About Nicholas Wagner (born 1850)
Nicholas Wagner was born in Rhine or Prussia Germany on January 18, 1850. Around 1867 when he was a teenager his parents encouraged him to come to America to avoid recruitment from the 'Kaisers'. He took their advice and settled in Wisconsin. It was there that he met a German girl by the name of Anna Margaret Zehrden, born September 4, 1856. They were married on April 19, 1877 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA. They eventually moved to Indiana where they started their family.
My great grandfather, Jacob T. Wagner was their second child and first son. He was born in Princeton, White Co., Indiana on October 5, 1879. He married Talitha Emma Courtright on February 15, 1905 in Remington, Jasper County, Indiana. They eventually had 12 children with the oldest three being born in Indiana. In 1909, they relocated to North Dakota to take advantage of the North Dakota Homesteading Act. Jacob died on April 3, 1959 in Rensselaer, Jasper Co., IN. Talitha died on July 20, 1970.
These 1880 Census records reveal that Nicholas and Anna were both from Rhine, Germany. It is also listed that Nicholas and Anna's parents were both born in Rhine, Germany. A daughter named Mary, age 2, is listed on the records along with Jacob T. who was 8 months old at the time. Both Mary and Jacob are listed as being born in Indiana. In addition, a sister is listed on the records with the name of Gerden Lizzy. She was 11 years old and was living with them at the time. It is not certain if Gerden was the sister of Nicholas or Anna. She was listed to have been born in Prussia with both of her parents also being born also in Prussia.
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Wagner Surname & Heritage
The WAGNER Surname:
Wagner, Wegner, Wagoner, Wagener, Waggener and many other variations of the spelling occur even in our own records. This is very common since mny of our ancestors spoke German and when they came through United States immigration the spelling was often altered depending on how the immigration staff interpreted it. According to genealogical records found Nicholas Wagner actually spelled his name Wagener prior to living in the United States. Since then, the family has continued with the Wagner spelling.
The meaning of WAGNER
German (also Wägner) and Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a carter or cartwright, from an agent derivative of Middle High German wagen ‘cart’, ‘wagon’, German Wagen. The German surname is also well established in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, eastern Europe, and elsewhere as well as in German-speaking countries.
Our Wagner Heritage
Wagner places of origin were Germany, Prussian, Bavaria, Baden and Hesse. Wagner ports of departure included: Breman Germany, LeHavre France, Antwerp Belgium, Southampton England and Hamburg Germany. According to United States immigration records most with the name Wagner immigrated during 1851-1857 and 1881. Most named Wagner populated the states of New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois. The second most populous group of states included: New Jersey, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, and California.
The most popular Wagner occupations in 1880 comprised approximately of: 35% Farmers, 9% Laborers, 6% Housekeepers, 2% Carpenters 1% Blacksmiths and 1% Tailors. According to Civil War records there were 2,513 with the surname Wagner who fought in the war. 309 Wagner veterans fought as Confederates and 2,204 Wagner veterans served with the Union.
Wagner, Wegner, Wagoner, Wagener, Waggener and many other variations of the spelling occur even in our own records. This is very common since mny of our ancestors spoke German and when they came through United States immigration the spelling was often altered depending on how the immigration staff interpreted it. According to genealogical records found Nicholas Wagner actually spelled his name Wagener prior to living in the United States. Since then, the family has continued with the Wagner spelling.
The meaning of WAGNER
German (also Wägner) and Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a carter or cartwright, from an agent derivative of Middle High German wagen ‘cart’, ‘wagon’, German Wagen. The German surname is also well established in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, eastern Europe, and elsewhere as well as in German-speaking countries.
Our Wagner Heritage
Wagner places of origin were Germany, Prussian, Bavaria, Baden and Hesse. Wagner ports of departure included: Breman Germany, LeHavre France, Antwerp Belgium, Southampton England and Hamburg Germany. According to United States immigration records most with the name Wagner immigrated during 1851-1857 and 1881. Most named Wagner populated the states of New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois. The second most populous group of states included: New Jersey, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, and California.
The most popular Wagner occupations in 1880 comprised approximately of: 35% Farmers, 9% Laborers, 6% Housekeepers, 2% Carpenters 1% Blacksmiths and 1% Tailors. According to Civil War records there were 2,513 with the surname Wagner who fought in the war. 309 Wagner veterans fought as Confederates and 2,204 Wagner veterans served with the Union.
Prussia/East Germany
About Prussia
Our family roots have been traced back to Freudenburg, Rheinland, KreisTrier, Prussia.
