Alexander Wagner History
by David Travers---Posted here with his permission---Thank You David
Alexander Wagner (aka Waggoner) was born 6/20/1844. This date was inferred from his death certificate which states he was 37 years, 11 months and 27 days upon his death. He was the illegitimate son of Thomas Collier and an unidentified woman from one of the Wagner lines in Pope County, IL
Alexander’s mother most likely was a sister of William Waggoner (b. 1818) and James Waggoner (b. 1815). Two of William's sons, John H and Calvin, are buried next to Alexander in the Collier Cemetery. And James’ son, John, is buried there too. All these Waggoner’s lie just a few feet away from Thomas Collier himself.
The pension record shows Alexander was a farm laborer, in good health, and couldn’t read or write. All his subsequent documents are marked with his “X.” It’s not clear who Alexander lived with during his childhood but it probably was Thomas as he was not married during this time and the record shows Alexander had much contact with the Vanbibber’s who were neighbors of the Collier's. Alexander most likely wasn’t with William Waggoner as his family was living in Hardin County IL nor James Waggoner who was living in Hamilton County IL.
In 1862 Thomas Collier, Alexander and Absalom Vanbibber enlisted in the 131st IL. Joining them were John, John H and Calvin Waggoner. A few years later another Waggoner cousin, Jacob, joined them. On 8/18/1864, Alexander married Mary Mahala Rains in Pope County while on furlough. This union would have very sad consequences for the future. Mary was previously married to David Cooper who abandoned her when he went off to war. But their marriage was never legal since David was still married to Frances Hogg at the time. It’s not certain how much Alexander knew about all this but one thing is known: he never saw Mary again, abandoning her just as David did.
In December of 1864 Alexander returned to his unit. On 3/29/1865, Alexander was seriously wounded during the battle of Spanish Fort near Mobile AL. He was building breastworks and a large log rolled over his left leg ripping the skin off and exposing his tibia. On this same day his cousin, John H Waggoner, was killed in action.
Alexander traveled with his unit, now the 29th IL, to Hempstead TX. He was placed under the care of a private doctor and was unable to perform his duties because he couldn’t wear his boot. He was left behind when the unit mustered out on 11/6/1865 because he couldn’t travel.
The record for the next few years of his time in TX is sparse. His doctor simply stated Alexander was in a very bad way and that he had no friends. His wound never healed, festering to the point that his doctor insisted upon amputation or else Alexander would die. This was done on 3/6/1868. It’s at this point that Thomas & Margaret Collier re-enter the picture. They maintained written contact with Alexander and provided the money for him to return to Pope County, which he did most likely toward the end of 1868.
Mary must have caught wind of Alexander’s return since she filed for divorce in October of 1868. The sheriff made multiple attempts to serve him over the next couple of years until the case was dropped in March of 1870 because he couldn’t be found. That may have been because the 1870 census shows Alexander living in Diershill KY with Julia Yewell whom he married on 1/30/1870. It’s likely they were living with Alexander’s cousin Jacob Waggoner, son of James, who also served in the 29th IL and was brother to John who is buried next to Alexander. Jacob was married to Julia’s sister, Lucinda Yewell.
Soon thereafter Alexander and Julia returned to Pope County and lived on a farm near the Colliers and Vanbibbers. Alexander remained very sick, suffering from chronic rheumatism and diarrhea and his leg wound prevented him from making a living. They got by mostly on the charity of neighbors, the occasional odd job, public assistance from the county and Alexander’s Invalid Pension obtained in 1869. Thomas Collier was the witness on this document.
Between 1870 and 1880, Alexander and Julia had five children: Mary, Thomas, Susan, William and Henry. Thomas and William both died in early childhood. During this time Alexander became close friends with the young John Green Vanbibber. Their children grew up together and John eventually became father-in-law to Alexander’s son, Henry. On 6/17/1882 Alexander died.
Then began a nearly 30-year battle with the Pension Commission over Alexander’s benefits. This began shortly after Alexander died when Julia lost her life savings, $1,700, due to financial improprieties of the lawyer hired to handle her Widow’s Pension claim. This lawyer was prosecuted by the Civil Service Commission and he was jailed for a short time. Julia considered civil action against him but didn’t pursue it as the cause was considered pointless because the lawyer was insolvent by this time.
