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Last week we learned about the Wagner House and Sample Room. Let’s dust off an older story of John Wagner with some new tidbits of his life. Born 168 years ago in 1855, Johann “John” Wagner, was the sixth of nine children born to German pioneers Mattias and Anna M. Nett Wagner and surprisingly, one of three named Johann. The first Johann was born the year before John and died the year John was born. The third Johann, born two years after John, was named Johann Joseph, and went by Joseph.
John was born on the farm, which was located on Sunset Road between Meyer Road and Spring Grove Road in an area was called German Prairie. The original home was further north but later more land was purchased to the south where the home still stands today.
At 16, John apprenticed for three years at the grist mill in town when Spring Grove was known as Blivin's Mills. At 19, he moved to Stacyville, Iowa and procured 160 acres of farmland from the government. At age 23, he married Katherine “Kate” Brown, and they had a son, Joseph G. in 1881. (Another surprise - in 1886, John’s brother Joseph married Mary Katherine Brown, who went by Katherine. They also lived in Stacyville but it is unclear if their wives were related.) In 1887, John and Kate moved back Spring Grove and purchased the Wagner homestead from his father.
There was much heartache in the family. Nine children were born to them, but eight died in childhood. Jacob was born and died in 1889. Franz was born in 1894 but lived only two days and Nicholas was born in 1891 and died in 1901. (The other five are unknown.) Then in August 1895, Kate died, leaving John and son Joe alone. They continued to farm until 1901 when the farm was sold, and they moved to town to build the Wagner/Spring Grove House and the Sample Room. In 1905 John married again to Anna Kemmler and had two more sons, Nick and John, Jr. Joe was a village trustee and in 1906 he was elected village president of Spring Grove. In 1909, as we learned before, he sold the hotel to his brother Joseph, who still lived in Stacyville. Joseph is pictured above at his daughter’s Rose’s wedding by the hotel in 1911.
John died in 1929 of cancer after a long illness and is buried in St. Peter Cemetery with his second wife, Anna. It is unknown where his first wife, Katherine is buried and all the children that they lost, expect for Nicholas, who is also in St. Peter Cemetery by his grandfather. John was a pioneer member of St. Peter’s, and it was "largely through his efforts" that the site of the church was chosen. John’s two column obituary stated, “The death of John Wagner leaves a pall over this community, where his quiet, earnest manner and good wholesome guidance was universally sought and accepted, have made him a friend to all.” He led "an exemplary life of true worth and achievement. Through troubles and turmoil over which he had no control, he ever remained calm and strong, ever looking on the bright side... "
Story by Laura Frumet
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