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John is the son of Jacob Dragoo and his wife Isabella Jones of Monongalia County Virginia, and later, of Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan.
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John was born near Barrackville, in Monongalia County Virginia in 1817. This area later became part of Marion County "West" Virginia.
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He first came to Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan with his parents and siblings in 1834 (per: Berrien County Michigan history books).
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Marriage records show that "John F. Dragoo" was married on Sept. 22, 1839 to "Ann Level" (Barbara Ann Tucker Level), in Buchanan Township, Berrien County Michigan, at John Weaver's...
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John is the son of Jacob Dragoo and his wife Isabella Jones of Monongalia County Virginia, and later, of Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan.
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John was born near Barrackville, in Monongalia County Virginia in 1817. This area later became part of Marion County "West" Virginia.
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He first came to Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan with his parents and siblings in 1834 (per: Berrien County Michigan history books).
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Marriage records show that "John F. Dragoo" was married on Sept. 22, 1839 to "Ann Level" (Barbara Ann Tucker Level), in Buchanan Township, Berrien County Michigan, at John Weaver's house, by H. Mitchell, Justice of the Peace. John was age 21, and Barbara Ann was age 16. She was the daughter of Stephen James Level and his wife Barbara Ann unknown (per: "Origional" copy of their Berrien County Michigan marriage record).
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Barbara is listed as "Barbary" (her nickname), on the headstone for their daughters Fanny and Mary Dragoo, and also, as "Barbary Ann", in John's will.
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Note: Another spelling of Barbara Ann's
surname found is "Leavell".
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John's wife Barbara Ann Level was born June 12, 1823 in Mammoth Cave, Edmonson County Kentucky.
She had several known sisters:
Mary Level,
Lucinda (Level) Tomlinson, and
Elizabeth (Level/Leavell) Metzger.
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Note: In the will of John Dragoo Sr.,
John appoints his brother-in-law
John Metzger [Sr.] (the husband of his
wife Barbara's sister Elizabeth),
as the executor of his will.
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Note: His wife Barbara Ann's maiden name
was spelled as "Level" in Barbara Ann's
bible, and spelled as "Level" on Barbara
Ann's sister Lucinda (Level) Tomlinson's
death certificate, and on the two death
certificates for Lucinda's sons,
James Tomlinson, and Benjamin Tomlinson.
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Note: There was a young boy named
John "Leville", of Niles, Michigan,
who drowned above the dam at that
place while swimming on May 10, 1881
(per article in the "Berrien Springs Era"
newspaper, in Berrien Springs, Michigan,
published on May 18, 1881, page 3).
He was "possibly" the son of George
and Sophia "Lavell" of Niles, MI
(per 1880 census).
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The "Niles Daily Mirror" newspaper,
also states on Feb. 14, 1877, page 4:
Patrick, son of Michael Level died
of lung fever, aged 18 years.
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For information on the "Level" family
(and also, for the Metzger family),
see the memorial for John's wife,
Barbara Ann (Level) Dragoo
(click on her name below).
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John F. Dragoo Sr. and his wife Barbara Ann Level had nine children, all born in Buchanan Township, Berrien County Michigan, except for John Fleming Dragoo Jr., who was born in Niles township (just East of Buchanan), Berrien County Michigan (per: Berrien County Michigan vital records, census, and death notices in the old Buchanan newspapers).
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The 1850 census shows that John's
niece Catherine Hines, age 14, was
living with John and his family.
John's sister Christena (Catherine's
mother), was the first person known
to be buried in this cemetery in 1837.
(John's sister Christena died
in 1837, at the age of 26, when
Catherine was almost 1 year old).
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The nine known children of
John Fleming Dragoo Sr. and his wife
Barbara Ann Level/Leavell are:
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1. Fanny Dragoo. b. Aug. 1, 1840. d. Sept. 16, 1840, age 1 month and 27 days. Buried in this cemetery.