Perhaps out of financial desperation Julia married Bob Boulden on 11/20/1884. He was previously married to Julia’s half-sister, Delila Duncan. They moved to Harrisburg IL where Julia died on 7/5/1898. Her daughter, Susan, remained in Harrisburg the rest of her life. Henry, however, immediately left with John Green Vanbibber’s family and moved to Dexter MO where he married Nellie Vanbibber in 1899.
Julia’s Widow’s pension was rejected in 1886 because the Pension Commission didn’t consider Alexander’s cause of death (chronic diarrhea) to be linked to his wartime service. Years later the family was able to obtain medical affidavits from Alexander’s wartime doctors that he did indeed have this condition from the earliest days of his service up to the time of his death. But this was much too late to help the family.
In 1891, the guardian for Susan and Henry Wagner, hired by Julia and Bob Boulden, applied for a Minor Pension and this claim dragged out until 1895 when it too was rejected. At issue was the legitimacy of the Wagner children. The record clearly shows Alexander was still married to Mary Rains when he married Julia Yewell in 1870. As noted, Mary tried repeatedly to divorce Alexander but was unable to find him. Then the record gets interesting. Alexander married Julia a second time in Pope County on 3/6/1875. The Pension Examiner speculated he must have caught wind that Mary Rains was about to marry Dixon Heatchcock in Union County IL and hoped this re-marriage would legitimize his children. But the divorce wasn’t finalized until 3/18/1875 so Alexander ended up re-marrying Julia for a third time on 5/5/1875.
The Minor Pension case was reopened in 1905 by Susan and Henry when these facts were brought to light. But the Pension Commission remained very suspicious over the timeline and sequence of events. The case dragged until 1912 when the record stops. It’s not clear if the Minor Pension was ever favorably resolved for the family.
Final note: Alexander was my 2x great-grandfather. John, John H, Calvin and Jacob Waggoner were my 1st cousins 4x removed. Absalom Vanbibber and John Green Vanbibber were my 3x and 2x great-grandfathers, respectively. And Thomas Collier was my 3x great-grandfather TWO different ways. First, through Alexander. And second, through his (legitimate) daughter Mary Catherine Collier. Mary Catherine married John Green Vanbibber and their daughter, Nellie, married Alexander's son, Henry. Henry and Nellie are my great-grandparents.
This narrative is drawn from Alexander's Civil War Pension Record. 465 pages.
Written by Dave Travers---whose public tree can be found on Ancestry
_________________________________________________________________
Name: WAGGONER, ALEXANDER
Rank: PVT
Company: D
Unit: 131 IL US INF CON
Personal Characteristics
Residence: POPE CO, IL
Age: 18
Height: 5' 3/4
Hair: DARK
Eyes: BLUE
Complexion: LIGHT
Marital Status: SINGLE
Occupation: FARMER
Nativity: POPE CO, IL
Service Record
Joined When: AUG 12, 1862
Joined Where: ELIZABETHTOWN, IL
Joined By Whom: J S HEROD
Period: 3 YRS
Muster In: NOV 13, 1862
Remarks: TRANS TO CO F 29 ILL INF
by David Travers---Posted here with his permission---Thank You David
Alexander Wagner (aka Waggoner) was born 6/20/1844. This date was inferred from his death certificate which states he was 37 years, 11 months and 27 days upon his death. He was the illegitimate son of Thomas Collier and an unidentified woman from one of the Wagner lines in Pope County, IL
Alexander’s mother most likely was a sister of William Waggoner (b. 1818) and James Waggoner (b. 1815). Two of William's sons, John H and Calvin, are buried next to Alexander in the Collier Cemetery. And James’ son, John, is buried there too. All these Waggoner’s lie just a few feet away from Thomas Collier himself.
The pension record shows Alexander was a farm laborer, in good health, and couldn’t read or write. All his subsequent documents are marked with his “X.” It’s not clear who Alexander lived with during his childhood but it probably was Thomas as he was not married during this time and the record shows Alexander had much contact with the Vanbibber’s who were neighbors of the Collier's. Alexander most likely wasn’t with William Waggoner as his family was living in Hardin County IL nor James Waggoner who was living in Hamilton County IL.
