Willard Nelson Daggett was born on May 29, 1840, in Greenbush, Michigan, to Willard N. Daggett and Sarah Ann Spooner. His father was a farmer who owned $800 of real estate and $400 of personal property in 1860. Daggett grew up and attended school in Greenbush, and by 1860, he was working as a farm laborer. He enlisted in the Union army sometime during the Civil War, possibly after June 1863. He mustered in as a sergeant but was eventually reduced to the ranks. He returned to Michigan after the war and married Melvina Tucker there on December 8, 1866. They had at least eight children, four of whom survived: Caroline, born around 1869; Harrison, born around 1877; Agnes, born around 1882; and Nellie, born around 1884.

 

They moved to Crawford, Kansas, in the late 1860s, and Daggett worked as grain dealer there. In 1870, he reported owning $300 of real estate. The family moved to Joplin, Missouri, sometime before 1878, and by 1880, Daggett was working as a laborer. He was apparently struggling to find or carry out work, as he was unemployed for at least 5 months in 1880. They moved to Denton County, Texas, in the 1880s. He became a postmaster in April 1888 and held the position until at least 1897. Daggett applied for a federal pension in January 1891 and secured one soon afterward. By 1900, Daggett was working as a general merchant. He died in Denton County on October 8, 1905.

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