CENTRE LINES

The WAGNER Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on WAGNER. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

Four books in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte deal at some length with the Wagner family. They are Andre Dominguez's Wagner Genealogy; John Owens' Owen, Long, Wantz, Krouse and Related Families; John B. Wert's Wagner; and, John Wion's John Wiant of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania.

There are 20 different first-name entries for Wagner in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are many references to the these names in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898) with five of them (with an identifiable Centre County connection) having a separate profile: F.J. Wagner (b. 1866, s/o Peter J. and Elizabeth Huffman); Jacob Wagner (b. 1837, s/o Jacob and Anna Hosterman); John Wagner (b. 1806, s/o John and Catherine Kuntzman); John C. Wagner (b. 1857, s/o John M. and Susanna Hahn); and, John M. Wagner (b. 1823, s/o David and Catharine Maulfair).

And, now, your ancestors' WAGNER neighbors in 1890:

In BELLEFONTE Borough:

Alb., 63, laborer--210 S. Allegheny Annie--209 East Bishop Elizabeth--230 East Howard John, 83, retired--107 South Spring Sallie Millie John A., 40, letter carrier--434 N. Spring Sarah E. Agnes S. James B. 13 Hattie H. Frank H. 9 John K. 8 Benjamin H. 6 Pierce 4 William L. 3 Wesley H. 2 Andrew G. 6 mos.

In BENNER Township:

Adam Y., 47, miller--Bellefonte Susan Sallie S. Curtis Y. 19 Harry A. 17 Emma C. Bertha M. George B., 22, laborer--Fillmore Sarah E. Emery F.

In BOGGS TOWNSHIP:

John C., 33, miller--Milesburg Ella D. Mabel E. John M., 67, miller--Milesburg Susanna Ella E. William H., 42, farmer--Milesburg Ellen Harry 18 Sadie Vergie Frank 14 Wilbur 12 Sadie Edith John 5 mos.

In COLLEGE Township:

David J., 41, farmer--Houserville Caroline Jonas E. 13 Cora B. Mary M.

In FERGUSON Township:

Jacob D., 36, laborer--Pinegove Mills Catharine E. Charlie W. 7 Anna M. George W. Rush C.

In HAINES Township:

Henry F., 29, laborer--Poe Mills Ellen C. Mamie John H., 31, laborer--Aaronsburg Mary E. Maud V. Harry B. 2 Minnie C.

In HOWARD Borough:

John C., 24, barber Jennie N. William O. 19 Christ B. 17

In LIBERTY Township

Irvin, 34, laborer--Blanchard Sarah A. David B. 46 Hannah Charles B. 20 Susan A. James A. 10 Joseph L., 53, laborer--Blanchard Susan H. John I. 31 David 27 Mary B. Tacy A. James A. 17 Harvey 14 Ella E. George 10 Lucinda--Blanchard Mamie A.--Blanchard

In PHILIPSBURG Borough:

Anna C.--Presquile St. Edward F. 29 John, 33, laborer--2nd St. Louisa Elizabeth

In POTTER Township:

Anna M.--Potters Mills Jacob B. Jacob, 53, farmer--Tusseyville Catharine A. James B. 18 John K. 16 Susan B. Clayton E. 10 Samuel S. 5 Joseph, 16--Centre Hall Rebecca--Tusseyville Jasper A. 12 William J., 26, merchant--Centre Hall

In RUSH Township:

John, 39--Philipsburg Mary M. Alexander 9 Effie M.

In SNOW SHOE Township:

Henry H., 32, laborer--Moshannon Francis M. Ronie 6 Nannie Laura

In SPRING Township:

Albert P., 45, laborer--Bellefonte

In WORTH Township:

John D., 60, farmer--Port Matilda Phoebe Annie E. Margaret Wilbur 22 Martha Virgie Victor