The premature death of Hester (ELDRIDGE) BROWN, [Eleanor's] mother, during 1850 [at Fletcher, Miami County, Ohio] and the subsequent moves of her husband, Joseph [BROWN, Sr. (04 Jul 1810, OH - 04 Dec 1893, Marion Co. IA)], almost guaranteed that his children and their descendants would not form a compact, cohesive family.

Jessie Frances (BROWN) MILLER, Eleanor's half-sister and my grandmother, was some 35 years younger, for example, and according to the late Verna BROWN, Jessie's niece, saw Eleanor only once, during a two-week visit to Ringgold County that probably occurred prior to the turn of the 20th century (Conversation between Verna BROWN and Frank D. MYERS, 1 July 1972, Riggs Nursing Home, Chariton, Iowa).

Jessie seems to have remained in contact with the family, however, and acquired enough information about the Jaggers to provide a fairly complete accounting of them in her notes concerning the BROWN family.

Eleanor was born 5 February, 1840, according to Jessie's notes. The inscription on Eleanor's tombstone in Oakland Cemetery, Section 23, Poe Township, Ringgold County, Iowa, reads, "Mrs. Ellen JAGGER, died June 16, 1903, aged 63 years, 4 months, 11 days." Calculations based upon that information produce a birth date of 5 February 1840, affirming the accuracy of Jessie's information. Her birth probably occurred in the home that Joseph had constructed on his father's land near Fletcher in Brown Township, Miami County, Ohio, soon after his 1836 marriage to Hester.

Eleanor was the third child and first daughter born to Hester and Joseph and had older brothers, William Wilson and Jonathan Edward BROWN.

The mortality schedule attached to the 1850 federal census of Miami County, Ohio, states that Hester BROWN died during May of 1850 of consumption at the age of 34. Eleanor would have celebrated her 10th birthday just two months earlier.

Following Hester's death, several of the children apparently were sent to live with other families - some of whom may have been relatives - elsewhere in the general neighborhood. Eleanor, whose age was given as 9, was living in the Lost Creek Township home of Solomon and Nancy LITTLETON on 10 August, when the 1850 census-taker called there. The relationship of the LITTLETON/WILLIAMSON family to Eleanor, if any, isn't known. The census entry reads as follows:

  Although Joseph allowed his daughter, Lydia, to be raised by relatives, his intention seems always to have been to keep the remainder of the family as intact as possible. Not long after Hester's death, perhaps during 1853, Joseph and his older children - William Wilson, Jonathan Edward and Eleanor - removed from Ohio and settled on a farm in Franklin Township, Washington County, in east central Iowa.

When the 1856 census of Iowa was taken, the enumerator asked how long each member of each household had lived in Iowa. Household No. 50/52 in Franklin Township included Joseph and six of his children. Joseph, William, Jonathan and Elearnor responded that they had lived in Iowa for three years. Archibald S., Mary E. and Lucinda had lived in Iowa for "O" years, indicating that they probably joined their father and siblings in Iowa during that special census year.

Joseph BROWN'S brother, Archibald S. BROWN Sr., provided a snapshot of the Joseph BROWN family in a letter written in Washington County during March of 1854 to his brother, John M. BROWN, living at the old home in Ohio. Because the letter also discussed family financial transactions, it has survived in the Miami County, Ohio, probate file (No. 4080) of the men's father, William BROWN.

"Josephs are all well," Archibald wrote. "Johnathan is going to school yet. William has been hauling rails for his Father. Eleanor is at work at Mr. Vincents at 75 cts. per weak."

As the reunited BROWN family was getting settled in Iowa, a young man named Silas JAGGER was beginning a new life in Indiana. Vigo County marriage records (Book 1, Page 376) show that he married Mary KIZER there on 3 July 1856.

NOTE: It should be noted here that another source states that the name of Silas's first wife was Mary Lucinda FAIRIER, and that may be accurate, but no source for that information is noted nor is a marriage date provided. I have linked Silas and Mary KIZER only because of circumstance. There was only one Silas JAGGER living in Vigo County, Indiana, during 1850, and this is the only marriage involving a Silas JAGGER found in Vigo County records. Caveat emptor!)

Silas, whose father was Zenas JAGGER, was born 5 October 1832, according to Jessie (BROWN) MILLER'S notes. Census records alternate between Ohio and Indiana as his state of birth. Ohio seems most likely. The inscription on Silas's tombstone in Oakland Cemetery, Ringgold County, reads "Silas JAGGER, died March 2, 1899, aged 66 years, 4 months, 27 days." Calculations based on that information produce a birth date of 6 October 1832, rather than 5 October, but 5 October seems to have been the date acknowledge by his immediate family, from whom Jessie would have acquired her information.

