| Sources |
- [S394] Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2006;), Database online. cf. Notes., Skinner/Schinzel-Ahlemeyer/Haines Tree J_Ahlemeyer.
CARTER, Owner: jbdaniel, Record for (John) Johannes Waggoner
The Last Will and Testament of John Waggoner, 12 October 1840 , Lewis County, West Virginia
"I John Waggoner of Lewis County State of Virginia do hereby make this my last will and Testament.1st I desire that the land on which I know live being one hundred and seventy eight and a half acres to be equally divided between my two sons (to wit) George Waggoner and Samuel Waggoner to be injoyed by them and their heirs forever.2nd That the said George and Samuel Waggoner pay to my other children (to wit) Peter Waggoner, John Waggoner, Paul Waggoner, Jacob Waggoner, William Waggoner, Catherine Dobson late Catherine Waggoner, Susanna Sims late Susanna Waggoner, Marriah Cottrell late Marriah Waggoner and Margaret Waggoner the sum of Sixty Dollars each within the period of five years after my decease.In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affects my seal this 12th day of October in the year 1840. Signed sealed published and delivered by John Waggoner as and for his last will and testament in the presence and hearing of who at his request and in his presents have subscribed Our names as witnesses.Wm Powers
? Blackman (may be Parker the name is blacked out on my copy)
John (his mark) Waggoner {seal}"
Found in Will Book B of Lewis County, West Virginia, the page number is unclear but the page number ends in a 6.
jbdaniel added this on 22 Sep 2010
elyandra1974 originally submitted this to Howell / Akers / Pickrell / Odell Family Tree on 17 Dec 2008
Will of John Waggoner listing children: George, Samuel, Peter, John, Paul, Jacob, William, Catherine (m. to George W. Dobson), Susanna (married to Martin Sims), Marriah (m. to Andrew Cottrell) and Margaret (unmarried at time of will).
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Unnamed Massacred Children
Following conventional naming of that time, it can be surmised that the four small boys would be named as follows: William, after John's father; Samuel, after Margaret's father; John after his father; Lewis, after his sister's (Anna Elizabeth) husband (who was also his wife's uncle) and/or his wife's brother, Lewis Bonnet. Margaret and the four small boys are buried in John Waggoner Cemetary, Hackers Creeki, West Virginia.
jbdaniel added this on 16 Sep 2010
twee3 originally submitted this to Waggoner Wentworth on 13 Feb 2010
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John Michael Wagoner
John Michael Wagoner was born 1753 in White Marsh, Pennsylvania, about 15 miles from Philadelphia. He served in the Revolutionary War, was in Battle at Yorktown with General Washington and the surrender of Cornwallis. He married Hannah Kyles for his second wife, his first being killed by the Indians, He settled on a large area of land about two miles east of what is now Fort Ashby, Mineral County, West Virginia. He continued to live there until his death and is buried a short distance from the house in which he lived. The flat slabs have either been flattened or removed as there is no visible sign of them today.
This article was found in an ancestry.com site and it goes along with names and places that we were helping Steve's Uncle Chester Wagoner with. John Michael Waggoner was born in Hesse, Germany and was hired and sent over to America by England to fight the French and Indians. He continued in the employ of England until the Revolutionary Period, when his sympathy was aroused in the cause of the Colonists, and he espoused their causes and helped as a loyal citizen should. Just when he settled in to this locality and took up his tract of land we have not been able to find out, but his home was on the farm known as the R.D. Johnson farm, or where Mr. Tucker now lives. However, another source has this to say: John Michael Wag(g)oner, born 1752 at White Marsh, PA - Married his second wife, Hannah Kyles, and lived on a farm he purchased located about two miles northeast of what was then Frankfort, Hamshire County, Virginia, but is now Fort Ashby, Mineral County, WV. The first source says there are eleven children; however, the second source gives the names of thirteen children as listed. Further information about John Michael Wag(g)oner is taken from the facts used to esablish eligibility for membership in the National Society Daughters of the America Revolution, and is as follows: Served as a Ranger under Captain Owen Dary and Colonel Charles Martin. Drafted and served under Captain John Harness and Colonel Riddle in General McIntosh's campaign. Served under Captain Parsons in pursuit of Tories, and served under Captain Thomas Neel and Colonel Lewis. Was in the battle of Yorktown and the Capture of Cornwallis- also served as an Indian spy under Edward Freeman. His place of residence during the Revolution was near Moorefield,Hardy County,(VA), WV. He died in 1834 near Romney, Hampshire County(VA), WV
jbdaniel added this on 15 Sep 2010
zachc33 originally submitted this to Cooper Family Tree on 5 Sep 2007
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Additional Note
In all, John was the father of 21 children by both marriages, counting the massacre and infants who died young. All of his children lived and died within 7 or 8 miles of the home place, except Paul, who married and moved to Ohio and then on to Indiana.
