Waggoner Family History
Our Swiss Immigrant Ancestors

Hans Jacob Waggoner (1732 - 1808)

In the summer of 1740, when he was barely eight years old, Hans’ life changed radically when his family decided to leave their native Switzerland and emigrate to the British colonies of North America, to William Penn’s Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The reason for their leaving is not known but was, as likely as not, of an economic nature.

The Atlantic crossing in the 18th Century, in wooden ships under canvas sail, was always a risky venture, very much at the whim of wind and weather. For the Wagner family, crossing the North Atlantic in the summer of 1740 on board the ship "Friendship", bound for Philadelphia, the voyage turned deadly. A violent storm came upon the ship and when it had passed most of the provisions of food and fresh water were lost. The increasingly unsanitary conditions prevailing for the remainder of the voyage took their toll of the immigrant passengers. By the time the "Friendship" docked at Philadelphia on 23rd September Martin Wagner, his wife Maria, and daughter Marins were all dead from disease. Of the original family group which had left Switzerland, only Hans and his uncle Heini (known as Dumb Uncle Heini) remained. Hans Jacob Wagner had arrived in the New World , an eight-year-old, German-speaking, Swiss orphan. It was not an auspicious beginning.

In a 1963 family history M. Mae Waggoner wrote that Jacob, to pay for his passage, was bound out to a farmer with whom he remained until he was 19 years of age. He was cruelly treated and during the severe winter his feet were badly frozen from the lack of proper shoes. It was said that one could track him to school by the bloodstains in the snow. His feet never fully recovered. He learned the blacksmithing trade, however, and upon reaching his majority moved to Carlisle to establish a new life for himself.
 

Last Updated 14 March, 2004