JOHN NELSON WADDELL, Company "D"

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COMPLETE SERVICE RECORD

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DIARY OF JOHN NELSON WADDELL

Elizabeth Skinner Reuss, great-granddaughter of John Nelson Waddell, (John Nelson Waddell-> Genevieve Waddell Wilson-> Mary Wilson Skinner-> Elizabeth Skinner Reuss), owns an archive of items that belonged to this soldier. She has generously shared his diary, which describes the first 25 years of his life.

John Nelson Waddell, the son of James Waddell (1799-1882) and Jane McDonald (1805-1889), was born in Ohio County, (West) Virginia on 4 April 1841. He states "Ohio County" in his marriage record, but some family genealogies give his place of birth as Short Creek, Brooke County, West Virginia.

1850 Federal Census, Ohio County, (W) Virginia
Dwelling #3055, Family #3139
James Waddle, 46m, Farmer, $6000 Real Estate, b Va.
Elizabeth Waddle, 76f, b Pa.
Elizabeth Waddle, 24f, b Va.
William Waddle, 22m, Farmer, b Va.
Archabald Waddle, 20m, Farmer, b Va.
Margrt Waddle, 18f, b Va.
Isabella Waddle, 16f, b Va.
Joseph Waddle, 14m, b Va.
James Waddle, 12m, b Va.
John Waddle, 9m, b Va.
Benjamin Waddle, 6m, b Va.
Thomas J. Waddle, 3m, b Va.

1860 Federal Census, Ohio County, (W) Virginia
Dwelling #294, Family #302
James Waddle, 61m, Farmer, $7500 Real Estate, $600 personal, b Va.
Jane Waddle, 54f, b Pa.
Elizabeth Waddle, 30f, b Va.
Isabell Waddle, 23f, b Va.
Joseph Waddle, 21m, b Va.
James Waddle, 19m, b Va.
John Waddle, 17m, b Va.
Benjamin Waddle, 15m, b Va.
Thomas J. Waddle, 13m, b Va.
Abijah Conner, 28m, Minister United Pres. Church, b Pa.
Margaret Conner, 25f, b Va.

James Vance Waddell, a brother of John, enlisted in Company "H" 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry 23 Nov 1862. Sergeant Waddell was killed in battle at White Sulphur Springs, (W) Virginia on 26 Aug 1863. He is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery, Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois. [Source: Records of Headstones of Deceased Union Veterans, 1879-1903]

John N. Waddle (as spelled on the marriage record) married Adessa Wilson 18 Jan 1867 in Ohio County, West Virginia.

1870 Federal Census, Christian County, Illinois
Family #11 is Benjamin Waddle, brother. He had a daughter, Julia, age 1. Enumerator may have made an error in the name of John and Dessie's daughter in #12.

Dwelling #12, Family #12
John Waddle, 30m, b Va.
Dessie Waddle, 25f, b Va.
Julia Waddle, 1f, b Illinois (Probably Mildred/Permelia "Millie")
Lyman Bridges, 19m, Works on farm, b Illinois
John Pollick, 19m, Works on farm, b Illinois
John McClusky, 30m, Works on farm, b Ohio

1880 Federal Census, Christian County, Illinois
Dwelling #31, Family #31
John N. Waddle, 39m, Farmer, b W.Va. (parents b W.Va.
Adessa Waddle, 36f, Wife, b Ohio, (father b Ohio, mother b Pa.)
Millie A. Waddle, 12f, Daughter, At school, b Illinois
Anna M. Waddle, 9f, Daughter, b Illinois
James C. Waddle, 5 mos (b Dec), Son, b Illinois
Filmore S. Wilson, 28-m, Boarder, Farmer, b Pa.
Alice C. Fulton, 27-f, Housekeeper, b Ohio

1900 Federal Census, Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois
Dwelling #626, Family #637
John N Waddell, 59m, Head, b Apr 1841, m 33 yrs, b W.Va. (parents b W.Va.
Adessa Waddell, 55f, Wife, b Sep 1844, 4 children/3 living, b Ohio (father b Ohio, mother b Pa.)
Anna M Waddell, 28f, Daughter, b Nov 1871, Single, b Illinois
James C Waddell, 20m, Son, b Dec 1879, Single, b Illinois
Genevieve Waddell, 18f, Daughter, b Dec 1881, Single, b Illinois
Edith Hunter, 6f, Boarder, d Feb 1894, Single, b Illinois

1910 Federal Census, Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois
Dwelling #214, Family #218
John N Waddell, 69m, Head, m 43 yrs, Own income, b W.Va. (parents b W.Va.
Adessa W. Waddell, 66f, Wife, 4 children/3 living, b Ohio (father b Ohio, mother b Pa.)
Jennie N. Waddell, 27f, Daughter, Single, b Illinois
Edith E. Hunter, 16f, Granddaughter, Single, b Illinois

1920 Federal Census, San Bernardino, California
Dwelling #33, Family #33
John N Waddell, 78m, Head, Retired Farmer, b W.Va. (parents b W.Va.
Adessa Waddell, 75f, Wife, (father b Ohio, mother b Pa.)
Family of daughter Genevieve and husband, Fred A. Wilson, lived at #31.

The children of John and Adessa: Permelia/Mildred "Millie" Agnes Waddell married Charles Franklin Hunter in 1888 and she died in 1896. Anna M. Waddell, born 1867/1869, married George Brua. She died in 1947. James Clark Waddell, born in 1879, died in 1952. Genevieve "Jennie" Waddell was born in 1881/1883 and married Fred A. Wilson, a lawyer. She died in 1961 after living for 50 years in San Bernardino, California.

Adessa Wilson Waddell died on 20 June 1923 in California at the age of 79. John died 29 July (30 per pension index card), 1926, in San Bernardino, California. John and Adessa are buried at Mountain View Cemetery, San Bernardino.

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