jbdaniel added this on 16 Sep 2010
twee3 originally submitted this to Waggoner Wentworth on 13 Feb 2010
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more details of family's death & Peter's life with Indians, The Death Of Margaret Bonnett Waggoner
Added by jjrode1 on 8 Jul 2008
Originally submitted by suzlinhart to Suzanne's Tree on 13 Apr 2008
John Waggoner and Peter Waggoner
Taken in part from: Chronicles of Border Warfare
From the Book
Chronicles of Border Warfare
or a History of the Settlement of the Whites, of Northern Virginia, and of the Indian Wars and Massacres in that section of the State
by Alexander Scott Withers
copyright 1895
About the middle of May,1792, a party of savages came upon a branch of Hacker's creek, and approaching late in the evening a field recently cleared by John Waggoner, found him seated on a log, resting himself after the labors of the day. In this company of Indians was the since justly celebrated General Tecumseh, who leaving his companions to make sure of those in the house, placed his gun on the fence and fired deliberately at Waggoner . The leaden messenger of death failed of its errand, and passing through the sleeve of his shirt, left Waggoner un- injured, to try his speed with the Indian. Taking a direction opposite the house, to avoid coming in contact with the savages there, he outstripped his pursuer, and got safely off. In the mean time, those who had been left to operate against those of the family who were at the house, finding a small boy in the yard, killed and scalped him ; and proceeding on, made prisoners of Mrs. Waggoner and her six children, and departed immediately with them, lest the escape of her husband, should lead to their instant pursuit. They were disappointed in this expectation. A company of men was soon collected, who repaired to the then desolate mansion, and from thence followed on the trail of the savages. About a mile from the house, one of the children was found where its brains had been beaten out with a club, and the scalp torn from its head. A small distance farther, lay Mrs. Waggoner and two others of her children, their lifeless bodies mangled in the most barbarous and shocking manner. Having thus freed themselves from the principal impediments to a rapid retreat, the savages hastened on; and the pursuit was unavailing. They reached their towns with the remaining prisoners - two girls and a boy- and avoided chastisement for the outrage.
The elder of the two girls did not long remain with them; but escaping to the neighborhood of Detroit with another female prisoner, continued there until after the treaty of 1795. Her sister abided with her captors until the close of the war; and the boy until during the war of 1812. He was then seen among some friendly Indians, and bearing a strong resemblance in features to his father, was recognized as Waggoner's captive son. He had married a squall by whom he had several children, was attached to his manner of life, and for a time resisted every importunity, to withdraw himself from among them. When his father visited him, it was with difficulty he was enticed to return to the haunts of his childhood, and the associates of his younger days, even on a temporary visit. When however he did return to them, the attention and kindly conduct of his friends, prevailed with him to remain, until he married and took up his permanent abode amid the habitations of civilized men. Still with the feelings natural to a father, his heart yearns towards his children in the forest; and at times he seems to lament that he ever forsook them.
Drake, in Aboriginal Races of North America (15th ed.), p. 616, cites the Waggoner massacre as " the first exploit in which we find Tecumseh engaged." L. V. Mc Whorter sends me this interesting note, giving the local tradition regarding the affair: " John Waggoner lived on Jesse's Run, more than two miles above its junction with Hacker's Creek. While engaged in burning logs in his clearing, he was sitting upon a log, with a handspike lying across his lap. It was thought that Tecumseh mistook this tool for a gun, and was nervous. But three in number, the Indians had entered the district with some trepidation. Over Sunday, while the settlers were holding religious services in West's Fort, the savages lay in a neighboring ravine. The dogs of the settlement barked furiously at them, and ran toward their hiding place, trying to lead their masters ; but the latter supposed that the animals had merely scented wolves, hence paid no attention to them. Tecumseh was but thirty paces from Waggoner when he fired, and it is singular that he missed, for the latter was a large man and in fair view. Waggoner sprang up and started for his cabin, a short distance only, but when about fifteen yards away saw an Indian chasing one of the children around the house. Waggoner was unarmed; his gun was in the house, but he feared to enter, so ran for help to the cabin of Hardman, a neighbor. But Hardman was out hunting, and there was no gun left there. The screams of his family were now plainly heard by Waggoner, and he was with difficulty restrained from rushing back to help them, unarmed. Jesse Hughes carried the news into the fort, and a rescue party at once set out.
Mrs. Waggoner and her three youngest children had been carried across the ridge to where is now Rev, Mans- field McWhorter's farm, on McKenley's Run, and here they were tomahawked and scalped. Henry McWhorter helped to carry the bodies to the fort, but made no mention of their being' mangled in the most barbarous and shocking manner.
The boy Peter, then eight years old, remained with the Indians for twenty years, The manner of his return, as related to me by Mr. McWhorter, was singular, and furnishes an interesting and instructive romance of the border, One Baker, one of John Waggoner's neighbors, went to Ohio to " squat," and on Paint Creek saw Peter with a band of Indians, recognizing him by the strong family resemblance. Baker at once wrote to the elder Waggoner, telling him of his discovery, and the latter soon visited the Paint Creek band, with a view to inducing his son to return home. But Peter was loth to go. He was united to a squaw, and by her had two children. In tears, she bitterly opposed his going. When finally he yielded to parental appeals, he promised her he would soon be back again. When the time for his return to the forest came, his relatives kept him under guard; when it had passed, he was afraid to return to his Indian relatives, having broken his word. Gradually he became reconciled in a measure to his new surroundings, but was ever melancholy, frequently lamenting that he had left his savage family. " Some time after his return to civilization," continues McWhorter, " an Indian woman, Supposed to be his wife, passed through the Hacker Creek settlements, inquiring for Peter, and going on toward the East. She appeared to be demented, and sang snatches of savage songs, Peter never knew of her presence, nor would any one inform her of his whereabouts. He was reticent about his life among the Indians, and no details of that feature of his career became known to his white friends. Tecumseh, who is said to have been born on Hacker's Creek, possibly at a village near the mouth of Jesse's Run, visited the White settlements there, after the peace, and told the whites of his experiences in connection with the Waggoner massacre.
jbdaniel added this on 13 Sep 2010
crmak51 originally submitted this to Fidler Family Tree on 6 Dec 2008
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John's family
I'm glad to know that Margaret Bonnett is the wife in the massacre. My Mom knows where Margaret and the children are buried. I believe she also knows where John is buried.
I have a photo of Peter's Grave, he is in the Harmony Graveyard in Jane Lew, WV. When he returned from his life with the Indians, he married Catharine and they had some kids, but I don't know any more about them. He also had 3 children with an Indian wife.
