WAGNER, JOHN H., who is actively engaged in general farming and raising cattle, is one of the progressive men of Cass County, pleasantly located in township 17, range 11. He was born at Beardstown, Ill., August 15, 1850, a son of George and Mary (Doerr) Wagner, natives of Germany. The grandfather was Theodore Wagner, who settled in New York state at an early date, finally locating at Albany, where he died. In 1840, George Wagner moved to Beardstown, Ill., and clerked for a time, but then bought 120 acres of land for twenty-five cents per acre. At the time of purchase it was in a wild state, but he improved it and added to his holdings until he owned 240 acres at the time of his death which occurred in January, 1897. His wife died many years before, passing away in 1862.

John H. Wagner attended the Monroe district and Bluff Springs schools, and grew up on the farm, remaining with his father until 1873, when he rented a farm at Bluff Springs, his possessions then consisting of a span of mules, harness and a wagon. Until 1895 he continued to rent land, but in that year he came to the farm he now occupies to work it on shares. It consisted of forty acres on which was a log house. Mr. Wagner built new buildings and cleared off some of the timber, and added forty acres more, now cultivating about thirty acres, the remainder being in pasturage and timber. Experiments have demonstrated that general farming and cattle raising are the most profitable to him.

On February 27, 1877, Mr. Wagner married Elizabeth Dietrich, born in Germany, a daughter of George H. and Catherine (Berg) Dietrich. Mr. and Mrs. Wagner became the parents of the following children: Mary, who is Mrs. John Witcher of Alton, Mont.; Amelia, who is Mrs. Harry Daniels of Cass County; Elizabeth, who is Mrs. Dr. M. L. Perrine of Chandlerville, Ill.; Edward W., George H. and John F., who are at home; Elmer; Josephine, who is Mrs. Jerry Lynn of Ashland, Ill.; Lydia, who is Mrs. Jule Darland of Virginia, Ill.; and Rosa and Florence. Mr. Wagner belongs to the Methodist church. he is a Republican and has served as a member of the county central committee of his party since 1906.