Johann Andreas Wagener

Johann Andreas Wagener
43rd Mayor of Charleston
In office 1871–1873
Preceded by	Gilbert Pillsbury
Succeeded by	George I. Cunningham
Personal details
Born	July 21, 1816 Sievern, Kingdom of Hanover
Died	August 27, 1876 (aged 60) Walhalla, South Carolina
Political party	Democrat
Profession	Merchant
Military service
Allegiance	Confederate States of America
Service/branch	Confederate States Army
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	Colonel (CSA) Brigadier General (SC Militia)
Commands	1st South Carolina Artillery (Militia)
Battles/wars	American Civil War Battle of Port Royal

Johann Andreas Wagener was the forty-third mayor of Charleston, South Carolina, serving one term from 1871 to 1873. He also served as an officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

Biography

Wagener was born in the Kingdom of Hanover on July 21, 1816. He immigrated to New York in 1831 and worked as a store clerk. In 1833, he relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, where he began using the first name "John." He founded the first German-language newspaper of the South. Among the many social organization founded by Wagener were the German Jägerkorps (1836); the Deutsche Feuerwehr-Compagnie of Charleston (1838, German Fire Company) whose president he was until 1850; and the Teutonenbund (1843), a literary and musical society from which the Freundschaftsbund emanated (1853). In April 1844 he became the editor of the German-language newspaper Der Teutone.^[1]

Wagener's most lasting work was the founding of the city of Walhalla, South Carolina. In October 1848, the same year in which he was accepted as member of the venerable German Friendly Society, he held the first meeting of the German Colonization Society. In December 1849, 17,859 acres were purchased in the Pickens District, and the town was carefully laid out with a public square.^[1][2]

At the commencement of the Civil War, Col. J.A. Wagener was in charge of the First Artillery regiment which consisted almost entirely of Germans. Ordered to defend Port Royal harbor. They built Fort Walker on Hilton Head island and defended it on November 7, 1861, until their gunpowder ran out. After the war John A. Wagener was commissioned Brigadier-General by Governor James L. Orr and Fort Wagener on Morris Island was named after him.^[1]

In 1871, Wagener was elected mayor of Charleston. He lived at the corner of St. Philip Street and McBride's Lane.

Wagener died in Walhalla, South Carolina on August 27, 1876.^[3]

References

1. "South Carolina German-American of the Month". Clemson University (language department, German section). Retrieved January 19, 2014.
2. "Charleston Men Founded Walhalla". Charleston News & Courier. May 31, 1954. p. 14. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
3. "Gen. John A. Wagener". Charleston News & Courier. August 28, 1876. p. 2. Retrieved January 19, 2014.