I am decended from Elijah, John's son from a later wife. (I'm not sure of her name). Elijah's son Elias had a falling out with the family over the Civil War and moved up the Right Fork of Freeman's Creek, Lewis Co. All my decendant's from Elias on to the present are buried in Freemansburg, WV.
E-mail me privatly and maybe we can tie our families together.
Linda
jbdanieladded this on 25 Aug 2010 DeborahSbarraoriginally submitted this to Waggoner Family Tree on 24 Aug 2010
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John Waggoner family
I have traced my Grandmothers' family history as far back as 1706 when Wilhelm Waggoner was born in Germany.My grandmother is Helen Waggoner, daughter of Hiram and Lillie Waggoner. Hiram was the son of John and Caroline (Thorn)Waggoner. John was the son of Samuel Waggoner (born 1821). Samuel was the son John and Susannah (Richards)Waggoner. Susannah was John's 2nd wife.His first wife was Margaret Bonnett who , along with 4 of their children, were scalped and tomahawked by a group of Indians led by Tecumseh. This massacre was May 7,1792 in Hacker's Creek,West Virginia. John and Margaret had 8 children, one of which is Peter Waggoner (born March 13,1787) he was captured by this band of Indians and held captive for 20 years. You can find this story in it's entirety in several books including-Aboriginal Races of North America,and History of Harrison County (WV). The public library in Parkersburg has a lot the history, but most of it came from my Grandmother. Originally, Wilhelm Waggoner came to America from Germany aboard the ship "Patience and Margaret". This is the first I have heard of a 3rd wife.If you are interested in any more of my ancestory let me know. Thanks, Joyce Carter.
jbdaniel added this on 25 Aug 2010
DeborahSbarra originally submitted this to Waggoner Family Tree on 24 Aug 2010
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will
Daughters of the American Revolution
John Waggoner proof
Documentation provided by Jeanne Howell
The Search for the Ancestry of Susan Elizabeth (SIMS) PICKERELL, wife of Andrew Jackson PICKERELL
The search for the ancestry of Susan Elizabeth (SIMS) PICKERELL began with the finding of the marriage record of Andrew Jackson PICKERELL and Susan Elizabeth SIMS. On this marriage record it listed both the groom’s parents, Levi PICKERELL and Mariah RADER (Rader is the line my primary DAR listing is through), and the brides, Martin SIMS and Susanna WAGGONER. The marriage took place in Roane County, West Virginia on 8 March 1872. Since it is believed that the probable informant for the information was either Andrew Jackson PICKERELL or Susan Elizabeth SIMS, I looked for confirmation of the parentage in other primary documents and probable year of birth for Susan Elizabeth SIMS in the census records. The Census of 1880 for Andrew Jackson PICKERELL and Susan Elizabeth (SIMS) PICKERELL was checked for approximate age of the individuals and from that an estimate birth year was calculated. The transcription of that census is below:Ancestry Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: Reedy, Roane, West Virginia; Roll: T9_1413; Family History Film: 1255413; Page: 52.1000; Enumeration District: 122 1880 Census of Reedy, Roane County, West Virginia, Taken: 19 June 1880, Taken by: Marshall Depue, Page: 52 A (typed), 9 (written), Supervisor’s District No. 2, Enumeration District No. 122, This family is listed on Lines: 31 - 36, Condition of Record: Readable, but parts are faded and smeared, Dwelling Number: 75, Family Number: 75.Actual census record transcription:Surname: PICKERILLNames of individuals in household are as follows:1. PICKERILL, A. J., White Male, Age 29, Married, Occupation: Farmer, Born in West Virginia, Father born in Virginia, Mother born in West Virginia. 2. PICKERILL, Elizabeth, White Female, Age 27, Wife of Head of House, Married, Occupation: Keeping House, Born in West Virginia, Parents both Listed as Born in West Virginia. 3. PICKERILL, Lilly E., White Female, Age 6, Daughter of Head of House, Single, Born in West Virginia, Parents both Listed as Born in West Virginia. 4. PICKERILL, Levi O., White Male, Age 4, Son of Head of House, Single, Born in West Virginia, Parents both Listed as Born in West Virginia. 5. PICKERILL, George M., White Male, Age 1, Son of Head of House, Single, Born in West Virginia, Parents both Listed as Born in West Virginia. 6. PICKERILL (smeared), Levi, White Male, Age 57, Father of Head of House, No Marital Status indicated, No Occupation is given, Is this person [on the day of enumerator’s visit] sick or temporarily disabled so as to be unable to attend to ordinary business or duties? If so, what is the sickness or disability?: General Deb., Born in Virginia, Parents Both Listed as Born in Virginia. end of transcription The record transcribed above was determined to be the correct family due to the name of the father of A. J. PICKERELL that is given in this census, Levi PICKERILL, and the inclusion of my ancestor in this census, Levi Orlando PICKERELL (here listed as Levi O. PICKERILL). From this census I was able to determine that Susan Elizabeth (SIMS) PICKERELL was born about 1853 in the area that is now known as Reedy, Roane County, West Virginia, but was then known as Jackson County, Virginia (Note: Roane County, West Virginia wasn’t formed until 11 March 1856). Since her birth would have been before Roane County was split from Jackson County, The West Virginia Vital Research Records Database online ( http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_select.aspx ) was searched for any online images of birth records for Jackson County, West Virginia in the years 1852 - 1854. The Problem of Susan E. Sims, daughter of Martin Sims and Susannah Waggoner:Having searched the records online of Jackson County, West Virginia, I came across an abnormality in the birth record for Susan E. SIMS. True I found her birth record, but I found two records of birth, both with similar parents, but with different dates of birth. The first birth record of one Susan E. SIMS states she was born in Reedy, Jackson County, Virginia on 13 November 1853 to Martin SIMS and his wife Susan SIMS. The Second birth record states that a Susan E. SIMS was born in Reedy, Jackson County, Virginia in January 1853 to Martin SIMS and Susanah WAGNER. Upon further inspection it was found that the Midwife, R. SUMMORVILLE, was the informant listed on the second birth record. There was no informant named on the first listing. Because the first record was placed in the courthouse records before the second record, it was determined that the first record was more valid and probably the information would have been given by the parents even though the informant is not named in the record. Even