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BIRT ARTHUR WAGNER
Vol. 5, p. 1854-1855

During the past fifteen years Mr. Wagner has played an important
part in the public affairs of Woodward and Ellis counties. He is now
filling the office of court clerk of Ellis County and has his home at
Arnett. Mr. Wagner is one of the genial and popular citizens of Ellis
County, a man of undoubted integrity, and exercises both competence
and honesty in all his public and private dealings.

He was born Jan. 8, 1877, on a farm in Nemaha County, Kansas, a son
of Arthur H. and Cynthia (PEAVER) Wagner. The Wagners came originally
from Germany. His paternal grandfather was George Wagner, a native of
Germany. Arthur H. Wagner was born March 12, 1853, in Putnam County,
Ohio, and has spent all his active career as a farmer and merchant.
In 1874 he moved out to Kansas and became an early settler on a farm
in Nemaha County, close to the northern line of the state. He lived
there and cultivated the soil until 1892, and then went to Kansas
City, Kansas, where he engaged in business eight years. In 1900 he
came to Oklahoma and set up business at Woodward, in 1901 moved to
Shattuck, where he was likewise one of the first merchants. In 1902
he was appointed postmaster of Shattuck and held that position seven
years. Arthur H. Wagner was married in Union County, Ohio, October 8,
1874, to Miss Cynthia PEAVER. Her father was, John Peaver, who
married a Miss POLING, and both were born in Virginia. Mrs. Wagner
was born May 14, 1864, in Union County, Ohio, and she died at Kansas
City, Kansas, October 21, 1915. She was a very active member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church and was devoted to church and home and
children. She was the mother of seven, five sons and two daughters,
namely: Harry, born August 27, 1875; Birt A.; John Peaver, born
September 17, 1878; Elsie, born July 9, 1879; Grace, born August 25,
1881; George, born August 12, 1883; Roy Foster, born August 12, 18885.

The early training Birt A. Wagner was acquired in the public schools
of his native county and in Kansas City, Kansas. After leaving school
he served an apprenticeship at the baker's trade, and that was his
regular work for five years. Not long after his father came to
Oklahoma he followed on January 1, 1901, and was soon taking an
active part in local affairs in Woodward County. He served two years
as deputy county clerk of that county. On coming to the state he had
taken up a claim in Woodward County near Shattuck, and he is thus to
be considered among those who have helped to develop the land in this
new state. For a few years he also was assistant postmaster under his
father at Shattuck and for one year carried mail on a rural route. On
the organization of Ellis County he was soon active in its affairs,
and served as deputy clerk in 1910-11-12. During 1914-15 he was clerk
of the Shattuck branch of the Ellis County Court at Shattuck. In
November, 1914, he was elected on the republican ticket court clerk
of Ellis County and is now giving all his time and attention to those
responsibilities. Fraternally Mr. Wagner is a Mason.

On January 18, 1908, at Shattuck, Oklahoma, he married Miss Kathryn
Lee EWING. She was born March 4, 1881, in Buchanan County, Missouri,
a daughter of William J. and Cassie (PATTON) Ewing, the former a
native of Virginia and the latter of Missouri. Mrs. Wagner in
addition to the training of the public schools attended the Synodical
College at Fulton, Missouri, graduating with the class of 1902. She
was an active ember of the Presbyterian Church. Her death occurred
April 6, 1910, at Shattuck. She is survived by one child, Charles
Edward, who was born February 11, 1910.

Transcribed by Earline Sparks Barger, January 28, 2000.

SOURCE: Thoburn, Joseph B., A Standard History of Oklahoma, An
Authentic Narrative of its Development, 5 v. (Chicago, New York: The
American Historical Society, 1916).