Anna Augusta Scheef--Tid Bits

1859 Anna was born 24 July 1859 to Gottlob Fredrick Scheef and Barbara Kohn in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  Her father was working as a shoemaker. 

Her father went to war when she was 2 years of age. From April 18, 1861 to July 16, 1864 he was a sergeant of Company C, 16th Regiment Cavalry and was honorably discharged at Chicago, Illinois. She often told of his homecoming and how happy she was because she was too young to remember when he went away.

By 1865 the family has moved to New Ulm, Brown, Minnesota. Where she lived until she married Christian Wagner on 30 May 1878, and moved to South Dakota. She was 18 years old.

1883 her father dies and her 14 year old brother Hugo comes to live with her family in South Dakota. She has a new baby, and her sister-in-law Katherine dies.

1888 she live through one of the worse storm in a century. 12 January 1888- killing her brother Hugo. (From the history of his daughter Rosa, we learn about the great blizzard of 1888. Chris's brother-in-law was living on the farm with the family. Hugo (Anna Augusta Scheef's brother) went out to take the cattle down to the lake for water. The sky was clear with only one small cloud, but within minutes the weather changed, the wind started to blow and the snow started to fall so fast they couldn't see anything. Chris dressed in a fur coat, cap, boots and gloves went out calling and whistling, thinking Hugo could hear him, and he nearly froze. When the storm had finely ended, Hugo was found not very far away frozen to death; along with eight of the cattle frozen standing. They buried Hugo in a snow drift until the ground thawed enough to dig him a grave. The snow was so deep that rabbits ate the tops of the trees. (this was the great blizzard of 1888 killing over 500 people living in the Dakota's, Minnesota, and Nebraska. Most of them were children not able to get home from school. The day started out clear by lunch time it was snowing so hard that you couldn't see a foot in front of you. Some teachers tried to lead the children home and died with the children in the storm).

She has six children and is expecting her seventh when in the Spring the family moves to Cleveland,Tennessee. She gives birth to her daughter,Mamie, in Bradley county Tennessee on March 31,1888. Later they moved on to Sequachee, where Chris got a job at a sawmill. They lived near the Sequachee River for a few years and the whole family became sick with Malaria. Rosa got yellow jaundice and chilled (?) all summer.

By 1891 the family has moved to Marion county where they rented a large farm on top of Cumberland mountain, where eight more children were born. They lived there until they moved to Utah 1904.

She joined the church with her family November 12th 1902.

She was living in Anderson nursing home at 616 South West Temple, Salt Lake City. She slipped on the front porch and broke her left hip on April 28 1949 and died 3 May 1949 . She was 89 years of age.

Newspaper:

Sequatchie Valley News  August 24, 1905

Left for Utah

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Wagner and family left Friday evening on the "Cannonball" for Chattanooga, where they where joined by Edgar L. Pryor and family and left Monday for Salt Lake City, Utah, near where three of their children are already comfortably located. The Wagoners had always been known for industry, and we have not the slightest doubt that they will do well in their new home. We were very sorry to see them leave as they have the sturdy qualities that, if given a chance, comprise the town-builder. "Chris"  will take up his old trade of carpenter, at which he is an A1 workman, and "Edgar" will make patterns,in a foundry. The distance the party will travel is only 2,700 miles, or four days and nights travel, and a single fare costs $50, consequently it will cost in a neighborhood of $400 to get the party to Utah. 

The News will publish in a few weeks a letter from Mr Wagner replying to the many inquires of friends regarding the country, its conditions and resources.

The continued unfavorable seasons, for fruit and vegetables raising in this section is largely responsible for their move. They depended on the production of fruits and vegetables to make a living on their mountain place six miles west of here, but for the past three years the crops have been cut off by frost or drought nearly one-half. This year the majority of the fruit winter-killed, and three successive frosts during the spring finished up the balance, even the wild blackberries which are supposed to be exceptionally hardy, were killed. Hence prospects were very discouraging, and they resolved on a move. We hope they find what they seek in their new location, and will have a full measure of success.

In the party were Mr. and Mrs. Chris Wagner, Miss Edith Wagner, and Rilla, (Marilla) Ruth, Esther, Ed, Ben, George and Maude Wagner, Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Pryor, and children Annie and Ruth.

Census Information:

1860 census she' a child living in Chicago Cook Co. Ill. age 1.

1870 Census she a child living in Ulm, Brown Co. Min. She 11 years old

1875 State Census Ulm, Brown Co., Min. Age 16.

1880 she is a new bride living in South Dakota

1900 she is living in Marion County Tennessee she is 40 years old she was born Jul 1859 been Married 21 years had 13 Children and 12 living

1920 census living in Salt Lake City and is married to Christian, she is age 60 has one son living at home.

1930 Anna was born in Illinois, her parents were born in Germany. They spoke German in their home. Christian is the head of house age 80 and a house carpenter and not employed at this time, lives with wife Anna age 70. He says he immigrated in 1864. Age at marriage he was 29 and she was 19. He was born in Switzerland, his parents were born in France they spoke French before coming to this country They are living at 469 North Main SLC.

1940 Anna is renting her home,at 760 west 7th south. She is a 80 year old widow, living in the same house she lived in since  1935. The highest grade she attained was 5th grade. Her native language was German.