In 1862 Thomas Collier, Alexander and Absalom Vanbibber enlisted in the 131st IL. Joining them were John, John H and Calvin Waggoner. A few years later another Waggoner cousin, Jacob, joined them. On 8/18/1864, Alexander married Mary Mahala Rains in Pope County while on furlough. This union would have very sad consequences for the future. Mary was previously married to David Cooper who abandoned her when he went off to war. But their marriage was never legal since David was still married to Frances Hogg at the time. It’s not certain how much Alexander knew about all this but one thing is known: he never saw Mary again, abandoning her just as David did.
In December of 1864 Alexander returned to his unit. On 3/29/1865, Alexander was seriously wounded during the battle of Spanish Fort near Mobile AL. He was building breastworks and a large log rolled over his left leg ripping the skin off and exposing his tibia. On this same day his cousin, John H Waggoner, was killed in action.
Alexander traveled with his unit, now the 29th IL, to Hempstead TX. He was placed under the care of a private doctor and was unable to perform his duties because he couldn’t wear his boot. He was left behind when the unit mustered out on 11/6/1865 because he couldn’t travel.
The record for the next few years of his time in TX is sparse. His doctor simply stated Alexander was in a very bad way and that he had no friends. His wound never healed, festering to the point that his doctor insisted upon amputation or else Alexander would die. This was done on 3/6/1868. It’s at this point that Thomas & Margaret Collier re-enter the picture. They maintained written contact with Alexander and provided the money for him to return to Pope County, which he did most likely toward the end of 1868.
Mary must have caught wind of Alexander’s return since she filed for divorce in October of 1868. The sheriff made multiple attempts to serve him over the next couple of years until the case was dropped in March of 1870 because he couldn’t be found. That may have been because the 1870 census shows Alexander living in Diershill KY with Julia Yewell whom he married on 1/30/1870. It’s likely they were living with Alexander’s cousin Jacob Waggoner, son of James, who also served in the 29th IL and was brother to John who is buried next to Alexander. Jacob was married to Julia’s sister, Lucinda Yewell.
Soon thereafter Alexander and Julia returned to Pope County and lived on a farm near the Colliers and Vanbibbers. Alexander remained very sick, suffering from chronic rheumatism and diarrhea and his leg wound prevented him from making a living. They got by mostly on the charity of neighbors, the occasional odd job, public assistance from the county and Alexander’s Invalid Pension obtained in 1869. Thomas Collier was the witness on this document.
Between 1870 and 1880, Alexander and Julia had five children: Mary, Thomas, Susan, William and Henry. Thomas and William both died in early childhood. During this time Alexander became close friends with the young John Green Vanbibber. Their children grew up together and John eventually became father-in-law to Alexander’s son, Henry. On 6/17/1882 Alexander died.
Then began a nearly 30-year battle with the Pension Commission over Alexander’s benefits. This began shortly after Alexander died when Julia lost her life savings, $1,700, due to financial improprieties of the lawyer hired to handle her Widow’s Pension claim. This lawyer was prosecuted by the Civil Service Commission and he was jailed for a short time. Julia considered civil action against him but didn’t pursue it as the cause was considered pointless because the lawyer was insolvent by this time.
Perhaps out of financial desperation Julia married Bob Boulden on 11/20/1884. He was previously married to Julia’s half-sister, Delila Duncan. They moved to Harrisburg IL where Julia died on 7/5/1898. Her daughter, Susan, remained in Harrisburg the rest of her life. Henry, however, immediately left with John Green Vanbibber’s family and moved to Dexter MO where he married Nellie Vanbibber in 1899.
Julia’s Widow’s pension was rejected in 1886 because the Pension Commission didn’t consider Alexander’s cause of death (chronic diarrhea) to be linked to his wartime service. Years later the family was able to obtain medical affidavits from Alexander’s wartime doctors that he did indeed have this condition from the earliest days of his service up to the time of his death. But this was much too late to help the family.