though R. Summorville the midwife present at the time of birth would have been present at the time of Susan’s birth we do not know the circumstances behind how she took records, or when she came to the courthouse to give the records to the clerk. For that matter, both records are type written. Since typewriters were not readily available in 1853 (note on Typewriters in this period: “From 1829 to 1870, many printing or typing machines were patented by inventors in Europe and America, but none went into commercial production” (source: Wikipedia article on Typewriter: http://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Typewriter), this indicates that it may have been copied from the original courthouse records once typewriters became more prevalent by a clerk. Since we do not know if this is the case or, if it was the case, the condition of the original records, this could point to another source of error in transcription or in reading of the handwriting itself. However the second record cannot be dismissed due to the important inclusion of the maiden name of Susan E. SIMS’ mother, Susanah WAGNER. So the search was on for the marriage record of a Martin SIMS to a Susan or Susannah WAGNER.Using the same WV Vital Research Records Database (see above link - marriages searched this time), I searched for any groom named Martin Sims in the marriage database. It was determined that Jackson County, Lewis County and Wood County had marriage records listed back far enough to include the marriage I was searching for. I finally found a marriage record in Lewis County, Virginia for a Martin SIMS and Susan WAGONER on 16 March 1837 performed by a Henry R. Bonnett. This proved the parentage of my Susan Elizabeth (SIMS) PICKERELL to be Martin SIMS and his wife Susan WAGONER.A determination of the estimate year of birth was performed on Susannah (WAGONER) SIMS by looking for the 1850 Census record of Martin Sims with wife Susannah. Transcription is below:Ancestry Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: District 70, Wirt, Virginia; Roll: M432_981; Page 55; Image 1091850 Census of The 70th District, Wirt County Virginia, Taken: 5 July 1850, Taken by: Hugh Kyger, Page 55 (typed), 109 (written), This family is listed on Lines: 14 - 22, Condition of Record: Readable, not faded, very few smears if any on page, Dwelling Number: 17, Family Number: 17. Actual census record transcription. Surname: SIMSNames of individuals in household are as follows:1. SIMS, Martin, Age 35, Male, Occupation: Carpenter, Value of Real Estate Owned: 300, Born in Virginia. 2. SIMS, Susannah, Age 35, Female, No Occupation Given, Born in Virginia. 3. SIMS, Granville, Age 12, Male, Born in Virginia, In School within the Year. 4. SIMS, Jno Wesley, Age 10, Male, Born in Virginia, In School within the Year. 5. SIMS, Edward J., Age 8, Male, Born in Virginia, In School within the Year. 6. SIMS, Henry, Age 6, Male, Born in Virginia, Not In School. 7. SIMS, Perry G., Age 5, Male, Born in Virginia, Not in School. 8. SIMS, Oliver M., Age 3, Male, Born in Virginia, Not In School. 9. SIMS, Mary L., Age 1, Female, Born in Virginia, Not In School. End of transcriptionFrom the 1850 Census I determined that Susannah (WAGONER) SIMS was born around the year 1815 probably in Harrison County in the section that became Lewis County on 18 December 1816. From this estimate of the year of her birth I determined that she should have been approximately 15 years of age in the 1830 Census records.
After determining the location of Martin Sims in the 1840 census to be Lewis County, Virginia, I searched Lewis County, Virginia in the census of 1820 and 1830 for possible fathers for Susannah WAGGONER. I first checked the Census of 1830 for Lewis County, Virginia for any and all WAGGONER / WAGNER / WAGONER families and the following individuals were found in the index for possible fathers of Susannah WAGGONER, wife of Martin SIMS: Elijah WAGGONER, 2 Henry WAGGONERs, 2 John WAGGONERs, and a Peter WAGGONER. Transcriptions of each of these census records are below:Ancestry Source Citation: Year: 1830; Census Place: Lewis County, Virginia; Roll: 191; Page: 260.Line 11: WAGGONER, Henry: 1 Male under 5, 1 Male 5 - 10, 1 Male 20 - 30, 1 Female under 5, 1 Female 20 - 30.Line 24: WAGGONER, John: 1 Male 5 - 10, 1 Male 10 - 15, 1 Male 15 - 20, 2 Males 20 - 30, 2 Males 30 - 40, 1 Male 60 - 70, 1 Female 10 - 15, 1 Female 15 - 20, 1 Female 20 - 30, 1 Female 50 - 60.Ancestry Source Citation: Year: 1830; Census Place: Lewis County, Virginia; Roll: 191; Page: 262.Line 14: WAGGONER, Peter, 1 Male 5 - 10, 1 Male 10 - 15, 1 Male 20 - 30, 1 Male 40 - 50, 1 Female 40 to 50, 1 Female 70 - 80.Ancestry Source Citation: Year: 1830; Census Place: Lewis County, Virginia; Roll: 191; Page: 263. Lin e 10: WAGGONER, Elijah: 1 Male 20 - 30 years old, 1 Female 20 - 30 years oldLine 11: WAGGONER, Henry: 1 Male under 5, 1 Male 20 - 30 years old, 1 Female 20 - 30 years old.Line 12: WAGGONER, John: 2 Males 5 - 10, 1 Male 10 - 15, 2 Males 15 - 20, 1 Male 80 - 90, 1 Female 5 - 10, 1 Female 10 - 15, 1 Female 15 - 20, 1 Female 20 - 30, 1 Female 50 - 60From the individuals available in these census records, I determined that of the individuals in the 1830 census in the county in question, Lewis County, Virginia (now West Virginia), only the two John WAGGONER’s were able to be the father of Susannah (WAGGONER) SIMS. So I narrowed my search down to John WAGGONER age 60 - 70 in 1830 and estimated his birth to be around 1760 - 1770 and the other John WAGGONER, age 80 - 90 in 1830 and estimated his birth to be around 1740 - 1750. I then checked the 1820 census records for any other possible fathers that could have been in the area in 1820. In 1820 the census listed three WAGNER individuals in Lewis County, Virginia (now West Virginia). These being Jacob WAGNER, John WAGNER, and Peter WAGNER. Census Transcriptions Below:Ancestry Source Citation: Year: 1820; Census Place: Lewis, Virginia; Roll M33_133; Page 16; Image 184.Line 29: Wagner, Peter: 2 Males 0-10 Years Old, 2 Males 10 - 16 Years Old, 1 Male 26 - 45 Years Old, 1 Female 10 - 16 Years Old, 1 Female 16 - 26 Years Old, 1 Person Engaged in AgricultureNote: when looking at the census I noted the closeness of the families and hit next page on page 16, gave me a half page that listed another John WAGNER his transcript is below:Line 5: WAGNER, John, 4 Males 0 - 10, 2 Males 10 - 16, 1 Male 45 +, 2 Females 0 - 10, 2 Females 10 - 16, 1 Female 16 - 26 (note no females 16 - 18 in listing), 3 Foreigners not naturalized, 3 in agriculture This is noted at the bottom of the page: “This five heads of families that is carried out on this paper was missed in patter them up thay aught to come in between Wolf Thomas & Waugh T. Alexander.
