Biographical sketch extracted from:
Biographical and historical record of
Adams and
Wells counties,
Indiana. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1887. pp. 871-872.
JOHN
OGDEN was born in
Washington County,
Pennsylvania, October 9, 1807, a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Crouch)
OGDEN. His grandparents,
Malachi and Temperance
OGDEN, were natives of
New Jersey. Both were of
English descent. The subject of our sketch was reared on a farm and received his education in the subscription schools, in the primitive log school-houses of the early day, remaining on the farm with his parents until he attained his majority. He was married May 27, 1828, to Miss Martha
Swearingen, who was a native of
West Virginia, and a daughter of George and Ruth Wilcoxson, natives of
Maryland, and of
Danish extraction. After marriage, John
OGDEN followed farming in
West Virginia, and also in
Beaver County,
Pennsylvania, until April, 1837, when he came to Wells County,
Indiana. Arriving here, he entered 160 acres of Government land on sections 30 and 31,
Jefferson Township, where he remained until the following June, when he returned to his former home in
West Virginia. October 10, 1839, Mr. John
OGDEN, with his wife and five children emigrated to their frontier home in
Indiana, completing the journey in fourteen days with horse teams. With buoyant heart and willing hands he commenced the laborious task of clearing a spot of ground, upon which he erected a log cabin 18x20 feet, roofing it with clapboards and flooring it with puncheons, into which he moved his family. He further continued the task of clearing an additional portion of ground, preparatory to putting in a spring crop, and succeeded in getting in three acres of corn, which constituted their first yearÂ’s crop. When he arrived in
Indiana his capital stock consisted of three horses, a cow and heifer, arid $40 in money. Three weeks after his arrival he lost his best horse, a drawback of no small proportions to a new beginner in a new section of country. Passing through all the hardships and privations subject to frontier life, he followed farming in
Jefferson Township, living to see the once unbroken forest fall before the woodsmanÂ’s ax, and as the result of the constant application of the horny hand of toil, in time he saw rich fields of golden grain greeting the eye on every hand, and furnishing plenty and to spare for the ever increasing population and their accompanying wants; the narrow circuitous trail through the dense woods gave way to the broad thoroughfare; regions once traversed by bands of murderous Indians, or made the safe retreat of vicious, howling wolves, gave place to useful ends and happy scenes, as the school-house, with its laughing girls and boys; all this accomplished in response to that indomitable energy from time immemorial characteristic of the white race. The pioneer in his early experience was not much troubled by being hurried away from his home to give his support and presence at some district or State convention, and thus weary and rack his brain, for political purposes, but he was content with his friends, borne and quietude. The memory, by the pioneer, of the hardships and privations, is sweetened by the recalling of incidents pertaining to the log-rolling, the fox, deer or wolf hunt, the ingathering of neighbors from far and near to enjoy both the luxuriant pro duct and happy scenes of the sugar camp, or the social converse around the old fire-place, with its great back-log, its heap of glowing coals and dazzling light.
Oh hallowed spot!
Oh precious token!
The hearthstone around which our loved ones have gathered;
The chair in which they sat;
The cup their lips have kissed;
The flute their hands have swept;
What jewels can replace their value?
Unto John
OGDEN and wife were born ten children, eight of whom grew to manhood and womanhood, three of whom still survive, viz.—Sarah A., the wife of David Kimmel;
Fannie, the wife of William
Goshorn, and George S., a resident of Bluffton,
Indiana. The deceased are—Robert P., Samuel J., John M., Martha A., wife of ex-County Auditor G. E. Gardiner,
Harriet R., wife of Harmon Nettlefield, and Elizabeth; and one died in infancy. Mr. Ogden was bereft of his wife by death, on November 15, 1864. The subject of our sketch has been elected by the people to many offices of trust and responsibility, viz.: Supervisor, school trustee and civil trustee, serving in township offices eleven years. He was elected as county assessor, being the last one to serve under the old law to assess the whole county, which work took him ninety-five and one half days. He served the county as commissioner for six years. In 1870 he was elected to the office of county treasurer and re-elected in 1872. He also served as a member of the City
Council of Bluffton. Mr. Ogden is an active and consistent member of the United Presbyterian church, and is the only original member of that church at
Murray,
Indiana, now living in the county. He was elected as a member of the session of this church at its organization, which office he continues to hold. He was financial agent of the Wabash Presbytery, now Northern
Indiana. Politically he affiliates witli the Democratic party, casting his first presidential vote for General Jackson. He is now in his eightieth year, a remarkably well preserved old gentleman, enjoying the full vigor of mind and body. He resides in Bluffton with his son-in-law. For integrity, honesty and fair dealing, Mr. Ogden has no superior in his county. His kind treatment and courteous manner with the people while treasurer of the county, marks that period as one of the most pleasant in the history of that office. He is an honorable citizen and Christian gentleman, and a model for the rising generation.