JOHN FRANKLIN HAGER was born on October 10, 1819, in Lincoln County, North Carolina. He was the son of Frederick Hager and Margaret Hinkle. John Franklin's father, Frederick, grew up at Hager's Ferry, along the banks of the Catawba River. They arrived in Perry County, Missouri, in approximately 1827 when John Franklin was about seven years old. John Franklin had a large family, but he also enjoyed a substantial extended family of Hagers who lived in the same part of Perry County. John Franklin's siblings (including himself) consisted of the following:

Mary Elizabeth Sadler was born in 1824, the daughter of Zachariah Sadler and Elizabeth "Betsy" (nee Mayberry) Sadler. Elizabeth's father, Zachariah, was born in Brunswick, Virginia, but moved to North Carolina. Her mother, Elizabeth, was born in North Carolina. The 1840 Federal Census shows that her parents made their home in Perry County, Missouri, immediately after their marriage. Mary Elizabeth's siblings (including herself) consisted of the following:

On Thursday, October 31, 1939, John Franklin Hager married Mary Elizabeth Sadler in the Baptist Church in Perry County, Missouri. The minister who performed the ceremony was Peter Williams. 

As was typical of the time, John Franklin and Elizabeth began their family immediately and their first daughter was born in 1840. In the 1840 United States Federal Census for Perry County, Missouri, John, at 21 years of age, was listed as the head of a household of two people, himself and his wife, Mary Elizabeth. Eventually, the Hager children also included one set of twins, John Zachariah and Mary Teresa.

In the 1850 census, John Franklin (age 31) was listed as a farmer with property worth $600. On the adjacent property lived his younger brother, Aaron, with his wife, Ann, and their four children. John Franklin's household included his wife, Elizabeth (26) and children Mary (10), Reuben (4), and Mathilda (2). Also listed as living in their home was a young man named Patrick Bambrick (14 years of age) from Ireland. Who young Patrick was may remain a mystery. He was not listed in the 1860 census for the area, nor were there other families with the same surname in the vicinity. 

The 1860 listed the Hager family as still residing in the Cinque Hommes Township, although John Franklin's brother, Aaron, was no longer living adjacent to his property. The value of the farm had increased to $2000. John, incorrectly listed as coming from South Carolina, was 41, his wife, Elizabeth, was 35. Children living in the household at the time included: Mary (19), Reuben (15), Mathilda (13), Jane (11), Emily (9), Zachariah and Teresa (6) and Vincent (2). There was also a young farm laborer, William Rudicil (16) recorded as living with the family.

The 1870 census listed two siblings, Margaret (17) and Frederick (9) Burtelow, as living together on the property adjacent to John Franklin and Mary Elizabeth Hager. This was inaccurate, however, as these two individuals, the orphaned children of John's sister, Eliza and her husband, Richard Burtelow, had actually lived in the John Franklin Hager household. Their father, Richard, had died as a result of sickness that he had acquired in the service during the Civil War.

This same census enumerator had also omitted John and Mary Elizabeth's daughter, Maria Catherine, who was born in 1862 and would have been 8 years old at the time of the 1870 census. Other household members at the time included: Mathilda (20), Jane (19), Emily (17), Teresa and Zachariah (14), Vincent (10) and Robert (5).​​

The Consolidated List for the Draft in the Third Congressional District in the State of Missouri records that ​​​John Franklin Hager enrolled in Perry County in 1862 at 43 years of age. ​​

John Hager had 5 brothers: Aaron, James, Frederick, Alexander and Milton. His three younger brothers, Aaron, Frederick and Milton, enlisted in the military as well. John (43), Aaron(42) and Frederick's (36) names are either adjacent or in close proximity to each other on the registry, suggesting that they may have gone together to enlist. 

The fact that all three of the Hager brothers were married and had families at the time of the compulsory draft (although not listed on the draft registry as such), yet did serve, suggests that they most likely enlisted. 

John's brother-in-law, Richard Burtelow, the husband of Eliza Hager (John's sister), also served in the war. Richard was a Corporal in Company B, 30th Regiment of the Missouri Volunteers under Capt. William F. Wilkinson. ​​​​​During the Civil War, Keokuk, Iowa, became an embarking point for Union troops heading to fight in southern battles. Injured soldiers were returned to Keokuk for treatment, so several hospitals were established. A national cemetery was designated for those who did not survive. 

John's brother-in-law, Richard Burtelow, the husband of Eliza Hager (John's sister), also served in the war. Richard was a Corporal in Company B, 30th Regiment of the Missouri Volunteers under Capt. William F. Wilkinson. Unfortunately, Richard Burtelow was one of those soldiers who did not survive. On September 8, 1863, he succumbed to chronic dysentery, a disease responsible for nearly 95,000 deaths during the war, and is buried in a military grave at the Keokuk National Cemetery.

John's sister, Eliza, had already died on July 8, 1862, leaving their two young children, Margaret and Fredrick Burtelow, as orphans. John assumed legal guardianship for his nephew and niece and was tasked with securing for each the pension due them based on their father's military service. After petitioning the government, ​​​​​​​he received (in the name of each child), $8 dollars per month until each of them attained the age of 16. He applied for, and received, an increase in their pension in 1866. This increased each of their pensions another $2 for a total of $10 per month. 

John Franklin Hager died on July 5, 1874. Unlike many of our ancestors, he left a Last Will and Testament, which was witnessed and signed the day he died. In it he provided for his wife and children. See the "Wills and Probate Documents" link below to see a copy and transcript of his will.

He was preceded in death by one daughter, Mary Emelyne Hager Rice, who died at 28 years of age in 1868. He was buried in the York Methodist Chapel Cemetery in Longtown, Perry County, Missouri. See the "Graves and Cemeteries" link below for a photo of his grave.

​​​​​A memorial to mark John Franklin's passing was composed and published in the Weekly Perryville Union, with the print date of July 10, 1874, five days after his death.