In 1891, the guardian for Susan and Henry Wagner, hired by Julia and Bob Boulden, applied for a Minor Pension and this claim dragged out until 1895 when it too was rejected. At issue was the legitimacy of the Wagner children. The record clearly shows Alexander was still married to Mary Rains when he married Julia Yewell in 1870. As noted, Mary tried repeatedly to divorce Alexander but was unable to find him. Then the record gets interesting. Alexander married Julia a second time in Pope County on 3/6/1875. The Pension Examiner speculated he must have caught wind that Mary Rains was about to marry Dixon Heatchcock in Union County IL and hoped this re-marriage would legitimize his children. But the divorce wasn’t finalized until 3/18/1875 so Alexander ended up re-marrying Julia for a third time on 5/5/1875.
The Minor Pension case was reopened in 1905 by Susan and Henry when these facts were brought to light. But the Pension Commission remained very suspicious over the timeline and sequence of events. The case dragged until 1912 when the record stops. It’s not clear if the Minor Pension was ever favorably resolved for the family.
Final note: Alexander was my 2x great-grandfather. John, John H, Calvin and Jacob Waggoner were my 1st cousins 4x removed. Absalom Vanbibber and John Green Vanbibber were my 3x and 2x great-grandfathers, respectively. And Thomas Collier was my 3x great-grandfather TWO different ways. First, through Alexander. And second, through his (legitimate) daughter Mary Catherine Collier. Mary Catherine married John Green Vanbibber and their daughter, Nellie, married Alexander's son, Henry. Henry and Nellie are my great-grandparents.
This narrative is drawn from Alexander's Civil War Pension Record. 465 pages.
Written by Dave Travers---whose public tree can be found on Ancestry
_________________________________________________________________
Name: WAGGONER, ALEXANDER
Rank: PVT
Company: D
Unit: 131 IL US INF CON
Personal Characteristics
Residence: POPE CO, IL
Age: 18
Height: 5' 3/4
Hair: DARK
Eyes: BLUE
Complexion: LIGHT
Marital Status: SINGLE
Occupation: FARMER
Nativity: POPE CO, IL
Service Record
Joined When: AUG 12, 1862
Joined Where: ELIZABETHTOWN, IL
Joined By Whom: J S HEROD
Period: 3 YRS
Muster In: NOV 13, 1862
Remarks: TRANS TO CO F 29 ILL INF
Alexander Wagner History
by David Travers---Posted here with his permission---Thank You David
Alexander Wagner (aka Waggoner) was born 6/20/1844. This date was inferred from his death certificate which states he was 37 years, 11 months and 27 days upon his death. He was the illegitimate son of Thomas Collier and an unidentified woman from one of the Wagner lines in Pope County, IL
Alexander’s mother most likely was a sister of William Waggoner (b. 1818) and James Waggoner (b. 1815). Two of William's sons, John H and Calvin, are buried next to Alexander in the Collier Cemetery. And James’ son, John, is buried there too. All these Waggoner’s lie just a few feet away from Thomas Collier himself.
The pension record shows Alexander was a farm laborer, in good health, and couldn’t read or write. All his subsequent documents are marked with his “X.” It’s not clear who Alexander lived with during his childhood but it probably was Thomas as he was not married during this time and the record shows Alexander had much contact with the Vanbibber’s who were neighbors of the Collier's. Alexander most likely wasn’t with William Waggoner as his family was living in Hardin County IL nor James Waggoner who was living in Hamilton County IL.
In 1862 Thomas Collier, Alexander and Absalom Vanbibber enlisted in the 131st IL. Joining them were John, John H and Calvin Waggoner. A few years later another Waggoner cousin, Jacob, joined them. On 8/18/1864, Alexander married Mary Mahala Rains in Pope County while on furlough. This union would have very sad consequences for the future. Mary was previously married to David Cooper who abandoned her when he went off to war. But their marriage was never legal since David was still married to Frances Hogg at the time. It’s not certain how much Alexander knew about all this but one thing is known: he never saw Mary again, abandoning her just as David did.
In December of 1864 Alexander returned to his unit. On 3/29/1865, Alexander was seriously wounded during the battle of Spanish Fort near Mobile AL. He was building breastworks and a large log rolled over his left leg ripping the skin off and exposing his tibia. On this same day his cousin, John H Waggoner, was killed in action.
Alexander traveled with his unit, now the 29th IL, to Hempstead TX. He was placed under the care of a private doctor and was unable to perform his duties because he couldn’t wear his boot. He was left behind when the unit mustered out on 11/6/1865 because he couldn’t travel.
