 1799; she died April 30, 1851; she was the mother of eight children, of whom Mrs. WAGGONER was the second child; she was educated in the common schools of Macoupin County. Mrs. WAGGONER may well be proud of her family of boys, all of whom are steady and industrious, following business in a manner like their father; her father was in the war of 1812.
Extracted 20 Nov 2016 by Norma Hass from 1882 History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 2 Biographical Department, pages 268-269.
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