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William Rodney Daggs

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William Rodney Daggs

Birth
Kanawha County, West Virginia, USA
Death
25 Apr 1886 (aged 73)
Clark County, Missouri, USA
Burial
Clark County, Missouri, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
At the time of his birth, Kanawha County was part of the State of Virgina. It was incorporated into the newly established State of West Virginia by act of secession from Virginia during the Civil War (1863).

While many genealogical treatments cite "Rodney" as William's middle name, primary source documentation for that middle name remains elusive. William's son, Thomas J., in a letter to his (Thomas') nephew, W. R. Daggs (ca.1940), refers to his father William as "Rodney Daggs".

The home William Rodney built was on a hill and above it was a little cemetery where his first child Alice, by Sarah Martin was buried, as well as some slave children. It was enclosed by a little rail fence and an apple tree stood beside it. We played there as children, but when dad sold the farm he forgot to retain this small plot and it was plowed up.
Source: From a letter by Jessie Moseley Walther on May 16, 1973 quoting her mother who's father was William Rodney Daggs.

This show that William Rodney does not have a gravestone.

Below are notes from records of Joseph D. Miller 46481480)
According, to the history of Lewis, Clark, Scotland and Knox Counties, his was the first marriage in the vicinity of the Billips and Troth settlement on the North Wyaconda. That was on April 12, 1838 to Francis Sawyer. He has three sons by this marriage - Harrison (Harry), Jethro and William Frances (Frank).
Frank Daggs was murdered in 1910 by Theodore Rowe, a neighbor in a fight over a fence line. One would move the fence the way he thought it should be and the other would move it back the way he thought it sliould be. This occurred along the old road to Luray. The road is no more. The only witness to his murder disappeared so Rowe never came to trial and finally moved away.

At the time of this marriage William Rodney was the owner of a store in Luray. In 1840 he was elected Justice of the Peace of Washington Township.

William Rodney bought out the rights of his brothers and sisters of his father, Ruel and after Ruel's death and built the home where we were born and where dad was born too, I expect. The little school house where we went to school was bought by another owner and moved on to that farm where we were born. It is down near where the old windmill stood and is used for hay storage. The last time I saw the old home it was just a heap of lumber down by the little branch. The home William Rodney built was on another hill and above it was a little cemetery where his first child Alice, by Sarah Martin was buried, as well as some slave children. It was enclosed by a little rail fence and an apple tree stood beside it. We played there as children, but when dad sold the farm he forgot to retain this small plot and it was plowed up.
In a letter to our grandfather, his Uncle Reuben wrote- "Old Elisha Dodson's wife took a fit and fell into the fire and died in the short space of a few days afterward."

In a letter from Jessie Moseley Walther of May 16, 1973 she said her mother told her that her father (William Rodney) would go for days or even weeks without talking. He didn't want anyone near and no noise. His daughter, Minnie, had spells of despondency when she would withdraw from everyone or refuse to join in family parties, singing etc. She died young. Jessie said our Aunt Ada seemed to be of that nature. Jessie's mother also told her grandfather was rather hard on his children at times, wouldn't allow any noise around the house.

William Daggs was married the second time to Sarah Josephine Martin on July 15, 1849.and they had 10 daughters and two sons. When William R. Daggs and Josephine Martin were married he was 37 years old and she was 19. So, in addition to her 12 children she raised 3 step children.

In 1868, Grandfather paid $.49 for school taxes on 510 acres of land.

Sarah Martin Daggs is buried at Woodville, as is her stepson Frank and his wife, her son John and her daughters Minnie and Mollie. I have snapshots of all the stones.

William Rodney wrote a letter to his brother in Charleston. It reads:
"I can eat as much again here as there and I never felt healthier in my life. I take about as much again provisions here to do people here as it did there. Hiram and Frank do not like it here as there is no whickey handy. Give my compliments to some of the cleverest people. Nothing more at present, but remain your affectionate brother." I notice envelopes were not used in those days but the paper was folded to resemble an envelope and then sealed with wax. I note several letters were sent to Clark County, Eldorado Post Office, Missouri. I do not know what Eldorado was unless it was Luray. Clark County at one time, had three county seats, Waterloo, Alexandria and Kahoka.
I think the weirdest thing was the card sent to Aunt Willie when her father died, Luray, Mo. April 28, 1886:

"Willie---your pa is dead. Died on Sunday, the 25th and we buried him on the 26th by his father and mother. Your ma is pretty well. He died peacefully at 8:40 AM. Respectfully Clark."