[signed] Edw. Jackson.”Ancestry Source Citation: Year: 1820; Census Place: Lewis, Virginia; Roll: M33_133; Page: 17; Image: 186.Line 30: WAGNER, Jacob: 1 Male 16 - 26, 1 Male 45+, 1 Female 0 - 10, 1 Female 16 - 18, 1 Female 26 - 45, 2 people in Agriculture.Line 31: WAGNER, John: 3 Males 0 - 10, 1 Male 10 - 16, 1 Male 16 - 18, 3 Males16 - 26, 1 Male 45 +, 3 Females 0 - 10, 1 Female 16 - 26, 5 Persons Engaged in Agriculture.These census records pointed toward either a Jacob or a John WAGGONER as being the father of my Susannah (WAGGONER) SIMS. I then proceeded to search the Wills of Lewis County, West Virginia for any John WAGGONER or Jacob WAGGONER that may have died near 1830 - 1850 as I knew any of the possible individuals were not alive in 1850 Census. In these records I found a John WAGGONER who wrote the following in his will dated 12 October 1840 (Lewis County, WV Will book B, pg. 36):“I John Waggoner of Lewis County State of Virginia do hereby make this my last will and Testament.1st I desire that the land on which I know live being one hundred and seventy eight and a half acres to be equally divided between my two sons (to wit) George Waggoner and Samuel Waggoner to be injoyed by them and their heirs forever.2nd That the said George and Samuel Waggoner pay to my other children (to wit) Peter Waggoner, John Waggoner, Paul Waggoner, Jacob Waggoner, William Waggoner, Catherine Dobson late Catherine Waggoner, Susanna Sims late Susanna Waggoner, Marriah Cottrell late Marriah Waggoner and Margaret Waggoner the sum of Sixty Dollars each within the period of five years after my decease.In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affects my seal this 12th day of October in the year 1840. Signed sealed published and delivered by John Waggoner as and for his last will and testament in the presence and hearing of who at his request and in his presents have subscribed Our names as witnesses.Wm Powers
? Blackman (may be Parker the name is blacked out on my copy)John (his mark) Waggoner {seal}”This proved that in the area in question there was a John Waggoner with a daughter named Susannah Waggoner who married a Sims before 1840. Prior searches indicated that there was one match in available in the records available in Lewis County, Virginia (now West Virginia) which had searchable online records that dated back to the year 1817. This one being the marriage of my ancestors, Susan Wagoner who married Martin Sims on 16 March 1837 by Henry R. Bonnett in Lewis County, Virginia (now West Virginia). I then set out to find out more about John WAGGONER and the children he had listed in the will. Since he had lived in 1840 till at least October, I consulted one final Census Record, the 1840 Census of the United States for Lewis County, Virginia. In the 1840 Census of Lewis County, Virginia I found one John WAGGONER in the household of a Samuel WAGGONER who was listed as a Revolutionary War Pensioner who was aged 90 years. The Samuel WAGGONER listed could very likely be the same as John WAGGONER’s son, Samuel WAGGONER who is listed as receiving part of the land in the 1840 Will. That transcription is as follows:Ancestry Source Citation: Year: 1840; Census Place: Lewis County, Virginia; Roll: 566; Page 133 (note image has 2 pages, 1 with family data and 2nd containing additional information).Line 12 (on first page): WAGGONER, Samuel: 1 male 15 - 20, 1 male 30 - 40, 1 Male 90 - 100, 1 Female 10 - 15, 1 Female 20 - 30 (rest of form blank)Line 12 (on second page): Total Individuals: 5, 1 in Agriculture, Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services, included in the Foregoing: Name: John WAGGONER, Ages: 90 (rest of form blank).Note: Also listed on the same page are the following individuals: Leonard SIMS is the household before Samuel WAGGONER and Henry WAGGONER is next household. Also George W. DOBSON is listed on this page on Line 16. George W. DOBSON was husband of John WAGGONER’s daughter, Catherine (Source: Marriage Record and Catherine is mentioned in will as Catherine DOBSON).Having found out that a John WAGGONER was listed as 90 year old Revolutionary War Pensioner in 1840, I estimated his birth to be around 1750 and found that he was still of an age where he could have fought in the Revolutionary War. The next obvious step was to look in the pension records to see if I could find any record of service for a John WAGGONER in the area of Lewis County, West Virginia (in Revolution this area would have been in Harrison County, Virginia and after December 1816 this area became Lewis County, Virginia). I found one match in the pension records for this individual, namely John WAGGONER born about 1752 in White Marsh, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania which was listed as being about 14 miles from Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania and who lived in Lewis County, Virginia at the time the pension was issued. This pension stated that he enlisted in 1778 and served at term of three and ½ months in Captain John Harness’ Company under Colonel Riddle in the Virginia Troops and went on General McIntosh’s campaign to Ohio where he assisted in the building of Fort Laurens. He was at the siege of Yorktown and the capture of Cornwallis and helped guard prisoners on their way to Winchester. He was also listed as an Indian Spy until May 1792 helping to guard the frontier. On a sadder note, the pension lists a very tragic event in the life of John WAGGONER when most of his family was murdered by a group of Indians of whom Tecumseh was a member. The pension listed that in this attack all but 2 female children and a son, named Peter were massacred by the Indians. The name of his wife that was murdered and any other names of children besides Peter were not given in the Pension. Also no mention of a second marriage or any children by that wife was given. I simply needed more facts to validate my belief that the John WAGGONER mentioned in the will was the same individual as the one in the Pension. Armed with the knowledge provided me by the Pension of the Indian attack and the surviving son, Peter