The record for the next few years of his time in TX is sparse. His doctor simply stated Alexander was in a very bad way and that he had no friends. His wound never healed, festering to the point that his doctor insisted upon amputation or else Alexander would die. This was done on 3/6/1868. It’s at this point that Thomas & Margaret Collier re-enter the picture. They maintained written contact with Alexander and provided the money for him to return to Pope County, which he did most likely toward the end of 1868.
Mary must have caught wind of Alexander’s return since she filed for divorce in October of 1868. The sheriff made multiple attempts to serve him over the next couple of years until the case was dropped in March of 1870 because he couldn’t be found. That may have been because the 1870 census shows Alexander living in Diershill KY with Julia Yewell whom he married on 1/30/1870. It’s likely they were living with Alexander’s cousin Jacob Waggoner, son of James, who also served in the 29th IL and was brother to John who is buried next to Alexander. Jacob was married to Julia’s sister, Lucinda Yewell.
Soon thereafter Alexander and Julia returned to Pope County and lived on a farm near the Colliers and Vanbibbers. Alexander remained very sick, suffering from chronic rheumatism and diarrhea and his leg wound prevented him from making a living. They got by mostly on the charity of neighbors, the occasional odd job, public assistance from the county and Alexander’s Invalid Pension obtained in 1869. Thomas Collier was the witness on this document.
Between 1870 and 1880, Alexander and Julia had five children: Mary, Thomas, Susan, William and Henry. Thomas and William both died in early childhood. During this time Alexander became close friends with the young John Green Vanbibber. Their children grew up together and John eventually became father-in-law to Alexander’s son, Henry. On 6/17/1882 Alexander died.
Then began a nearly 30-year battle with the Pension Commission over Alexander’s benefits. This began shortly after Alexander died when Julia lost her life savings, $1,700, due to financial improprieties of the lawyer hired to handle her Widow’s Pension claim. This lawyer was prosecuted by the Civil Service Commission and he was jailed for a short time. Julia considered civil action against him but didn’t pursue it as the cause was considered pointless because the lawyer was insolvent by this time.
Perhaps out of financial desperation Julia married Bob Boulden on 11/20/1884. He was previously married to Julia’s half-sister, Delila Duncan. They moved to Harrisburg IL where Julia died on 7/5/1898. Her daughter, Susan, remained in Harrisburg the rest of her life. Henry, however, immediately left with John Green Vanbibber’s family and moved to Dexter MO where he married Nellie Vanbibber in 1899.
Julia’s Widow’s pension was rejected in 1886 because the Pension Commission didn’t consider Alexander’s cause of death (chronic diarrhea) to be linked to his wartime service. Years later the family was able to obtain medical affidavits from Alexander’s wartime doctors that he did indeed have this condition from the earliest days of his service up to the time of his death. But this was much too late to help the family.
In 1891, the guardian for Susan and Henry Wagner, hired by Julia and Bob Boulden, applied for a Minor Pension and this claim dragged out until 1895 when it too was rejected. At issue was the legitimacy of the Wagner children. The record clearly shows Alexander was still married to Mary Rains when he married Julia Yewell in 1870. As noted, Mary tried repeatedly to divorce Alexander but was unable to find him. Then the record gets interesting. Alexander married Julia a second time in Pope County on 3/6/1875. The Pension Examiner speculated he must have caught wind that Mary Rains was about to marry Dixon Heatchcock in Union County IL and hoped this re-marriage would legitimize his children. But the divorce wasn’t finalized until 3/18/1875 so Alexander ended up re-marrying Julia for a third time on 5/5/1875.
The Minor Pension case was reopened in 1905 by Susan and Henry when these facts were brought to light. But the Pension Commission remained very suspicious over the timeline and sequence of events. The case dragged until 1912 when the record stops. It’s not clear if the Minor Pension was ever favorably resolved for the family.
Final note: Alexander was my 2x great-grandfather. John, John H, Calvin and Jacob Waggoner were my 1st cousins 4x removed. Absalom Vanbibber and John Green Vanbibber were my 3x and 2x great-grandfathers, respectively. And Thomas Collier was my 3x great-grandfather TWO different ways. First, through Alexander. And second, through his (legitimate) daughter Mary Catherine Collier. Mary Catherine married John Green Vanbibber and their daughter, Nellie, married Alexander's son, Henry. Henry and Nellie are my great-grandparents.