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2. Lorinda/Lurinda ("Rindy") M. Dragoo. b. Dec. 26, 1842, in Buchanan Township, Berrien Co. Michigan. m. # 1. "Lorinda", age 17, was married on Dec. 9, 1860, in Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan, to William "Van" Kirkendall, age 23, the son of Samuel Kirkendall and his wife Mary (Margaret) Swanger, by William S. Merrill, Justice of the Peace. Wittiness were Norris H. Merrill and Andrew C. Merrill. Their children are: Rosworth ("Ross") Fleming "Flemmie" Kirkendall, b. 1864 in Buchanan, MI, died 1949 in Kansas.: Edith Dasie (or "Darie"), b. 1869 in Buchanan, MI. d. Dec. 26, 1873 in Buchanan, MI.: and Anna ("Annie") Bell (Kirkendall) Sparks, b. Oct. 4, 1874 in MI. d. Sept. 29, 1944 in Los Angeles County California. Their daughter Edith Dasie (or "Darie") Kirkendall died in Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan on Dec. 26, 1873, age 4. (Could Edith possibly also, be buried in this cemetery)? Obit and poem for Edith in local newspaper. (There was no headstone found for Edith, when this cemetery was recorded in 1980). "Van" Kirkendall served in the Civil War, in the Michigan 12th Infantry, Company C., from Feb. 1865 to Feb. 15, 1866. Van Kirkendall died Nov. 6, 1886, in Cleveland, Ohio. m. # 2. July 11, 1892 age 41, in St. Joseph, Missouri to William A. Ricker (1834-1902). (William A. Ricker is buried in the Pattonsburg Memorial Gardens, in Pattonsburg, Daviess Co. Missouri). d. Lurinda Ricker died as a widow, on Jan. 11, 1914, in Branson, Branson Township, Taney County Missouri, at the age of 71 years, and 15 days (per her death certificate). (The informant was Ross Kirkendall, of Branson, MO). Buried: In Branson, Taney Co. Missouri (on Jan. 13).
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3. Lavina (or Livina) Dragoo. b. about 1843. d. (before 1850 census). (Could she possibly also be buried in this family cemetery)? There was no headstone found for her, when this cemetery was recorded in 1980.
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4. George Dragoo (In Civil War). b. Feb 27, 1844. George enlisted on Feb. 15, 1864, in Company K, 12th MI Infantry, at Buchanan, MI for 3 years, age 18. George died on June 20, 1864, of typhoid fever in Fort Smith Arkansas, four months and 5 days after enlisting.
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5. Mary Dragoo. b. March 25, 1847. d. March 25, 1847. Buried in this cemetery.
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6. Isabel Dragoo. b. Feb. 24, 1848. m. # 1. April 9, 1865 in Buchanan, MI, age 17, to William Harrison Barnhouse, an Officer in the Civil War (who is also buried here, near his parents and two of his children). m. # 2. Feb. 28, 1878, age 30, in Buchanan, MI. to Melvin L. Knight (later divorced). Isabel then moved [1884-1885] to Fairfield, Nebraska with her widowed mother and some of her siblings. d. April 12, 1888 in Fairfield, Clay County Nebraska, age 40 years, 1 month, and 17 days. Buried: Fairfield Cemetery, in Fairfield, Clay County Nebraska, as "Isabell Barnhouse" (spelled with two L's), near her mother Barbara Ann Dragoo, and her brother John Fleming Dragoo Jr.
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7. Barbara Ann ("Barbary") Dragoo. b. June 21, 1850. m. "Barbara Ann Rindy Dragoo", was married on Jan. 16, 1867, age 16, in Buchanan Township, to William W. Kelley, by William S. Merrill, Justice of the Peace. The wittiness were Frank B. Kelley, and Harrison Barnhouse (William Harrison Barnhouse). d. June 25, 1890, age 40, in Fairfield, Clay County Nebraska.