It must have been Clark Simpson.
Believe he must have died from a kidney ailment. When I was young they all thought sure I would have TB, but dad said I would never have TB but I might have kidney trouble. Recently, Evelyn Showalter Sherer sent me a letter written by grandmother that bears this out. Evelyn has also sent me obituary notices of grandmother and obituary notices and pictures of all dad's sisters except Aunt Minnie and baby Alice. I also have an obituary notice of Uncle Frank as well as Uncle John.
I was told by Leila that dad used to go out North of Kahoka to visit a colored man. Some years ago when I was in Kahoka I asked to go out and see the colored man who was living there now and learned from , Ira Hall, that his grandmother belonged to the Daggs and when the slaves were free grandmother let her go. Dad played with Ira's father. I was told that dad said his only playmates when he was a child were slave children. Ira Hall is the only life long male resident of Clark County, who is a descendant of the Negro race. He could not go to school in Missouri so was educated in Iowa. His father purchased their farm in 1875 from Lawyer Given with a loan of $15.00 from Charles Hiller. The original home, a county landmark was torn down in 1946 and replaced by Ira's present home. He never married but cared for his aged parents and Aunt Dolly Cole who lived nearby. Her cabin stands today. Ira is a very successful farmer.

The foIlowing, was given me by Evelyn Showlater Sherer. The date of the list was 9/17/1862. The unsigned listings of items stolen from premises. I imagine it was from William.Daggd as Aunt Willie, Jennie Evelyn's grandmother told of people from the "South" invading and stealing, from their home during the civil war and this date on the list seems about that time.

2 horses 1 butcher knife
1 Pair Harness 1 Single barrel shot gun
1 Wagon 3 rolls
7 Blankets 1 Yarn carpet
10 lbs. Tobacco 1 Piece of linen
1 Bucket 2 'gun' coats
15 lbs. honey 1 overcoat
1 comb 2 pair pants
3 Rolls 4 bridles
1 Pr. Saddle pockets 1 girth.
1 sheep skin

It doesn't look as though Grandfather was too hard up does it?
At the time of his birth, Kanawha County was part of the State of Virgina. It was incorporated into the newly established State of West Virginia by act of secession from Virginia during the Civil War (1863).

While many genealogical treatments cite "Rodney" as William's middle name, primary source documentation for that middle name remains elusive. William's son, Thomas J., in a letter to his (Thomas') nephew, W. R. Daggs (ca.1940), refers to his father William as "Rodney Daggs".

The home William Rodney built was on a hill and above it was a little cemetery where his first child Alice, by Sarah Martin was buried, as well as some slave children. It was enclosed by a little rail fence and an apple tree stood beside it. We played there as children, but when dad sold the farm he forgot to retain this small plot and it was plowed up.
Source: From a letter by Jessie Moseley Walther on May 16, 1973 quoting her mother who's father was William Rodney Daggs.

This show that William Rodney does not have a gravestone.

Below are notes from records of Joseph D. Miller 46481480)
According, to the history of Lewis, Clark, Scotland and Knox Counties, his was the first marriage in the vicinity of the Billips and Troth settlement on the North Wyaconda. That was on April 12, 1838 to Francis Sawyer. He has three sons by this marriage - Harrison (Harry), Jethro and William Frances (Frank).
Frank Daggs was murdered in 1910 by Theodore Rowe, a neighbor in a fight over a fence line. One would move the fence the way he thought it should be and the other would move it back the way he thought it sliould be. This occurred along the old road to Luray. The road is no more. The only witness to his murder disappeared so Rowe never came to trial and finally moved away.

At the time of this marriage William Rodney was the owner of a store in Luray. In 1840 he was elected Justice of the Peace of Washington Township.

