William is the son of
Liberty U. Dragoo and his wife
Celestia Ann (Hunniker) Dragoo,
of Buchanan, Michigan.
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Note: PLEASE, do NOT transfer this
memorial to other web sites.
Thanks, Nancy (Letcher) Heib.
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William was married on
Dec. 23, 1896 in Buchanan,
Berrien County Michigan, to
Augusta C. Tietz, the daughter
of William G. Tietz and his wife
Wilhelmina "MINNIE" Hein/Hyen.
[Both of her parents
were born in Germany/Prussa].
Their marriage certificate states
that he was age 30 and that she
was age 25.
It lists William as a farmer.
Both of their residences were
listed as Baroda, Michigan.
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William and Augusta resided in
Buchanan, MI., and then in Mishawaka,
Indiana for the last four years of
his life. (First on West Third St. in
Mishawaka, Indiana, and then at North
Mill Street in Mishawaka, Indiana).
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Note: Augusta was born June 12, 1871
in Baroda, Berrien Co. Michigan, and
she died on March 18, 1906, in
Benton Harbor, Berrien Co. Michigan.
Her death certificate states that she
was buried in the Buchanan cemetery
(Oak Ridge Cemetery in Buchanan, MI).
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Records show that William G. Tietz was
the guardian appointed for William and
Augusta Dragoo's children, Elza and
Ernest Dragoo.
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In 1906, Elza Dragoo was appointed as
the guardian for his brother Ernest
Dragoo. (Guardianship papers located
at the Berrien County Historical Assn.).
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The 1900 census states that William
worked as a "mason tender".
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William was a member of the
"Modern Woodmen of America", of
Mishawaka, Indiana, Camp No. 4788.
(See photo on right, of the
smybol on his headstone).
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William and Augusta had three children:
(two boys and one girl)
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1. Ernest Dragoo.
b. Feb. 1898 in Buchanan, MI.
The 1910 census shows "Earnest"
living with his grandparents
William and Wilhelminia "Minnie" Tietz,
in Lake township, Berrien Co. MI.
The 1920 census shows him
living with his Uncle Frank F. Tietz
in Detroit, Wayne county Michigan.
"Possibly" died on March 12, 1924 (?).
(Veteran, Army Invalid,
mother Augusta Dragoo).
---------------------------------
2. Elza Michael Dragoo.
[Also listed as Elza Mike Dragoo].
b. July 31, 1899 in Mishawaka,
St. Joseph County Indiana.
The 1910 census shows him living
with his grandparents William and
Wilhelmina Teitz, in Lake township,
Berrien County Michigan.
(Elza was living with his Uncle
Clyde Dragoo in one of the census).
m. Ina M. Tomes, on Jan. 2, 1923, in
St. Joseph, Berrien County Michigan.
He was a Private in the
U.S. Marine Corps.
d. Jan 12, 1942 in Minneapolis,
Hennepin Co. Minnesota, at
45 years, 5 months and 11 days.
Buried: Fort Snelling National Cemetery,
in Minneapolis, Hennepin Co. Minnesota,
(Plot A - 7, O, 930).
(Find-a-grave # 598436)
See his memorial on this web site.
-----------------------------------
3. Laverne/LaVern Dragoo.
b. July 1902 in St. Joseph Co. Indiana
(probably in Mishawaka, IN).
d. Aug. 25, 1905 in Glendora,
Lake Twp., Berrien Co. Michigan,
age 3 years, 1 month and 27 days,
of a cerebral hemorrhage.
Buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery,
Buchanan, Michigan (per her obit).
Note: The Oak Ridge Cemetery sexton
had no record of Laverne's burial.
________________________________

William died of pneumonia, age 36,
at his home, on North Mill St. in
Mishawaka, St. Joseph Co. Indiana.
---------------------------------
A short obituary for William
was published on the front page of
"The Mishawaka Enterprise" newspaper
in Mishawaka, Indiana on Friday,
Feb. 6, 1903 (Page 1, column 5).
---------------------------------
The following obituary was published
in the "Buchanan Record" newspaper,
in Buchanan, Michigan, on
Feb. 10, 1903, page 2:
-----
WILLIAM F. DRAGOO.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. L. V. Dragoo
[Liberty U. Dragoo and his wife
Celestia Ann (Hunniker) Dragoo],
of Buchanan, [MI] was born Aug. 8, 1866
in the village of Buchanan, [MI] and
died Feb. 5, 1903, at his home in
Mishawaka, Indiana.
On December 23, 1896, he was united
in marriage to Agusta Lietz
[should say "Augusta C. Tietz"],
his now sorrowing companion.
Three children were born to them,
Ernest, Elza, and LaVern. He resided
in Buchanan until about four years
ago, when he moved to Mishawaka,
where he resided until death.
The deceased leaves to mourn his
early departure a grief stricken
wife, three children, father and
mother, three sisters, Mrs. N. [Nettie]
Strawser, of South Bend, [IN]; Mrs. J.
Rhoads [Julia Rhoades], of Kingsbury, Ind.;
and Mrs. C. [Cleo] Upham; and also
one brother, Clyde, of Kalamazoo;
and other relatives with a large
circle of friends.
He was a member of the local lodge
M. W. A. [Modern Woodmen of America],
of Mishawaka, camp No. 4788. Brief
services were held at his late
residence by W. S. Tracy after which
the remains were brought to Buchanan
for final services in the Evangelical
church conducted by Rev. Niergarth,
after which the remains were intered
in Oak Ridge cemetery.
[A poem followed].
-----------------------------
The first three headstone photos,
are courtesy of Robert D. Brown,
President, and Newsletter editor,
of "Friends of Oak Ridge Cemetery".
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Note: See the memorials for William's
family, who are also buried in
this cemetery:
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Father, Liberty Dragoo.
Mother, Celestia (Hunniker) Dragoo.
Wife, Augusta (Tietz) Dragoo.
Daughter, Laverne Dragoo.
Sister, Juliette (Dragoo) Rhoades.
Sister, Cleta "Cleo" (Dragoo) Upham
(all of Berrien County Michigan).
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