Peter Hagner was born on October 1, 1772, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, the son of John Valentine and Margaretta (Hanckin) Hagner. His father, born in 1730 near Heilbronn in Württemberg, where he became a master wine cooper, emigrated to America and settled in Philadelphia about 1755.
Peter received his education for the counting-house. For a time he attended the University of the State of Pennsylvania (now the University of Pennsylvania) though he did not graduate.
In June 1788 Peter Hagner made an agreement with a Philadelphia merchant, Peter Borger, to serve as an apprentice "to learn the art, trade and mystery of a merchant for a term of two years and one month”. In 1790 he became a clerk in the counting-house of Phillips, Crammond & Company. He was contemplating entering the West India trade when the yellow fever appeared in Philadelphia in December 1793. After a short illness he went to Trenton. There he found himself without employment and was advised by Dolly (Payne) Todd, an old friend, to seek a position in the government offices. James Madison, then a representative in Congress from Virginia and a suitor for the hand of Mrs. Todd, sponsored his application and he secured a clerkship in the office of the accountant of war. This began a career of service in the government that lasted almost fifty-seven years.
When the government offices were transferred to Washington in 1799 Hagner was principal clerk in the office of the accountant of war, and later, with the election of James Madison, he was successively appointed temporary accountant of war, additional accountant, and accountant. On March 6, 1817, Hagner became third auditor of the Treasury, a post created by Congress. So important did this position become from the number and value of claims settled by the Third Auditor (before the establishment of any court of claims) that John Randolph of Roanoke pausing in a speech to find a phrase to express his sense of the importance of the Emperor Nicholas in the affairs of Europe described him as the “great Third Auditor of nations. ” Hagner resigned from his post in 1849 and died the following year.
Quotes from others about the person
“That official of the Government who, above all others, is distinguished for holding the pursestrings of the Treasury tight - who has never suffered a dollar to go out of the Treasury, unless the fitness of the claim has been well established. ” - James Buchanan
Peter Hagner was twice married. His first wife was Sarah Nichols, whom he married at Christ Church, Philadelphia, December 8, 1799. In 1805 he married Frances Randall, daughter of John Randall, collector of the port of Annapolis.