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8. John Fleming Dragoo Jr. b. July 10, 1852. The 1871 Berrien County Directory lists John H. ["F."?] Dragoo as a land owner in Niles township, in S.-W. section six, address: Niles, MI. m. Aug. 24, 1881, age 29, in St. Joseph, Berrien Co. MI to Ellen Rose Kelley (1849-1922). Had son named John Earl Dragoo, who married Adda Mae Ritchie. John and Ellen went to Nebraska about 1883-84. On June 5, 1908 a tornado hit Fairfield, Nebraska and partically wrecked John's home, causing $200.oo damage. d. Nov. 16, 1908, age 56, in Fairfield, Clay County Nebraska. Buried: Fairfield Cemetery, Fairfield, Clay County Nebraska, with wife Ellen (near his mother Barbara Ann Dragoo and sister Isabell (Dragoo) Barnhouse).
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9. Julius Martin Dragoo Sr. b. March 25, 1857 (1860 on headstone). The "Berrien County Directory and History, 1871", lists Julius M. Dragoo, land owner, s.e. Section 15, in Buchanan township. Land records show that Julius purchased land in section 15, in Buchanan township, on Nov. 29, 1881 from his sister Lucinda (Dragoo) Kirkendall, and he also purchased land in Section 23, in Buchanan township, on Dec. 4, 1884, from his sister Isabel (Dragoo) Barnhouse. m. March 21, 1897, age 39, in Bentonville, Benton County Arkansas, to Louisa V. Willenbarger. (Louisa was born in 1879, and she died Aug. 9, 1965). d. Nov. 2, 1936, age 79, in Boulder, Colorado. Buried: Green Mountain Cemetery, in Boulder, Boulder County Colorado. (Their daughter Gertrude shares their headstone). Their children are: Gertrude Ann, Fleming Mathew (both buried in Green Mountain Cemetery), Julius Clarence Jr., Paul, and James R. Dragoo. See his memorial, on this web site.
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John Fleming Dragoo Sr. was a "Justice of the Peace" in Buchanan township in 1842 (age 25), and 1849 (age 32). (per: Berrien County Michigan history books and directories).
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John purchased two of the Islands in the St. Joseph River, on the North side of Buchanan, Michigan, in Section 23, from the U.S. Government: Island # 3 (2 and 1/2 acres) on Aug. 1, 1853, age 35 (Document # 25815), and Island # 1 (5 acres) on Oct. 1, 1855, age 38 (Document # 26864), (per: Berrien Co. MI deed records).
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Note: Deed records for Buchanan Township, Berrien County Michigan (Deed Book # 4, 1859-1865), show that John F. Dragoo [Sr.] and his wife Barbara Ann Dragoo sold these two Islands in the St. Joseph River (in Section 23), to D. [David] Gazley on Oct. 9, 1861, (one month before John's death).
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A death notice found in "The Mishawaka Enterprise" newspaper, in Mishawaka, Indiana, published on Nov. 16, 1861, page 3, column 2, states:
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"DIED At his residence in Buchanan Township, Berrien County Michigan, on Saturday Nov. 9th, Mr. John F. Dragoo in the 45th year of his age".
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John died at the age of 44 years,
and [5 or 8] days.
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John wrote his will on Oct. 8, 1861.
The wittiness' are listed as:
William Merrill (born about 1817
in New York), and Sylvester Stevens,
both of Buchanan, Michigan.
(Sylvester Stevens and his wife
Elizabeth Graves had a daughter
Thankful Jane Stevens (1838-1901),
who married James Alexander Tomlinson,
the son of Albert Tomlinson and his
wife Lucinda Level).
John appointed his brother-in-law
John Metzger of Niles township,
Berrien County Michigan, as the
executor of his last will and testament.
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John's probate record states that he died
in Buchanan, MI in November of 1861.
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John's broken headstone reads:
[JOHN F.] DRAGOO
DIED
NOV. 9, 1861
AGED 44
YRS & 5
DAYS
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Note: The "top" portion of the
headstone for John F. Dragoo [Sr.] was
found here about 1996, by Nancy Heib,
almost entirely covered by sod.
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Note: Headstone photos
(taken in 2012), courtesy of
Robert D. Brown, President,
and newsletter editor, of
"Friends of Oak Ridge Cemetery",
and courtesy of "Friends"
member Spencer Miller.
