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1885 Kansas State Census,
   Atchison County
Shannon Township

WAGNER, John (Johann)
   and Anna Wagner

WAGNER, George
WAGNER, John (Jr.)
WAGNER, Frederick
WAGNER, Sophia E.

Scroll down to view the State Census image.

Source:   1885 Kansas State Census,
microfilm reels K-1 – K-146,
Kansas State Historical Society;
ancestry.com image 54 of 147 (in 2011).

Information was to be given "as of" 1 March.

No street or house address is provided.
Considering this period in American history, it is interesting that the area was integrated, as white and black families were immediate neighbors.  So where in the township were they living?

  • Probably rural, where such a situation was more common because tenant sharecroppers often farmed absentee owners' lands.
    Plus, all the family heads listed on this page were lumped together under the one word "farmer" — highly unlikely in an urban neighborhood.
  • However, the post office address is Atchison itself, so the home MAY have been on the far outskirts of town — and if so, likely in one of the "less advantaged" neighborhoods.  Had they lived well into town, street names would surely have been included.
 Six people were living in the home:

  • John Wagner, age 45 (= born c 1840), born in Russia, came to Kansas from Russia, a farmer.

    NOTE:  The Kansas census asked where people had come from before entering the state, even if it was merely from another state.
    While it may be true that he came directly to Kansas from Russia in 1876 and had son John Jr. in Kansas in 1878, then appeared in the 1880 Census in Kansas,
    it's also true that
        (1) he appeared later in 1880 during the Census for St. Louis, Missouri,
        (2) then had son Frederick in Illinois in 1881, and
        (3) was back in Kansas by the time of daughter Sophia's 1883 birth.

    Why all the moving about?
    Perhaps, as an immigrant with only farming experience and poor English skills, he had difficulty finding a proper employment niche . . .

  • Anna Wagner, age 35, (= born c 1850), born in Russia, came to Kansas from Russia, no occupation listed.

  • George Wagner, age 9 (= born c 1876), born in Russia, came to Kansas from Russia.

  • John Wagner (Jr.), age 7 (= born c 1878), born in Kansas.

  • Frederick Wagner, age 4 (= born c 1881), born in Illinois, came to Kansas from Illinois.

  • Sophia E. Wagner, age 2 (= born c 1883), born in Kansas.