Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Wagner, Nicholas January 24, 1940
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Pat Currigan currigan1932@comcast.net April 17, 2020, 7:55 pm

Ionia Sentinel Standard-Wed. Jan. 24, 1940

DEATH TAKE NICK WAGNER, 100 YEARS OLD
Nicholas Wagner, a resident of Ionia for the past twenty-five years, who celebrated
a century of living August 4, 1939, die at his home, 314 High street, Wednesday
afternoon between the hours of 12 and 1 o'clock. Funeral arrangements have not yet been 
announced.

Mr. Wagner was born in Paris, France, August 7, 1839 and was baptized in the St. 
Magdelene church in  Paris at the age of three years. He lived at home with his
parents until he attained the age of 15 and he at that age came to America with a neighbor
family on the steamer William Penn,, with a gift of $110 in French gold in his pocket from
his father. He started to work in Chicago where he worked at various types of
employment, not being able to find anything steady to ____. After living in Chicago for three years
he moved to Grand Rapids in 1857, where he got his first steady job in a lumber camp as cook.
His wages at that time were only $22 a month. He stayed at the lumber camp for five
years and then moved on to Cincinnati where he lived with an uncle for three years.  While in
Ohio, he received his naturalization papers.

In 1882 he married Miss Veronica Dohn of Grand Rapids and nine children were born to
them during their 17 years they lived in Grand Rapids. In 1899 a fire started in
their home and his wife and infant child, nine days old were burned to death, leaving Mr.
Wagner to both mother and father to the five eldest children were able to take care of
themselves. Mr. Wagner and the three remaining children moved to Ionia where he opened his furniture
store on South Depot street.

In 1914 he married Josephine Schuts also of Grand Rapids and in 1924 she died
following a lingering illness.

Last August Mr. Wagner celebrated his one hundredth birthday and was able at that
time to enjoy his friends and talk with them. He did not stop working at his shop until he
was 93 years old.

Surviving are Mrs. Marguerite Gilbert of Pontiac, Anna Wagner of California, Fred of
Ionia. Leo Wagner,  a son was killed 13 years ago when he fell from a building which he was
painting.

In former years it was a daily custom of Mr. Wagner to walk downtown for household 
supplies and pass a few works words with friends on the streets.

Additional Comments:
Mt. Olivet Cem.-Lot #A-74

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