John E.P. Daingerfield served as a clerk at the Harpers Ferry

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. In many books the town is called "Harper's Ferry" with an apostrophe....

 Armory

Harpers Ferry Armory

Harpers Ferry Armory, more formally known as the United States Armory and Arsenal at Harpers Ferry, was the second federal armory commissioned by the United States government located in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia , the first federal armory being the Springfield Armory located in Springfield,...

 in 1859 during John Brown

John Brown (abolitionist)

John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...

’s raid. Daingerfield received his rank of captain on June 10, 1861 and transferred to Fayetteville as munitions and equipment were moved to the Fayetteville Arsenal

Fayetteville arsenal

The Fayetteville Arsenal in Fayetteville, North Carolina was built in 1838 because during the War of 1812 the United States government realized that the existing distribution of weapons and ammunition factories was not adequate for the defense of the country...

 from Harpers Ferry that same year.

Maj. John C. Booth, commanding officer at the Fayetteville Arsenal, appointed him military paymaster and storekeeper, prestigious jobs in the Army. Daingerfield served in the 2nd Battalion Local Defense Troops, commonly referred to as the Arsenal Guard.

In June 1885, The Century published Captain Daingerfield's article "John Brown at Harper's Ferry" giving an account of the incident from a prisoner's standpoint.

In 1873, Daingerfield moved into a home currently maintained at its original location in Heritage Square

Heritage Square (of Fayetteville NC)

Heritage Square is a place in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Owned and maintained by The Woman's Club of Fayetteville, Heritage Square includes the Sandford House, built in 1797; the Oval Ballroom, a freestanding single room built in 1818; and the Baker-Haigh-Nimocks House, constructed in 1804...

 with his wife Matilda and their four children. Their son, Elliot Daingerfield

Elliot Daingerfield

Elliot Daingerfield is considered one of North Carolina's most prolific artists. Elliot was born in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. At 21 he moved to New York to study art....

became a celebrated painter of North Carolina.