General Notes

Joseph Harvey Waggoner 1820-1889

Though a man with little formal education, J. H. Waggoner was a giant in literary accomplishments, a master of Greek and Hebrew, a knowledgeable theologian, an accomplished editor, a pioneer in health reform and religious liberty, and a tower of strength as a pioneer in the closing message of truth.

When Waggoner first learned of the Adventist message in December, 1851, he was editor and publisher of a political newspaper. Evidently Waggoner doubted that he could be saved because he had not been in 'the 1844 movement'. Ellen White encouraged him to hope in God and to give his heart fully to Jesus, which he did then early in 1852. He threw his tobacco wad into the stove on the day he accepted the Sabbath, and he stood with Joseph Bates as a strong advocate of temperate living.

By 1853, Waggoner had unreservedly dedicated his life to the propagation of the message. Having learned the publishing trade as a youth in Pennsylvania and Illinois, Waggoner's talents were employed many times in editorial capacities. He followed James White as editor of the western Signs of the Times, and he was the first editor of both the Pacific Health Journal and the American Sentinel (a Religious Liberty journal).

(Vol. 4, No. 4 of "Lest We Forget" features J. H. Waggoner.)

— from: http://www.aplib.org/Gallery.htm

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Joseph Harvey Waggoner (1820 –1889)

Evangelist, editor, author. He attended school for only six months, but was indefatigable in private study. In 1851, when he first heard what became the Seventh-day Adventist teaching, he was joint editor and publisher of a political paper in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Formerly a Baptist, he became an Adventist in 1852 after a period of independent study. Immediately he began propagating his new faith through evangelism and through writing for the church paper.

He wrote several doctrinal books: The Law of God: Testimony of Both Testaments (1854), The Nature and Tendency of Modern Spiritualism (1857), and The Kingdom of God: A Refutation of the Age-to-Come (1859), all dealing with prominent problems of the day. After his ordination he traveled extensively throughout the United States. In evangelistic work in Iowa in 1858 and again in 1866, he strengthened the churches after the Marion Party crisis.

In 1881 Waggoner succeeded James White in the editorship of the Signs of the Times and contributed much to the growth and influence of that weekly. Church-state relations being a prominent issue at this time, Waggoner was asked to edit a paper to be called the American Sentinel. The first issue, prepared in 1885, was largely from his pen.

Waggoner had been keenly interested in health questions, since on the day he became an Adventist he had thrown his plug of tobacco into the stove. In 1885, mainly through his own efforts, he brought out the Pacific Health Journal, of which he was the editor.

He was a member of the conference called in 1860, amid considerable opposition, to consider forming a legal church organization. Waggoner had misgivings, but was finally satisfied that there should be some kind of organization. He was one of a committee of three that recommended the name "Seventh-day Adventist" for the church.

In 1868 Waggoner was one of the speakers at the first Seventh-day Adventist camp meeting, held at Wright, Michigan. In the same year he published in The Atonement his clear convictions on the doctrine of righteousness by faith. Younger men were influenced by his teaching, including his son, E. J. Waggoner, and A. T. Jones, who were prominent in preaching on that subject in 1888.

In 1886 Waggoner was sent to Europe to aid in the establishing of the new work there. He became editor in chief of the German and French semi-monthlies, contributed regularly to other periodicals, and wrote From Eden to Eden, completed just before his death. In 1887 he attended the first Seventh-day Adventist camp meeting in Europe, at Moss, Norway.

Waggoner was an eloquent speaker, a good editor, and a most industrious worker. He wrote with clarity and precision.



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from http://www.imsmedia.org/adventist-pioneers/joseph-h-waggoner

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  Recorded Events in His Life

• He worked as a printer; founding Adventist editor.

• He has conflicting birth information of 29 June 1821 and Pittston, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA. ^{8 10}

• He has conflicting birth information of 29 June 1829 and Pittston, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA.

• He worked as a printer on 22 July 1850 in Adams Village, Sauk County, Wisconsin, USA. ⁸

• He appeared on the 1850 US Federal Census on 22 July 1850 in Adams Village, Sauk County, Wisconsin, USA. ⁸
  

1850 Census — Adams Village, Sauk County, Michigan, USA

Name                Age   Sex   Occupation   Birthplace     Remarks
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph H Waggoner   29     M    Printer      Pennsylvania   Real Estate Value 200
Harriet     "       25     F    --           New York       --
David       "        4     M    --           Wisconsin      --
Christiana  "        1     F    --           Wisconsin      --
Child       "        4m    F    --           Wisconsin      --
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Citation:  Year: 1850; Census Place: Adams, Sauk, Wisconsin;
                  Roll: M432_1006; Page: 18; Image: 34.

• He worked as an Ordained SDA minister in 1852.

• He appeared on the 1860 US Federal Census on 29 August 1860 in Burlington, Calhoun County, Michigan, USA.

• He worked as a printer on 9 August 1870 in Burlington Township, Calhoun County, Michigan, USA. ⁵

• He appeared on the 1870 US Federal Census on 9 August 1870 in Burlington Township, Calhoun County, Michigan, USA. ⁵
  

1870 Census — Burlington Township, Calhoun County, Michigan, USA

Name             Age  Sex  Race  Occupation      Birthplace       Remarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wagner Joseph H   50   M    W    Printer         Pennsylvania     * male US citizen >21 yrs
------ Mary       47   F    W    Keeping house   New York  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Citation:  Year: 1870; Census Place: Burlington, Calhoun, Michigan;
                  Roll: M593_666; Page: 514; Image: 357.

• He appeared on the 1880 US Federal Census on 2 June 1880 in Oakland, Alameda County, California, USA. ¹¹
  
  Wagoner Joseph H   M  W  59   Boarding   Married   Editor Signs Times   Penn   NY   NY

• He appeared on the 1880 US Federal Census on 29 June 1880 in Burlington, Calhoun County, Michigan, USA. ¹⁰
  

1880 Census — Burlington Village, Calhoun County, Michigan, USA

                                              Marital                                    Father's       Mother's
Name               Relation   Race   Gender   Status   Age   Occupation   Birthplace     Birthplace     Birthplace
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wagoner Joseph H   --          W     Male       M       59    --          Pennsylvania   Connecticut    Connecticut 
------- Mariette   Wife        W     Female     M       56    --          New York       Connecticut    New York
------- Ellery C   Son         W     Male       S       21    --          Michigan       Pennsylvania   New York
------- Alta N     Daughter    W     Female     S       17    --          Michigan       Pennsylvania   New York
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Citation:  Year: 1880; Census Place: Burlington, Calhoun, Michigan;
                  Roll: T9_574; Family History Film: 1254574; Page: 150.3000; Enumeration District: 46; Image: 0303.

• He has conflicting death information of 7 May 1889 and Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland.