JACOB G. WAGNER, proprietor of the J. G. Wagner Tile Works at Covington, has been identified with the tile and brick industry for many years, having operated the first brick machines ever in use in Miami County. Mr. Wagner was born on a farm in Berks County, Pennsylvania, September 28, 1843, and is a son of George and Elizabeth (Gerhart) Wagner. The parents of Mr. Wagner spent their lives in Berks County. His mother was a member of one of the first families to settle there and both the Gerharts and Wagners were and are still old and honored families there.

Jacob G. Wagner was reared in Berks County and attended the country schools. From that county he entered into military service, being first attached to the quartermaster's department of the regular army, and later serving nine months as a member of the 167th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He has been very active in Grand Army affairs and for a number of years was commander of Langston Post No. 299, of Covington. In 1877 he came to Covington and purchased the old tile factory which was first started in 1863, on the Henry Mohler farm, this being the oldest industry of its kind in Miami County. It was operated on the Mohler farm for one year and then was moved to its present location on Piqua Avenue, being situated on the eastern line of the corporation. Mr. Wagner has done a large business, in one year having, manufactured over 3,000,000 brick, and his product has entered into the construction of a number of the substantial buildings of the county, including the Brown Block and the Kyle schoolhouse at Troy. Mr. Wagner owns thirty-one acres of land in Newberry Township, one-third of which lies within the limits of Covington and is very valuable real estate.

Mr. Wagner married Miss Harriet Pearson, who was born and reared on a farm in Newton Township on which her grandfather settled when he came to Ohio from South Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Wagner have two daughters: Sarah, who is the wife of Conrad Drees, and Mary, who is the wife of J. L. Reck and has one son, Lloyd. During his residence of almost forty years at Covington, Mr. Wagner has been indeed an active citizen, for twenty-one years serving as a member of the City Council and performing readily every duty demanded of those who have had the best interests of this section at heart.

Update: Jacob G. Wagner died on 3 March 1920 and is buried in the
Highland Cemetery at Covington Ohio. His wife Harriet died on 31
July 1897 and is buried beside Jacob (jhb).