The Wagener Family

The Wagener family were considered Owyhee pioneers. John Wagener was listed as a mine owner in the 1900 Census. John was from Germany and married Chistine Johnson from Sweden in Owyhee County on November 13, 1884. John was 19 years her senior. The couple had one daughter, Alice, who tragically died at age 13 on December 8, 1898.

Her obituary says that “death robbed the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Wagener of their only child, Alice, and in her loss their home has not only been visited by the deepest sorrow, but the entire circle of friends and acquaintances touched with sadness. She was a child known to nearly everyone in the community and for whom all had the kindliest feelings of good will. Just reaching the limit of years in childhood, her life was full of all its joys. Alice was an unusually intelligent child, far in advance of her years, always studious, a great reader, and a lover of good books, and had the fair promise of a broad and liberal womanhood. 

During the past two years of her health, at intervals, had not been good, though it was not thought that her sickness was of so a serious nature, until the very eve of death, when the final culmination – heart trouble – led her spirit onward to that unknown and silent shore. 

Just three years later, Christine Wagener, a long and highly esteemed resident of this city, died in Chicago, IL on May 8, 1901. The remains, accompanied by Mr. Wagner, were transported back to Silver. 

Mr. and Mrs. Wagener left in February for Chicago to visit friends and relatives and also to consult physicians regarding Mrs. Wagener’s health. The doctors advised an operation and on May 1 the operation began but had not proceeded far when the surgeon discovered the condition was such as to be past human aid – cancer of the larger intestines, of about three years standing and incurable. She rallied nicely from the shock and doctors thought she might live another year. On May 7th she felt so strong she insisted Mr. Wagener leave the hospital to get some rest at the home of his niece, but he was summoned the following morning and she expired just before he reached her bedside. 

Mrs. Wegener was born in Sweden and was 47 years of age at the time of her death. She came to America in 1881 and in 1884 was joined in wedlock to Mr. John Wegener, one of this city’s prosperous mining men. During her long residence here, she made many warm friends. She was a devoted wife and mother. She leaves a mother, brother and sister in Sweden, and a sister in Iowa. She is buried by the side of her daughter who departed just three years before her. She leaves a husband to mourn her, left so entirely alone in his declining years. 

John Wagener passed away just six years later at age 74 and is buried at the Wilson Cemetery in this county.