Benton Co., AR - Biographies - Eugene Wager

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BENTON COUNTY.

Eugene Wager,a miller at Wager, Ark., was born in the French portion of
Switzerland in 1821. He is a son of Joseph and Sophie (Clerc) Wager,
the former being born in Wurtemberg, Germany, and the latter in
Switzerland. There were four sons and three daughters, namely: Joseph
Henry, an architect and painter, died in France; Eugene, the subject of
this sketch; Isidore, a miller and mill-wright, died at Siloam Springs,
Ark., and Gustave, a farmer in Iowa; Josephine (wife of Mr. L.
Eplatenier), is dead, and Eugenia is married to E. Briot, of Chicago,
and Cecile, married to the late Col. Arthur Jacobs, of Chicago. Joseph
Wager having resided alternately in France and Switzerland, a portion
of the children were born in France and others in Switzerland. In 1845
Eugene Wager left France for America, and after his arrival in this
country hunting for a situation in a mill, was persuaded to go to
Canada. Here he obtained employment, but his wish being to go West, he
succeeded in the following spring in reaching Wisconsin, and at
Milwaukee formed a close acquaintance with Mr. Solomon Juneau, the
founder of the city. Through his influence he was enabled to better his
condition considerably, and was employed in mills in East Troy and
Whitewater. Here he was married, March 13, 1848, to Emeline Snider, and
after living at Janesville a short time, at the request of Gov.
Farwell, of Wisconsin, went to Madison to start up and operate his mill
with the water power at that place. He next moved to Depere, where he
resided for twenty-one years, engaged in milling, lumbering and
mercantile business. Serious losses, mainly by fire, compelled him to
retire from active business, and in 1864 he joined a party moving to
Montana Territory, and there remained for nearly four years. On his
return he concluded to make a journey in the South, and make the
selection of a new home, when at last he located at Elm Springs,
Washington Co., Ark. While here he purchased and restored the
Thornberry Mill, and in 1876 he became the purchaser of what was then
called the Valley Mills, but now the Wager Mills, on the Osage Creek,
in Benton County, Ark. He still operates said mill, and resides here,
and has imparted his name both to the post-office at that place and
also the township. Mr. Wager and his wife are the parents of six sons
and two daughters, namely: Francis E., a miner in Arizona; George O., a
farmer and miner; Edwin G., a miner and merchant in Arizona; Orlando
V., a merchant at Neosho, Mo.; Henry V., in Arizona, and William
Wallace, at his father's. The daughters are: Sophie E., wife of Hugh
Ritter, of Elm Springs, and Ida Jane, wife of J. F. Wasson, of
Springtown, Ark.