William Rodney bought out the rights of his brothers and sisters of his father, Ruel and after Ruel's death and built the home where we were born and where dad was born too, I expect. The little school house where we went to school was bought by another owner and moved on to that farm where we were born. It is down near where the old windmill stood and is used for hay storage. The last time I saw the old home it was just a heap of lumber down by the little branch. The home William Rodney built was on another hill and above it was a little cemetery where his first child Alice, by Sarah Martin was buried, as well as some slave children. It was enclosed by a little rail fence and an apple tree stood beside it. We played there as children, but when dad sold the farm he forgot to retain this small plot and it was plowed up.
In a letter to our grandfather, his Uncle Reuben wrote- "Old Elisha Dodson's wife took a fit and fell into the fire and died in the short space of a few days afterward."

In a letter from Jessie Moseley Walther of May 16, 1973 she said her mother told her that her father (William Rodney) would go for days or even weeks without talking. He didn't want anyone near and no noise. His daughter, Minnie, had spells of despondency when she would withdraw from everyone or refuse to join in family parties, singing etc. She died young. Jessie said our Aunt Ada seemed to be of that nature. Jessie's mother also told her grandfather was rather hard on his children at times, wouldn't allow any noise around the house.

William Daggs was married the second time to Sarah Josephine Martin on July 15, 1849.and they had 10 daughters and two sons. When William R. Daggs and Josephine Martin were married he was 37 years old and she was 19. So, in addition to her 12 children she raised 3 step children.

In 1868, Grandfather paid $.49 for school taxes on 510 acres of land.

Sarah Martin Daggs is buried at Woodville, as is her stepson Frank and his wife, her son John and her daughters Minnie and Mollie. I have snapshots of all the stones.

William Rodney wrote a letter to his brother in Charleston. It reads:
"I can eat as much again here as there and I never felt healthier in my life. I take about as much again provisions here to do people here as it did there. Hiram and Frank do not like it here as there is no whickey handy. Give my compliments to some of the cleverest people. Nothing more at present, but remain your affectionate brother." I notice envelopes were not used in those days but the paper was folded to resemble an envelope and then sealed with wax. I note several letters were sent to Clark County, Eldorado Post Office, Missouri. I do not know what Eldorado was unless it was Luray. Clark County at one time, had three county seats, Waterloo, Alexandria and Kahoka.
I think the weirdest thing was the card sent to Aunt Willie when her father died, Luray, Mo. April 28, 1886:

"Willie---your pa is dead. Died on Sunday, the 25th and we buried him on the 26th by his father and mother. Your ma is pretty well. He died peacefully at 8:40 AM. Respectfully Clark."

It must have been Clark Simpson.
Believe he must have died from a kidney ailment. When I was young they all thought sure I would have TB, but dad said I would never have TB but I might have kidney trouble. Recently, Evelyn Showalter Sherer sent me a letter written by grandmother that bears this out. Evelyn has also sent me obituary notices of grandmother and obituary notices and pictures of all dad's sisters except Aunt Minnie and baby Alice. I also have an obituary notice of Uncle Frank as well as Uncle John.
I was told by Leila that dad used to go out North of Kahoka to visit a colored man. Some years ago when I was in Kahoka I asked to go out and see the colored man who was living there now and learned from , Ira Hall, that his grandmother belonged to the Daggs and when the slaves were free grandmother let her go. Dad played with Ira's father. I was told that dad said his only playmates when he was a child were slave children. Ira Hall is the only life long male resident of Clark County, who is a descendant of the Negro race. He could not go to school in Missouri so was educated in Iowa. His father purchased their farm in 1875 from Lawyer Given with a loan of $15.00 from Charles Hiller. The original home, a county landmark was torn down in 1946 and replaced by Ira's present home. He never married but cared for his aged parents and Aunt Dolly Cole who lived nearby. Her cabin stands today. Ira is a very successful farmer.

The foIlowing, was given me by Evelyn Showlater Sherer. The date of the list was 9/17/1862. The unsigned listings of items stolen from premises. I imagine it was from William.Daggd as Aunt Willie, Jennie Evelyn's grandmother told of people from the "South" invading and stealing, from their home during the civil war and this date on the list seems about that time.

2 horses 1 butcher knife
1 Pair Harness 1 Single barrel shot gun
1 Wagon 3 rolls
7 Blankets 1 Yarn carpet
10 lbs. Tobacco 1 Piece of linen
1 Bucket 2 'gun' coats
15 lbs. honey 1 overcoat
1 comb 2 pair pants
3 Rolls 4 bridles
1 Pr. Saddle pockets 1 girth.
1 sheep skin

It doesn't look as though Grandfather was too hard up does it?


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