My Genealogy Hound

FREDERICK C. NAWGEL, residing on section 26, township 45, range 28, with post-office at Holden, Johnson County, Mo., was born in Bedford, Pa., April 9, 1827, and is a son of Frederick and Eva (Ott) Nawgel, both of whom were natives of the same county and state. The grandfather of our subject, Antony Nawgel, came to America when a mere boy, in company with his mother, who was a widow, and also with her brother, who was a lawyer, and who owned the Bedford Springs. The father of our subject was a farmer, but lived in town, where he engaged in merchandising and keeping a tavern. He served as Treasurer of the county for many years, and was living in Bedford when Washington was there during the Whiskey Insurrection, though at the time a mere boy. Bedford is the place where the British built a fort, over which was flung the flag presented by Lord Bedford. By some means that flag came into possession of Antony Nawgel, who willed it to the father of our subject, and it is now in the hands of some member of the family.

The father was born January 18, 1791, and his wife May 8, 1795. The former lived to a good old age, dying when eighty-nine. His boyhood days were spent in town, but on the death of his father he removed to the farm, and there reared his family and there died.

Frederick C. Nawgel, whose name heads this review, was fourth in a family of six children, of whom four are still living. He was reared on a farm and received but a limited education. He was taught to read, write and cipher at home. At the age of nineteen he began life for himself and worked on a farm for a time. In 1852 he went to California, in company with a number of others, making the overland journey by team. They were six months on the way. Arriving in California, for a time he engaged in mining, but soon hired to work on a ranch for $100 per month and board. Subsequently he went to Sacramento, where he engaged in the wood business. In 1854 he returned to Pennsylvania, having in his possession $1,600, all that was left of his earnings in that new El Dorado. In 1855 he went to Iowa and bought four hundred and eighty acres of land near Ft. Dodge, where he remained until 1859, and then returned to his Pennsylvania home.

While in Iowa, on the 27th of January, 1859, Mr. Nawgel married Henrietta Candlish, who was born at Kirkcudbright, Scotland, and who came to this country when about fifteen years of age. Nine children have been born to them, of whom two died in infancy. The living are Laura; James, who lives on his father’s land in Iowa; Daniel, living at home; Nellie, who married Robert Musselman, now residing at Holden, Mo.; Rosa; Etta and Harry.

After Mr. Nawgel returned to his home in the Keystone State, he farmed his father’s old place until 1882. The latter dying in 1881, he settled up the estate and then removed to Johnson County, Mo., and bought two hundred and forty acres of land, where he has since made his home. Politically he is a Republican, of which party his father was also a member for many years. His parents were members of the Lutheran Church, but he is a Presbyterian, of which church his wife and children are also members. For a number of years he held membership with the Sons of Temperance, Odd Fellows and Good Templars, but lately has not been connected with any of them. He is a man highly esteemed by all who know him.