When the 1850 census of Vigo County was taken, Silas was living with his father and four younger siblings in Harrison Township. That census entry reads as follows:

  Silas and Mary apparently moved from Indiana to Washington County not long after their marriage, since census records show that both of their children were born in Iowa. Those children were, according to Grandmother's notes, Zenas Nathaniel, born 29 April 1856, and Mary Ellen, born Nov. 26, 1858. Census and other records suggest that Zenas actually was born during 1857, however.

Mary must have died soon after Mary Ellen's birth, since just a little more than a year later, on 27 December 1859, Silas married Eleanor, who was then just a few months short of her 20th birthday (Washington County Marriage Record E, Page 125). Silas was 27. No doubt there was a practical aspect to this marriage: Silas needed a mother for his small children. Romantics looking back from 150 years later can hope love was involved, too; and the fact the couple went on to have 12 children of their own could be seen as an affirmation.

The newlyweds settled on a farm in Brighton Township, Washington County, where they were living when the 1860 federal census-taker visited on 18 June. The family consisted of Silas and Eleanor, Zenas Nathaniel and Mary Ellen, Silas's brother, Franklin, and Eleanor's little sister, Lucinda.

Joseph BROWN had returned to Ohio for a long visit during 1860, and so it seems likely that Lucinda was a guest in the JAGGER home rather than a permanent member of the family. Lucinda died about 1865, however, and so very little is known about the circumstances of her life.

Franklin seems to have been a permanent family member and later accompanied Silas and Eleanor to their permanent home in Ringgold County.

The 1860 census entry reads as follows:

  Silas and Eleanor apparently moved from Washington County southwest to Ringgold County, located in south central Iowa just north of the Missouri border, soon after their marriage. The obitutary of their granddaughter, Marietta (HEINISCH) WILLIAMS/BROWN, published in the Mount Ayr Record-News on 14 December 2000, states that she was born during 1908 "on the old JAGGER home farm, a few miles south and west of Kellerton, Iowa, in Ringgold County. Her grandfather, Silas JAGGER, had purchased this farm in 1861."

A 1944 history of Kellerton contains an article about the JAGGER family that states that Silas and Eleanor farmed in Washington County "until about the year 1862, when they came to Ringgold county, and located on a farm in Section 25, Poe township, about two miles northwest of Salem church, which was their home the rest of their lives." Although the article is badly flawed and contains much misinformation, there is no particular reason to doubt the accuracy of this statement. (PERKINS, H. E., Early Days of New Chicago and Kellerton, Ringgold County, Iowa, & Family Histories of Many of Their Citizens, Volume 1, Indianola: 1944, typescript, Page 139.)

The JAGGER farm was located in a wooded, hilly area several miles southwest of the town of Kellerton and about the same distance southeast of the county seat, Mount Ayr.

Silas and Eleanor had seven children in quick succession between 1860 and 1870, all except the eldest most likely born in Ringgold County: Silas Manson, born 17 December 1860; Laura Alice, born 14 May 1862; Emma, born 15 September 1863; Keziah, born 4 April 1865; Anna, born 22 September 1866; Etta, born 18 January 1868; and Joseph, born 29 August 1869. All dates of birth here are from Jessie (BROWN) MILLER'S notes.

Silas's son, Zenas Nathaniel, died 17 September 1867, aged 11 years, 4 months and 18 days, and was buried in Oakland Cemetery, Poe Township, sometimes also known as Saltzman Cemetery, which would become the family burying place. Sadly, all but one of the JAGGER sons, as well as a daughter, joined Zenas there during the next few years.

When the 1870 federal census was taken, Silas, Ellen and their children were living in Mount Ayr Township, Ringgold County, and the family was enumerated as follows:

  The baby, Joseph, died two months later, on 5 August 1870, just days short of his first birthday, and was buried in Oakland Cemetery. A year later, on 1 August 1871, Silas and Eleanor became the parents of twin sons, Jonathan A. and John T. Jonathan died three months later, on 11 November 1871; and John T. died the following fall, on 16 September 1872.

Josephine, who would live long and prosper, was born on 22 March 1873, but Nora May, born 13 March 1877, and William, born 11 March 1879, would not survive. Nora died 22 July 1880, age 3; and William, 7 August 1880, age 1.

With William's 1879 birth, the JAGGER family was complete. Of the 12 children, seven reached adulthood: Silas Manson, Laura Alice, Emma, Keziah, Anna, Etta and Josephine. Five died: Joseph, Jonathan A., John T. Nora May and William.

When the 1880 census of Poe Township was taken, the JAGGER household included 12 people: Silas, age 47; Ellen, age 40; Mary E., age 20; Silas, age 18; Laura A., age 17; Emma, age 16; Keziah, age 14; Anna, age 12; Etta J., age 10; Josephine, age 6; Nora M., age 3; and William N., age 2. Silas, who seemed to alternate birth state every census year, said he was born in Ohio this time around.