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John's will is on file in Berrien County Michigan, in Probate file # 479. In his will, John left "the West-half of the South-West quarter of Section fifteen, in Township Seven, South of Range Eighteen West", to his niece Lodema Dragoo, the only natural born child of his deceased brother Peter Dragoo. (Probably some of the land that John F. Dragoo Sr. purchased, with a verbal agreement that it was to be owned by John and Peter together). (Per: Copy of John's will, photo-copied at records office, in Berrien County Michigan).
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Note: There is a record of a lawsuit that went to the Michigan Supreme Court, listed as: "Dragoo v. Dragoo [50 Mich. 573]". It was filed by Peter Dragoo's daughter Lodema Dragoo, against John F. Dragoo Sr.'s widow Barbara A. Dragoo. It was reguarding three parsels of land, about 140 acres, that was purchased in 1847, and was put in John F. Dragoo Sr.'s name, with a verbal agreement that it was to be owned equally by John F. Dragoo Sr. and his brother Peter Dragoo. (Peter Dragoo then died in 1848). (After Peter's daughter Lodema Dragoo was grown, could she have wanted a larger share, or did she feel that she did not get all of the land that was due her?)
Lodema Dragoo lost the lawsuit.
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The judge's verdict was that:
"Latches cannot be imputed to
infants, during their minority".
Dragoo v. Dragoo, 50 Mich. 573.
[15 N W 910 (1883), page 40].
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Google:
"Michigan Reports Advance Sheets",
Vol. 50, page 571
(by the Michigan Supreme Court).
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In 1884 (after the lawsuit was settled),
Lodema Dragoo was married
to Theodore Gilbert Beaver, an
attorney, and the Mayor of Niles, MI.
(Could he have been her attorney for
the lawsuit?)
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"About" 1884-1885 ("after" the lawsuit
was settled), John's widow Barbara
and several of their adult children
(Isabel, Barbara, and John F. Jr.),
left Buchanan, Michigan, and
moved to Fairfield, Clay County
Nebraska, where Barbara later died
in June of 1898, at the age of 75.
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Note: This left only Ewell "Uel" Dragoo,
and two of his sons, Liberty U. Dragoo,
and Emery J. Dragoo, living in
Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan.
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About 1893, Peter Dragoo's daughter,
Lodema (Dragoo) Beaver,
joined a religious sect called the
"New and Later House of Israel"
(also known as "The Flying Rollers"),
headquartered in Detroit, Michigan,
and she was working as a missionary,
and a street preacher
(without her husband Theodore Beaver).
Google:
"New and Later House of Israel, Detroit, MI".
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Note: See the memorial for John's brother
Peter Dragoo, of Berrien County Michigan.
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In 1867, Barbara Ann Dragoo, was appointed as the legal guardian for her children, John F. Dragoo [Jr.], and Julius M. Dragoo. (Guardianship papers located at the Berrien County Historical Association).
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Two of John and Barbara's infant children Fanny and Mary, are also buried in this cemetery. Note: Could their daughter Lavina (or "Livina") also be buried here? (There was no headstone found for her, when this cemetery was later recorded).
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Barbara is buried in the Fairfield Cemetery, in Fairfield, Clay County Nebraska, near her daughter Isabell (Dragoo) Barnhouse, and her son John Fleming Dragoo Jr. and his wife Ellen.
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Note: See the memorials for his parents and his three siblings, who are also buried in this cemetery, on this web site:
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Father, Jacob Dragoo.
Mother, Isabella (Jones) Dragoo.
Sister, Christena (Dragoo) Hines.
Brother, Peter Dragoo.
Brother, Ewell Dragoo
(ALL of Buchanan, Michigan).
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For information on this Dragoo "family"
cemetery, click on the name of the
cemetery below.
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Photos of John F. Dragoo Sr. and his wife Barbara Ann (Level) Dragoo, are courtesy of Dan Nelson.
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Photos of John and his wife Barbara, are from a bible and scrapbook, now owned by a descendant of William H. and Isabel (Dragoo) Barnhouse, and "personally" photocopied at their home in Florida, by Dan Nelson, and sent by him to Nancy Heib.
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