WAGGONER, I went looking in historical books on Lewis County, West Virginia and Indian attacks in that area to see if I could find anything more about the attack and the names of the other two female children that were not listed in the Revolutionary War Pension. I came across several accounts of the same incident where the family of one John WAGGONER was massacred by a group of Indians of which Tecumseh was a member. At least one of the accounts written in Alexander Scott Withers, “Chronicals of Border Warfare or, A History of the Settlement by the Whites, of North Western Virginia, and of the Indian Wars and Massacres in that section of the State with Reflections, Anecdotes, &c” published in 1895 described the massacre in detail. This account indicated that in the Middle of May 1792, the family home was attacked and the family of John WAGGONER was brutally massacred. The account indicates that John WAGGONER was shot at by Tecumseh but the shot only went through his sleeve. Then John WAGGONER, knowing he would not be able to make it to the house to get his gun, ran to the neighbor’s farm for help but the neighbor was away hunting with the only gun. Meanwhile back at the cabin, the other Indians had attacked and destroyed the home before a party of men with weapons could be found and raised. In the process of the attack the account mentions that they killed a small son in the yard and took the wife of John WAGGONER and their six remaining children hostage. The men in the rescue party found the lifeless bodies of the wife of John WAGGONER and three of their other children about a mile from the house. The rest of the Indian party and their three small children prisoners escaped to their pursuers and returned to their tribe. The three children were listed as two females, one of which escaped to Detroit and the other returned with the treaty of 1795, and a boy which was not found till around 1812 when he was seen among some friendly Indians and recognized. These three children were named Elizabeth, Mary and Peter WAGGONER. The account mentions that Peter WAGGONER had married an Indian woman and had several children with her and had adopted the Indian way of life. His father visited him and enticed him to return home for a short visit which Peter reluctantly agreed to for a short time stating to the tribe and his wife that he would return by a set time. The account then cites Drake’s “Aboriginal Races of North America” 15th ed. Page 616 where Drake describes a local tradition about the return of Peter from the Indians. This account states that once Peter had returned home for his short visit with his family and the time had come for him to return to the Indians, Peter’s relatives kept him under guard until the time had elapsed. Fearing the repercussions of not keeping his word to the Indians, Peter stayed with his white family but was always depressed and lamented the fact that he had left his Indian family behind. There is also a mention of sometime after his return to his white family that “an Indian woman, supposed to be his wife, passed through the Hacker Creek Settlements, inquiring for Peter, and going on toward the East. She appeared to be demented, and sang snatches of savage songs. Peter never knew of her presence, nor would any one inform her of his whereabouts.” In yet another account made by Lucullus Virgil McWhorter in 1915 in his book “The Border Settlers of Northwestern Virginia from 1768 to 1795 Embracing the Life of Jesse Hughes and Other Noted Scouts of the Great Woods of the Trans-Allegheny With Notes and Illustrative Anecdotes” another account of this attack which tells in more details the account and what became of the survivors. In this account he mentions that Tecumseh stated that they had been watching the house for some time waiting for the children to be of an age where they could travel (p. 200). But whatever their intentions, still the fact remains that all but three of the seven children were brutally murdered along with the wife of John Waggoner in the attack. The account made by McWhorter further states what became of the surviving three children: Mary, Elizabeth and Peter. The account states that Peter “married Catherine Hyde, a widow, whose maiden name was Hardman” in 1814(McWhorter, p. 200) and died “at his home on Millstone Run, a branch of Hacker’s Creek,February 26, 1879, in his ninety-third year”(McWhorter, p. 204). The account mentions that Mary WAGGONER married Jacob WOLF in 1800 and that Lizzie (assuming nickname for Elizabeth in other account) married John HARDMAN (McWhorter, p. 204)Finding these records of the Indian attack and what became of the survivors provided a gold mine of information about this family. It told basically the same information as the pension and several other versions mentioned other data that pointed to other records which validated my belief that the Revolutionary Patriot, John WAGGONER, could be the same individual that wrote the will in October 1840 that mentioned my ancestor, Susanna (WAGGONER) SIMS.Also in the Will of John Waggoner that had been found in Lewis County, West Virginia Records, a Peter WAGGONER is also mentioned. The other two survivors of the Indian attack were not mentioned in the will however. But based on these accounts, the will, the pension and other records sited above, I knew the following statements to be valid for this individual:1. A John WAGGONER in the county of Lewis County, Virginia (now West Virginia) in 1820 and 1830 Census with a female child of the correct age frame that could have possibly been my Susannah (WAGGONER) SIMS. 2. A John WAGGONER in Lewis County, Virginia in 1840 Census listed as a Patriot of the Revolutionary War and a Pension had been filed and approved. The pension stated he was born around 1752 in White Marsh, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.3. In the Will of John WAGGONER, father of Susannah WAGGONER, the name of a Peter WAGGONER was listed as another child. The Revolutionary War Patriot, John WAGGONER, mentions Peter WAGGONER as one of his surviving children of his 1st Marriage that survived the Indian Massacre in May 1792 in his pension. Peter is also listed in several accounts of the Indian Attack. The other children who survived, but were not listed in the will, were Mary WAGGONER who married Jacob WOLF and Elizabeth WAGGONER who married John HARDMAN. 