Nora M. and William N. died not long after the 1880 census was taken. After that, Silas and Eleanor apparently lived out their lives quietly on their farm in Poe Township.

Silas died there on the 2nd of March, 1899, age 66, and was buried near his deceased children in Oakland Cemetery.

Daughter Josephine married Gustav HEINISCH during July of that year, and they moved in with Eleanor. The Poe Township household consisteed of Gustav, Josephine and Eleanor when the 1900 census was taken.

Three years later, on the 16th of June 1903, Eleanor died at age 63. She was buried beside Silas and near her babies in Oakland Cemetery.

Zenas "Nathaniel" JAGGER, b. 11 Aug 1857, Washington Co. IA; d. 17 Sep 1867, Ringgold Co. IA
    interment Oakland (a.k.a. Saltzman) Cemetery
Mary Ellen JAGGER, b. 26 Nov 1858, Washington Co. IA; d. 15 May 1939, Lamoni IA
    interment Oakland (a.k.a. Saltzman) Cemetery

Silas Manson JAGGER, b. 17 Dec 1860, Washington Co. IA
Laura Alice (JAGGER) GOODALL, b. 14 May 1862; d. 14 Oct 1938, Topeka KS
Emma K. (JAGGER) CRACRAFT, b. 15 Sep 1863, Ringgold Co. IA; d. 14 Apr 1935
    married Apr 1897 Benjamin Leonard CRACRAFT (1873-1940); interment Oakland (Saltzman) Cem.
Keziah/Kizziah Delarah (JAGGER) BAYLESS, b. 4 April 1865, Ringgold Co. IA; d. 12 Oct 1938
    interment Maple Row Cemetery, Kellerton IA
Anna/Annie (JAGGER) DAVIS, b. 22 Sep 1866; d. 22 Dec 1951
Etta Jane JAGGER, b. 18 Jan 1868, Ringgold Co. IA; d. 02 Feb 1940
    interment Oakland (a.k.a. Saltzman) Cemetery
Joseph JAGGER, b. 29 Aug 1869, Ringgold Co. IA; d. 05 Aug 1879, Ringgold Co. IA
    interment Oakland (a.k.a. Saltzman) Cemetery
Jonathan A. JAGGER, twin, b. 01 Aug 1871, Ringgold Co. IA; d. 11 Nov 1871, Ringgold Co. IA
    interment Oakland (a.k.a. Saltzman) Cemetery
John T. JAGGER, twin, b. 01 Aug 1871, Ringgold Co. IA; d. 13 Sep 1872, Ringgold Co. IA
    interment Oakland (a.k.a. Saltzman) Cemetery
Nora May JAGGER, b. 13 Mar 1877, Ringgold Co. IA; d. 22 Jul 1880, Ringgold Co. IA
    interment Oakland (a.k.a. Saltzman) Cemetery
William N. JAGGER, b. 11 Mar 1879, Ringgold Co. IA; d. 07 Aug 1880, Ringgold Co. IA
    interment Oakland (a.k.a. Saltzman) Cemetery

Josephine JAGGER HEINISCH died at the age of 89 years on September 1, 1962. Her husband, Gustav Otto HEINISCH was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on June 19, 1869, the son of Gustav A. G. & Margaret (DENZLER) HEINISCH, and died at the age of 61 years on August 7, 1930, Kellerton, Iowa. They were interred at Oakland (a.k.a. Saltzman) Cemetery

Josephine and Gustav's children were:

1. Gustav Otto HEINISCH, b. 21 Sep 1900, Kellerton IA; d. 03 Jul 1969, FL
2. Margaret Ellen HEINISCH, b. 24 Sep 1902, Cimarron KS; d. 1975, Portland OR
3. Francis Cletus "Frank" HEINISCH, b. 14 Feb 1905, Cimarron KS; d. 21 Sep 1964, Omaha NE
4. Kermit Benjamin HEINISCH, b. 28 May 1906, KS; d. 27 Apr 1939, Kellerton IA
    interment Maple Row Cemetery, Kellerton IA
5. Marietta Josephine HEINISCH WILLIAMS BROWN
    b. 11 Jan 1908, Kellerton IA; d. 02 Dec 2000, Kellerton IA
6. Hubert Christian HEINISCH, b. 25 May 1909, Kellerton IA; d. 13 Nov 1914, Kellerton IA
    interment Oakland (a.k.a. Saltzman) Cemetery
7. Howard Leonard HEINISCH, b. 23 Feb 1913, Kellerton IA; d. 23 Aug 1978, Omaha NE

Transcription and notes by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2010