My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE N. WAGER, a merchant of Alpine, Schuyler County, was born in Tompkins County, N. Y., March 14, 1837, and is a son of Benjamin and Melinda (Date) Wager, both of whom are natives of the same county. Andrew Wager, the grandfather of our subject, was the son of another Andrew Wager, who was a pioneer of that county, coming from New Jersey in 1790, and purchasing a large tract of land, on which he lived and died. Benjamin Wager, who was born February 10, 1810, and died February 24, 1867, was quite prominent in the early history of Tompkins County.

The boyhood days of our subject were spent on the home farm, assisting in its cultivation. He received a good common-school education, and at the age of nineteen commenced teaching in his own district, continuing this until 1861. May 9 of that year, at Enfield, N. Y., he was united in marriage with Mary Marsh, a native of Newfield, and daughter of Woodward and Abigail (Chapel) Marsh, the latter a daughter of Joshua and Hannah (Forsythe) Chapel. Mrs. Wager is descended from the Latimers, well known in the history of Connecticut. The Forsythe and Chapel families were identified with the early history of the Colonies.

The year following his marriage our subject bought a farm in Schuyler County, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, and after living there one season moved to the village of Alpine, where he is now engaged in business. After remaining here one year, however, he sold out, and in the fall of 1865 went to Michigan, which was then considered the Far West, but finding nothing satisfactory, he returned and purchased a tannery in Alpine. This he operated a short time, and then sold out, purchased a store, and formed a partnership with William Mallory, under the firm name of Wager & Mallory. This partnership continued two years, when the store and stock were burned, thus dissolving the partnership. In 1868 Mr. Wager built a hotel, which was the first of any importance erected in the village, and this he ran for three years as the Wager House. During this time he also put in a stock of goods and carried on a mercantile business in connection with the hotel.

In 1871 Mr. Wager built his present store building, abandoning the hotel business, and continued merchandising until 1873, when he traded his store for a farm in the town of Montour, near Catharine. In the spring of that year he took up his residence on that farm and engaged in its cultivation for eight years, when he returned to the store, which he was compelled to take back, exchanging his hotel property for a stock of goods. Since that time his residence has been at Alpine, and he has been constantly engaged in business, carrying a complete line of general merchandise and conducting a large and satisfactory trade. He has manifested an active interest in public affairs, and was elected Superintendent of the Poor for Schuyler County in 1866, serving three years. For one term he was also Justice of the Peace, but declined re-election. In 1888 he was elected Supervisor, was re-elected in 1889, and again in 1894, to serve for two years. For ten years he was Postmaster of this place. In politics he has always been a Republican, and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln.

To Mr. and Mrs. Wager four children have been born, two sons and two daughters: Benjamin M., who is located on the old farm; Edith, who still makes her home with her parents; George E., who assists in the store; and Gertrude, at home. Mr. Wager has given his children good educational advantages. The younger daughter is still attending the academy, but both daughters have engaged in teaching, as well as the younger son. Mr. Wager is a brother of Mrs. Mary Fisher, the noted author, who commenced her literary career when a girl of seventeen, and who has since attained a fame throughout the entire country. She met her husband, William R. Fisher, while in Europe. He is a prominent lawyer of Philadelphia, and has a beautiful residence at Bryn Mawr, a suburb of Philadelphia.