Peter Waggoner *
Birth: 13 Mar 1787, Jesse's Run, Lewis Co., West Virginia, USA
Death: 26 May 1879, Millstone Run, Lewis Co., West Virginia, USA Source: Vitals: Lewis Co., West Virginia, Deaths
Father: John (Johannes) Waggoner *
Mother: Margaret Bonnett *
- Married (1) Catherine Hardman * on 4 Nov 1814 at Harrison Co., West Virginia, USA
- Child 1: William Waggoner * 11 Mar 1816 - AFT Jun 1900 m. Nancy Ann Ball *
- Child 2: Perry Green Waggoner 15 Jul 1822 - 15 Apr 1861 m. Susannah Cosner
- Child 3: Susan Waggoner <1824> - m. (1) Unknown m. (2) Utter
- Child 4: Catherine Waggoner 28 Jan 1831 -
- Child 5: Andrew Waggoner - m. Cottrill
- Child 6: Samuel Waggoner -
- Married (2) (2) Unknown on ABT 1810
Notes: Next to son William in 1850 Census
BIOGRAPHY: "About the middle of May 1792, a party of savages came upon a branch of Hacker's c reek, and approaching late in the evening a field recently cleared by John Wagggoner, found h im seated on a log, resting himself after the labors of the day. In this company of Indians w as the since justly celebrated General Tecumseh, who leaving his companions to make sure of t hose in the house, placed his gun on the fence and fired deliberately at Waggoner. The leade n messenger of death, failed of its errand, and passing through the sleeve of his shirt, lef t Waggoner uninjured, to try his speed with the Indian. Taking a direction opposite the house , to avoid coming in contact with the savages there, he outstripped his pursuer, and got safe ly off. In the mean time, those who had been left to operate against those of the family wh o were at the house, finding a small boy in the yard, killed and scalped him; and proceedin g on, made prisoners of Mrs. Waggoner and her six children, and departed immediately with the m, lest the escape of her husband, should lead to their instant pursuit. They were disappoint ed in this expectation. A company of men was soon collected, who repaired to the then desolat e mansion, and from thence followed on the trail of the savages. About a mile from the hous e one of the children was found where its brains had been beaten out with a club, and the sca lp torn from its head. A small distance farther, lay Mrs. Waggoner and two others of her chil dren, their lifeless bodies mangled in the most barbarous andshocking manner. Having thus fre ed themselves from the principal impediments to a rapid retreat, the savages hastened on; an d the pursuit was unavailing. They reached their towns with the remaining prisoners - two gir ls and a boy - and avoided chastisement for the outrage. The elder of the two girls did not l ong remain with them; but escaping to the neighborhood of Detroit with another female prisone r, continued there until after the treaty of 1795. Her sister abided with her captors 'til th e close of the war; and the boy until during the war of 1812. He was then seen among some fri endly Indians, and bearing a strong resemblance in features to his father, was recognizes a s Waggoner's captive son. He had married a squaw, by whom he had several children, was attach ed to his manner of life, and for a time resisted every importunity, to withdraw himself fro m among them. When his father visited him, it was with difficulty he was enticed to return t o the haunts of his childhood, and the associates of his younger days, even on a temporary vi sit. When however, he did return to them, the attention and kindly conduct of his friends, pr evailed with him to remain, until he married and took up his permanent abode amid the habitat ions of civilized men. Still with the feelings, natural to a father, his heart yearns toward s his children in the forest; and at times he seems to lament that he ever forsook them. " Bo rder Warfare Chapter 18
Buried Harmony Cem, near Jane Lew, Lewis Co, WVA
Story written by Maude Hersman deGruyter for David Hannaman
Rulina Waggoner Stalnaker, my grandmother (your great-grandmother) was the granddaughter of P eter Waggoner who was taken captive by the Indians. Mr. Alkire told me when I was teaching sc hool on Hackers Creek in Lewis County that Tecumseh led the raid when Peter was captured. Mr . Alkire said that if Tecumseh did lead the raid he was the smartest man ever to be on Hacker s Creek. His tribe lived in Ohio. Tecumseh took a liking to the boy (Peter) and gave him t o an Indian squaw who lost her son. She adopted him and raised him as her own son. Mr. Alki re told me the story in 1922 when he was about 75 years old and he had known my grandfather a nd all his brothers. My grandmother Stalnaker had a brother Peter who was the last grandson t o die. Great-Uncle Peter Waggoner lived on Buckhannon Run in Lewis County in 1908 and his ch ildren went to school to me in 1908 and 1909. [quotes story from West Virginia history by Jos iah Hughes] Peter Waggoner must have lived to be quite old. My father saw him in 1880 or 188 2 when Peter must have been 90 or 92 years old.
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