Prussia was an historic state originating in Brandenburg, an area that for centuries had substantial influence on German and European history. The last capital of Prussia was Berlin. Prussia attained its greatest importance in the 18th and 19th centuries. During the 18th century, it became a great European power under the reign of Fredrick II of Prussia (1740-1786). During the 19th century, Prime Minister Otto Von Bismarck pursued a policy of uniting the German principalities into a "Lesser Germany” that would exclude the Austrian Empire. This led to the unification of Germany in 1871, with Prussia forming the core of the German Empire.
In the course of its history, Prussia has had various meanings:
The land of the Baltic Prussians, so-called ‘Old Prussia’ (prior to the 13th century): conquered by the Teutonic Knights and gradually Christianised, Germanized, and Polonized - this region is now situated in parts of southern Lithuania, the Kaliningrad exclave of Russia and north-eastern of Poland.
Royal Prussia (1466 – 1772): territory awarded to Poland after its victory over the Teutonic Order in the Thirteen Years’ War.
The Duchy of Prussia (1525 – 1701): a territory formed by the secularization of the Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights, originally under the sovereignty of Poland, later ruled by the Hohenzollem margraves and electors of Brandenburg.
Brandenburg Prussia (1618 – 1701): a personal union between the Hohenzollern rulers of Ducal Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg.
The Kingdom of Prussia (1701-1918): formed the elevation of Brandenburg-Prussia to a kingdom, this state went on to become the dominant state of the German Empire (1871-1918).
The Province of the Kingdom of Prussia (1829-1878) was created from the merger of the provinces East Prussia and West Prussia.
The Free State of Prussia (1918-1947) was the republic state of Weimer, Germany formed after the dissolution of the Hohenzollern monarchy at the end of World War I. Prussia as a state was abolished de facto by the Nazis in 1934 and de jure by the Allied Control Council in 1947 in the aftermath of World War II.
Since then, the term's relevance has been limited to historical, geographical, or cultural usage for today. Even in modern time a certain kind of ethic is called "Prussian virtues", for instance: perfect organization, sacrifice, rule of law, obedience to authority, and militarism, but also reliability, religious tolerance, sobriety, pragmatism, thriftiness, punctuality, modesty, and diligence. Many Prussians believed that these virtues promoted the rise of their country.
Our family roots have been traced back to Freudenburg, Rheinland, KreisTrier, Prussia.
Prussia was an historic state originating in Brandenburg, an area that for centuries had substantial influence on German and European history. The last capital of Prussia was Berlin. Prussia attained its greatest importance in the 18th and 19th centuries. During the 18th century, it became a great European power under the reign of Fredrick II of Prussia (1740-1786). During the 19th century, Prime Minister Otto Von Bismarck pursued a policy of uniting the German principalities into a "Lesser Germany” that would exclude the Austrian Empire. This led to the unification of Germany in 1871, with Prussia forming the core of the German Empire.
In the course of its history, Prussia has had various meanings:
The land of the Baltic Prussians, so-called ‘Old Prussia’ (prior to the 13th century): conquered by the Teutonic Knights and gradually Christianised, Germanized, and Polonized - this region is now situated in parts of southern Lithuania, the Kaliningrad exclave of Russia and north-eastern of Poland.
Royal Prussia (1466 – 1772): territory awarded to Poland after its victory over the Teutonic Order in the Thirteen Years’ War.
The Duchy of Prussia (1525 – 1701): a territory formed by the secularization of the Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights, originally under the sovereignty of Poland, later ruled by the Hohenzollem margraves and electors of Brandenburg.
Brandenburg Prussia (1618 – 1701): a personal union between the Hohenzollern rulers of Ducal Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg.
The Kingdom of Prussia (1701-1918): formed the elevation of Brandenburg-Prussia to a kingdom, this state went on to become the dominant state of the German Empire (1871-1918).
The Province of the Kingdom of Prussia (1829-1878) was created from the merger of the provinces East Prussia and West Prussia.
The Free State of Prussia (1918-1947) was the republic state of Weimer, Germany formed after the dissolution of the Hohenzollern monarchy at the end of World War I. Prussia as a state was abolished de facto by the Nazis in 1934 and de jure by the Allied Control Council in 1947 in the aftermath of World War II.
Since then, the term's relevance has been limited to historical, geographical, or cultural usage for today. Even in modern time a certain kind of ethic is called "Prussian virtues", for instance: perfect organization, sacrifice, rule of law, obedience to authority, and militarism, but also reliability, religious tolerance, sobriety, pragmatism, thriftiness, punctuality, modesty, and diligence. Many Prussians believed that these virtues promoted the rise of their country.
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