4. No mention of a second wife or a second family was made in the Revolutionary War Pension or in any of the Historical accounts of the family. However most of the Historical accounts dealt with the actual Waggoner Family Massacre by the Indians and what became of the surviving children, and not what became of the whole family unit. The accounts did state how many children had been born to John Waggoner and his first wife as seven, only three of which survived the attack.5. Prior research in the records of the counties surrounding the town of Reedy, Roane County, West Virginia yielded no luck in finding the death record of Susannah (WAGGONER) SIMS for the period of 1880 - 1900. This time period was researched because, she is not listed in the 1900 Census and she has been found in the 1880 Census records so we know she probably died within that time period. Therefore her parentage has not been able to be determined by a vital record other than the will written by John WAGGONER in 1840 which does not mention a wife’s name.With the exclusion of Mary and Elizabeth WAGGONER from their father’s will, I began to wonder if other children of the second marriage might have been omitted as well due to any number of factors. Also the name of either of his wives and the mother of these children were not mentioned. It was back to the records to determine if anyone else had been missed and if possible find further proof that the John WAGGONER who fought in the Revolution was the same individual that had written the will that mentioned my ancestor, Susanna (WAGGONER) SIMS. I turned my attention to the death record of the children of the first wife of John WAGGONER that were listed as survivors of the Indian attack that had killed their siblings and their mother. These being Mary, Elizabeth, and Peter. According to the account by McWhorter, Mary WAGGONER, married Jacob WOLF around 1800. A record of this marriage was not able to be found even though marriage records in Harrison County, West Virginia were recorded as early as 1784. But we know the marriage occurred due to the fact that a Mary WOLF died 7 June 1872 in Lewis County, West Virginia. This death record lists her parents as John and Peggy WAGGONER and that Mary (WAGGONER) WOLF was born in Harrison County, Virginia. The Death Record lists her husband as being Jacob WOLF and the informant is listed as Henry WAGGER with the relationship of Brother Listed. Mary’s parents were listed as John and Peggy WAGGONER. Both Henry and Mary were not listed on the will of John WAGGONER that had been found in 1840. I knew from the account of the massacre that killed all but the three children of John WAGGONER, that the mother of Henry could not have been the child of the first wife of John WAGGONER, but I also knew from the death record of one of the known survivors, Mary (WAGGONER) WOLF that Henry WAGGER was her brother. Therefore John Waggoner had to have married again after the Indian attack massacred his family. I searched the death records again and found the death record of a Henry WAGGONER who died on 8 December 1886 in Lewis County, West Virginia. On his death record his parents were listed as Jno. and Susannah WAGGONER. Thus we had a probable name for both wives of John WAGGONER. The first being Peggy which is a common nickname for Margaret and the second being Susannah. In the Marriage Records of Harrison County, Virginia, I found a record of a John WAGGONER marrying a Susannah RUNYION on 19 February 1799. However secondary sources have pointed to the fact that she was the daughter of Paul RICHARDS who died in her early youth after which she became a ward of an Elijah RUNYON. McWhorter gives a little account of the murder in August 1782 in Harrison County, Virginia when a Paul and Arnold RICHARDS (possible relation however I do not know the type of relation they were as the source does not mention it) “were returning to Richard’s Fort, they were shot at by some Indians, lying hid in a cornfield adjoining the fort, and both fell from their horses. The Indians leaped over the fence immediately and tomahawked and scalped them” (McWhorter, p. 245). The account does not mention any children of either of the two men or if they became wards of anyone after their parents were murdered. Further research is needed to determine if Susannah RUNYION in the marriage record was the child of Paul RICHARDS as the secondary source states. Perhaps when I get the records from the Daughters of the American Revolution claims it will state a source I can check for her maiden name.I say this because when I searched the Daughters of the American Revolution Genealogical Research Database for a match to the John WAGGONER in question. I found two possible matches in the database, both pertaining to the same individual. (Ancestor: A120188 and Ancestor: A120189). However there was a difference in the information for both individuals. In Ancestor 120189, the date of death was given as 1834 in Hampshire Co., VA (now WV). I knew that this date of death could not be correct with my findings because the date the will was written (in year 1840) was after this time period. I noted that Ancestor #: A120188 is listed with the death date of (POST) 13 September 1841 in Lewis County, VA (now WV). When I checked the claims for Individual Ancestor #: A120188, I noticed that a Catherine WAGGONER who m. George DOBSON was listed as one of the proven lines. There also was a Samuel WAGGONER, a George WAGGONER, an Elijah WAGGONER, and an Elizabeth (WAGGONER) HARDMAN among the claimed children. Although my ancestor was not among the proven lines I was confident that I had found the correct individual. This conclusion was due to the fact that 1) George and Samuel, names I had found listed as children in the Will where my ancestor, Susannah (WAGGONER) SIMS was mentioned, were