Joseph Waggoner
Joseph Waggoner, physician and surgeon, Ravenna, was born near Richmond, Jefferson Co., Ohio, December 30, 1821. His father, William Waggoner, of German-Irish parentage, residing in northeastern Maryland, married Miss Sarah Jackson, of northwestern Delaware, and of Scotch English descent. Loading their household goods into a wagon, they began the tedious journey over the mountains to the wilderness of Ohio, landing in Jeflferson County, in 1805, and locating on a quarter-section near Richmond. Here they built a log-cabin, began their pioneer labor, and spent their useful and honored lives, raising a family of eight boys and four girls. Our subject, the tenth in the family, grew up on the farm, working during the summer and attending the district school in the winter. In his eighteenth year he began teaching during the winters and attending a select school at Richmond during the summers. On attaining his majority he entered the Steubenville Academy, to prepare for entering college, but his health failing, a further classical course was by his friends deemed inadvisable. After resting and recruiting his health for nearly a year he commenced the study of medicine under Drs. Johnson and Henning. of Steubenville, in the spring of 1843, continuing until the fall of 1846. During the winter of 1846-47 he attended medical lectures at the Cleveland Medical College, and subsequently had the degree of Doctor of Medicine conferred on him by that institution. In the spring of 1847 he located at Deerfield, this county, in the practice of his chosen profession, where for sixteen years he was engaged in its duties and responsibilities. In the spring of 1863 he removed to Ravenna, where he at once entered upon an enlarged and constantly increasing practice. During the year 1864 he visited Washington, D. C, tendering his services to the Government, which were accepted. He entered the army as Assistant Surgeon, and was placed on duty at Lincoln Hospital, but his stay there was short. His wife's health became precarious, and he was induced to resign his position and return home. Since that time he has been continually and assiduously engaged in the practice of medicine, his life work, allowing nothing to interfere with its duties. The Doctor is a F. & A. M., a member of the American Medical Association, the Ohio State Medical Society, the Northeastern Ohio Medical Society, and the Portage County Medical Society. His literature consists of society papers and an occasional political article. He is very liberal in his professional views, and willing to fraternize, when humanity calls, with medical gentlemen of the so-called different schools. In theology he is also very tolerant of the views of the different sects, gladly welcoming the day when those differences will disappear. He supports the different churches liberally, believing in the doctrine of Christianity and its ennobling influences on mankind. Politically in early life the Doctor was a Whig, and a great admirer of Henry Clay, for whom he cast his first Presidential vote. When the Republican party was organized, he joined it, and has ever since been battling for its political ascendancy, voting for its nominees, Fremont, Lincoln, Grant, Hayes, Garheld and Blaine. Dr. Waggoner is known as a straightforward, honest man. He is courteous and gentlemanly in manner, genial in disposition, and liberal in spirit and action. He enjoys the esteem of all those with whom he is acquainted professionally or socially. As a general practitioner and family physician, he has few equals, always endeavoring to keep his patients well, as much as to cure them. In June, 1862, our subject married Miss Mary M. Regal, of Deerfield, this county, who by her domestic virtues has proved a life helpmate. Four children were born to them: George Joseph, Arthur Judson, William Wallace, and Mary Josephine, the first and last of whom are living. Arthur and William, two lovely and promising boys, aged eleven and eight, respectively, died of that dread disease, diphtheria, in January, 1880, and were buried on the same day, January 18. This is the one great sorrow of his life, and is the only shadow that hangs over an otherwise happy home.
From History of Portage County, Ohio, Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885