This narrative is drawn from Alexander's Civil War Pension Record. 465 pages.
Written by Dave Travers---whose public tree can be found on Ancestry
_________________________________________________________________
Name: WAGGONER, ALEXANDER
Rank: PVT
Company: D
Unit: 131 IL US INF CON
Personal Characteristics
Residence: POPE CO, IL
Age: 18
Height: 5' 3/4
Hair: DARK
Eyes: BLUE
Complexion: LIGHT
Marital Status: SINGLE
Occupation: FARMER
Nativity: POPE CO, IL
Service Record
Joined When: AUG 12, 1862
Joined Where: ELIZABETHTOWN, IL
Joined By Whom: J S HEROD
Period: 3 YRS
Muster In: NOV 13, 1862
Remarks: TRANS TO CO F 29 ILL INF
by David Travers---Posted here with his permission---Thank You David
Alexander Wagner (aka Waggoner) was born 6/20/1844. This date was inferred from his death certificate which states he was 37 years, 11 months and 27 days upon his death. He was the illegitimate son of Thomas Collier and an unidentified woman from one of the Wagner lines in Pope County, IL
Alexander’s mother most likely was a sister of William Waggoner (b. 1818) and James Waggoner (b. 1815). Two of William's sons, John H and Calvin, are buried next to Alexander in the Collier Cemetery. And James’ son, John, is buried there too. All these Waggoner’s lie just a few feet away from Thomas Collier himself.
The pension record shows Alexander was a farm laborer, in good health, and couldn’t read or write. All his subsequent documents are marked with his “X.” It’s not clear who Alexander lived with during his childhood but it probably was Thomas as he was not married during this time and the record shows Alexander had much contact with the Vanbibber’s who were neighbors of the Collier's. Alexander most likely wasn’t with William Waggoner as his family was living in Hardin County IL nor James Waggoner who was living in Hamilton County IL.
In 1862 Thomas Collier, Alexander and Absalom Vanbibber enlisted in the 131st IL. Joining them were John, John H and Calvin Waggoner. A few years later another Waggoner cousin, Jacob, joined them. On 8/18/1864, Alexander married Mary Mahala Rains in Pope County while on furlough. This union would have very sad consequences for the future. Mary was previously married to David Cooper who abandoned her when he went off to war. But their marriage was never legal since David was still married to Frances Hogg at the time. It’s not certain how much Alexander knew about all this but one thing is known: he never saw Mary again, abandoning her just as David did.
In December of 1864 Alexander returned to his unit. On 3/29/1865, Alexander was seriously wounded during the battle of Spanish Fort near Mobile AL. He was building breastworks and a large log rolled over his left leg ripping the skin off and exposing his tibia. On this same day his cousin, John H Waggoner, was killed in action.
Alexander traveled with his unit, now the 29th IL, to Hempstead TX. He was placed under the care of a private doctor and was unable to perform his duties because he couldn’t wear his boot. He was left behind when the unit mustered out on 11/6/1865 because he couldn’t travel.
The record for the next few years of his time in TX is sparse. His doctor simply stated Alexander was in a very bad way and that he had no friends. His wound never healed, festering to the point that his doctor insisted upon amputation or else Alexander would die. This was done on 3/6/1868. It’s at this point that Thomas & Margaret Collier re-enter the picture. They maintained written contact with Alexander and provided the money for him to return to Pope County, which he did most likely toward the end of 1868.
Mary must have caught wind of Alexander’s return since she filed for divorce in October of 1868. The sheriff made multiple attempts to serve him over the next couple of years until the case was dropped in March of 1870 because he couldn’t be found. That may have been because the 1870 census shows Alexander living in Diershill KY with Julia Yewell whom he married on 1/30/1870. It’s likely they were living with Alexander’s cousin Jacob Waggoner, son of James, who also served in the 29th IL and was brother to John who is buried next to Alexander. Jacob was married to Julia’s sister, Lucinda Yewell.