among the proven lines and 2) the claim lists two wives, the 1st being Margaret BONNETT and the 2nd being Susanna RICHARDS both of which I had found on death records pertaining to known children of this family.This research in Lewis County, West Virginia Records has led me to determine the following individuals were the children of John WAGGONER, Revolutionary War Patriot: (Note DAR Data on Ancestor #: A120188 pertains to the same John WAGGONER in their records): Wife 1: Margaret BONNETT (killed by Indians)1. Mary WAGGONER, married Jacob WOLF. Mary WOLF died 7 June 1872 in Lewis County, West Virginia. This death record lists her parents as John and Peggy WAGGONER and that Mary (WAGGONER) WOLF was born in Harrison County, Virginia. The Death Record lists her husband as being Jacob WOLF and the informant is listed as Henry WAGGER with the relationship of Brother Listed. Both Henry and Mary were not listed on the will of John WAGGONER that had been found in 1840. 2. Elizabeth WAGGONER - Not Mentioned in will of father dated 1840. Married John Hardman.3. Unknown Boy who was killed in the yard of parents’ house by Indians in the Indian attack.4. Unknown Child who was killed about a mile from house. (Some accounts list all children who were murdered in the attack as male, also at least one account lists that Margaret BONNETT was pregnant at the time of the attack and that was why she was killed.)5. Unknown Child who was killed about a mile from house with mother.6. Unknown Child who was killed about a mile from house with mother.7. Peter WAGGONER - mentioned in will of father, No Claim under DAR. More than likely the same Peter WAGGONER who was the only male child of the first wife to survive the Indian massacre. Married First to an unnamed Indian Woman - at least 2 children from this marriage before 1812. Married 2nd to Catherine HIDE (she was a widow and her maiden name was HARDMAN - source: death record of Catherine (HARDMAN) WAGGONER) on 4 November 1814 in Harrison County, Virginia (source: marriage record). When Peter died his grandson was listed as the informant and his grandson named wrong mother on the record. He recorded Peter’s parents as John and Susannah WAGGONER, possibly because Peter’s half brother John died shortly before Peter did in 1879.Second Wife: Susannah RICHARDS (named Susanna RUNYION on marriage record dated 19 February 1799 in Harrison County, Virginia - I need to check for marriage bond to see if it is in existence and if so if it states her name as RICHARDS. One account states she was a ward of ? RUNYON because her father had been killed in an Indian attack when she was very young. More proof of connection and name of whom was given guardianship of her is needed before this information can be verified.)1. Paul WAGGONER, b. abt. 1800, d. 1877, possibly the Paul WAGGONER who married Elizabeth STRALY in Lewis County, Virginia on January 1821 by John MITCHEL2. Henry WAGGONER, b. 1 March 1802 in Jesse Run, Harrison County, Virginia (now a part of Lewis County, West Virginia), d. 8 December 1886 in Lewis County, West Virginia. His parents were listed on the death record as Jno. And Susannah WAGGONER and Henry had been listed as born in Lewis County, Virginia. The death record also listed the name of Henry’s wife, Susan. who was also the informant on the death record. In the marriage records of Lewis County, West Virginia the name of the wife was discovered to be Susan BONNETT and the marriage took place on 8 November 1827 in Lewis County, Virginia (Now West Virginia).3. Elijah WAGGONER, b. 10 January 1804 in Jesse Run, Harrison County, Virginia (now Lewis County,West Virginia) and d. 31 May 1889 in Lewis County, West Virginia.4. John WAGGONER, b. 29 October 1805 in Harrison County, Virginia (Now Lewis County, West Virginia) and d. 24 April 1879 in Laurel Lick Run, Lewis County, West Virginia.5. Jacob WAGGONER, b. about 1808 in Harrison County, Virginia and married Katherine Bonnett on 27 January 1831 in Lewis County, Virginia (now West Virginia) by the Reverend Jacob Bennett.6. Catherine WAGGONER, mentioned in will, b. about 1811 in Harrison County, Virginia (now Lewis County, West Virginia). She married George W. Dobson on 28 January 1831 in Lewis County by Reverend Jacob Bennett. George W. DOBSON is listed on the same page as Samuel WAGGONER where John WAGGONER was living in 1840 census. Catherine (WAGGONER) DOBSON is proven descendant of DAR Ancestor #: A120188 under claim #: 842289.7. George WAGGONER, b. about 1812, and married Melinda COTTRELL (1850 census records a George Waggoner in Jackson County, Virginia with a person who could be his wife named Melinda and several children. Unable to find marriage record). This individual is proven descendant of DAR Ancestor #: A120188 under claim #: 670539.8. William WAGGONER, born 9 July 1813 in Harrison County, Virginia (now Lewis County, West Virginia) and died about 1895.9. Susannah WAGGONER, born 16 March 1816 in Jessie Run, Harrison County, Virginia (now Lewis County, West Virginia) and died between 1880 and 1900. No Death Record has been able to be found for this individual. She married Martin W. SIMS on 16 March 1837 in Lewis County, Virginia (now West Virginia). The marriage was performed by a Henry R. Bonnett10. Mariah WAGGONER, born about 1820 in Lewis County, Virginia (now West Virginia).11. Samuel Waggoner, born about 1821 in Lewis County, Virginia (now West Virginia), and married Nancy Garrison on 5 March 1840 in Lewis County, Virginia (Source: marriage record) - 1850 in Wirt County, Virginia with 4 children. This individual is proven descendant of DAR Ancestor #: A120188 under claim #: 856030.12. Margaret Waggoner (unmarried at the time of the will and I have not been able to find a marriage or a death record for her in Lewis County, West Virginia Records), born about 1822 in Lewis County, Virginia (now West Virginia).
C anton Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
jbdaniel added this on 16 Sep 2010
Connie3634 originally submitted this to Greathouse Family Tree on 13 Sep 2010
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