BIOGRAPHY: Dr. George Washington WAGONER, Cambria County, PA 

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lynne Canterbury and Diann 
Olsen. 

Portions of this book were transcribed by Clark Creery, Martha Humenik, Betty 
Mirovich and Sharon Ringler.

USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives 
remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in 
accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of 
providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by 
anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities 
so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic 
pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including 
copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to 
uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb 
Archives to store the file permanently for free access. 
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ 
____________________________________________________________

From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 244-5
____________________________________________________________


DR. GEORGE WASHINGTON WAGONER, a prominent physician and surgeon, and the 
present mayor of the city of Johnstown, is a son of George and Mary L. (Henrie) 
Wagoner, and was born February 22, 1856, in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
      The paternal great-grandfather of Dr. Wagoner was George Wagoner, formerly 
written Von Wagner, a native of the province of Wurtemburg, Germany. He was a 
man of fine education, and a preacher of independent thought and action. 
Becoming dissatisfied with the dogmas and doctrines of the established church he 
dissented therefrom, and because of his strictures upon the same, was thrown 
into prison, which incarceration resulted in his death.
      His son, George Wagoner, grandfather, desiring to escape the persecutions 
and secure the blessings of the greater religious liberty of the United States, 
secured passage to this country by selling his time to the transportation 
company that conveyed him to these shores. He was placed with a Philadelphia 
Quaker, with whom he remained until his pledged obligations were discharged. 
While in this employ he had good advantages for securing an education, and 
improved his opportunities, so that when he emigrated to the western part of the 
State his mental qualifications were superior to those of most of the young men 
with whom he was thrown in contact. He located in Madison, Westmoreland county, 
where he was soon employed as a teacher during the winter months, and worked at 
the pottery trade when not thus engaged. Having inherited a deep religious zeal, 
he soon began to figure prominently in the religious affairs of the community. 
He was ordained as a minister in the United Brethren church, and for many years 
labored earnestly and zealously for the cause of Christianity. He was a man of 
strong individuality, and possessed considerable literary ability; and as one of 
the pioneer anti slavery men, did much by his eloquence and his trenchant pen to 
mould public opinion on that subject in his community. He was a thinker as well 
as a writer, and as early as 1835 wrote a book entitled "A Plan for Abolishing 
War," which embodies many of the principles and plans suggested by the "Peace 
Commission" in its sessions at Washington, over half a century afterwards. In 
about 1850 he resolved to make the State of Iowa his future home, and died while 
en route to that State.
      Rev. George Wagoner, father of Dr. G. W. Wagoner, was one of the oldest 
and most esteemed citizens of Johnstown. Born in Westmoreland county, 
Pennsylvania, in 1826, he received a country-school education and careful 
instruction from his father. At twenty years of age George was licensed to 
preach in the United Brethren church. He gave the best years of his manhood to 
the church, serving it in every capacity to the close of his life. He was the 
oldest minister in the length of service in the Allegheny conference. In 1850 he 
located at Johnstown; his occupation required frequent movings, but he always 
returned to the home of his choice, living there continuously since 1869. 
Intense application to ministerial work impaired his health, and he was forced 
to desist from preaching in 1860. Studying dentistry, he practiced his 
profession, in addition to performing much clerical work, and looking after a 
mission church in Kernville. Concerning the plan upon which the United Brethren 
Mutual Aid Society, of Pennsylvania, conducts its business of life insurance, he 
established its system and managed its affairs. He held the first policy the 
company issued, and was a director from its organization, in 1869, until his 
death.
      Rev. Wagoner was distinguished for courageous maintenance of the right, 
and his readiness to uphold the weak and deserving. Affectionate, congenial, and 
lovable, his was a model household.
     Dr. Wagoner's preparatory education was obtained in the Public High school, 
of Johnstown. Leaving school he worked at the printer's trade for two years in 
the office of the Johnstown Tribune. At the age of seventeen he published for 
one year (1873) The Literary Herald, an amateur weekly newspaper, thirteen by 
twenty-six inches. In connection with this he did a general job printing 
business. Having decided on a professional career, he, in 1875, began the study 
of medicine in the office of Dr. A. N. Wakefield, of Johnstown. He then entered 
the medical department of the Western Reserve University, of Cleveland, Ohio, 
from which he graduated in the class of 1878, and at once located at Johnstown, 
where he has ever since practiced his profession. He is a member of the Cambria 
County Medical society, of which he was secretary from 1887 to 1889, and 
president from 1890 to 1891 of the Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania 
and the American Medical association. In addition to the above organizations of 
a scientific and fraternal nature, he has been honored with positions of honor 
and trust, an attestation of the high regard in which he is held professionally 
and as a citizen of the city. He was secretary of the United States pension 
examining board from 1884 to 1889; deputy medical inspector for the Pennsylvania 
State Board of Health after the Johnstown flood, having charge of the sanitary 
operations in one section of the flooded district covered with debris, and 
containing about three thousand five hundred people; was hospital director of 
the Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital, of Johnstown, from 1892 to 1896, when, 
having been elected mayor of the city, he resigned, but still retains a 
directorship in the board of management, and from 1889 to the time of his 
resignation was secretary of the board. He is a director in each of the 
following organizations: Cambria Library association, Grandview Cemetery 
association, and the Johnstown Board of Trade. Fraternally, he is a member of 
Cambria Lodge, No. 278, F. and A. M.; Portage Chapter, No. 195, R. A. M.; 
Oriental Commandery, No. 61, K. T.; Syria Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S.; Benevolent 
and Protective Order of Elks, and Knights of Pythias.
      Dr. Wagoner is a democrat, who believes in a Jacksonian enforcement of 
Jeffersonial principles, and has always taken an active part in the councils of 
the party of his choice, frequently representing it in its conventions and other 
bodies of deliberation. He served as ward committee-man a number of years; was 
delegate to the State conventions of 1884 and 1889; member of the State central 
committee; alternate delegate to the National Convention, at Chicago in 1884, 
and in 1896 was elected to the office of mayor of Johnstown. As mayor, his 
administration of municipal affairs has been characterized by a progressive 
spirit that has done much for the material interests of the city, and he has 
shown himself a competent executive officer.