Soon thereafter Alexander and Julia returned to Pope County and lived on a farm near the Colliers and Vanbibbers. Alexander remained very sick, suffering from chronic rheumatism and diarrhea and his leg wound prevented him from making a living. They got by mostly on the charity of neighbors, the occasional odd job, public assistance from the county and Alexander’s Invalid Pension obtained in 1869. Thomas Collier was the witness on this document.
Between 1870 and 1880, Alexander and Julia had five children: Mary, Thomas, Susan, William and Henry. Thomas and William both died in early childhood. During this time Alexander became close friends with the young John Green Vanbibber. Their children grew up together and John eventually became father-in-law to Alexander’s son, Henry. On 6/17/1882 Alexander died.
Then began a nearly 30-year battle with the Pension Commission over Alexander’s benefits. This began shortly after Alexander died when Julia lost her life savings, $1,700, due to financial improprieties of the lawyer hired to handle her Widow’s Pension claim. This lawyer was prosecuted by the Civil Service Commission and he was jailed for a short time. Julia considered civil action against him but didn’t pursue it as the cause was considered pointless because the lawyer was insolvent by this time.
Perhaps out of financial desperation Julia married Bob Boulden on 11/20/1884. He was previously married to Julia’s half-sister, Delila Duncan. They moved to Harrisburg IL where Julia died on 7/5/1898. Her daughter, Susan, remained in Harrisburg the rest of her life. Henry, however, immediately left with John Green Vanbibber’s family and moved to Dexter MO where he married Nellie Vanbibber in 1899.
Julia’s Widow’s pension was rejected in 1886 because the Pension Commission didn’t consider Alexander’s cause of death (chronic diarrhea) to be linked to his wartime service. Years later the family was able to obtain medical affidavits from Alexander’s wartime doctors that he did indeed have this condition from the earliest days of his service up to the time of his death. But this was much too late to help the family.
In 1891, the guardian for Susan and Henry Wagner, hired by Julia and Bob Boulden, applied for a Minor Pension and this claim dragged out until 1895 when it too was rejected. At issue was the legitimacy of the Wagner children. The record clearly shows Alexander was still married to Mary Rains when he married Julia Yewell in 1870. As noted, Mary tried repeatedly to divorce Alexander but was unable to find him. Then the record gets interesting. Alexander married Julia a second time in Pope County on 3/6/1875. The Pension Examiner speculated he must have caught wind that Mary Rains was about to marry Dixon Heatchcock in Union County IL and hoped this re-marriage would legitimize his children. But the divorce wasn’t finalized until 3/18/1875 so Alexander ended up re-marrying Julia for a third time on 5/5/1875.
The Minor Pension case was reopened in 1905 by Susan and Henry when these facts were brought to light. But the Pension Commission remained very suspicious over the timeline and sequence of events. The case dragged until 1912 when the record stops. It’s not clear if the Minor Pension was ever favorably resolved for the family.
Final note: Alexander was my 2x great-grandfather. John, John H, Calvin and Jacob Waggoner were my 1st cousins 4x removed. Absalom Vanbibber and John Green Vanbibber were my 3x and 2x great-grandfathers, respectively. And Thomas Collier was my 3x great-grandfather TWO different ways. First, through Alexander. And second, through his (legitimate) daughter Mary Catherine Collier. Mary Catherine married John Green Vanbibber and their daughter, Nellie, married Alexander's son, Henry. Henry and Nellie are my great-grandparents.
This narrative is drawn from Alexander's Civil War Pension Record. 465 pages.
Written by Dave Travers---whose public tree can be found on Ancestry
_________________________________________________________________
Name: WAGGONER, ALEXANDER
Rank: PVT
Company: D
Unit: 131 IL US INF CON
Personal Characteristics
Residence: POPE CO, IL
Age: 18
Height: 5' 3/4
Hair: DARK
Eyes: BLUE
Complexion: LIGHT
Marital Status: SINGLE
Occupation: FARMER
Nativity: POPE CO, IL
Service Record
Joined When: AUG 12, 1862
Joined Where: ELIZABETHTOWN, IL
Joined By Whom: J S HEROD
Period: 3 YRS
Muster In: NOV 13, 1862
Remarks: TRANS TO CO F 29 ILL INF
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