Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 254 - 255 

JOHN W. OGDEN. Sedgwick County has many well-to-do and successful farmers, men who have accumulated what they have of this world's goods through individual effort. Among this class the name of the subject of this notice is entitled to a place. He is residing on section 31, Attica Township, where he is industriously engaged in the prosecution of his noble calling, and is meeting with far more than ordinary success.

      Mr. Ogden, of whom we write, was born near the town of Gettysburg, Adams Co., Pa., Sept. 29, 1843, and is a son of John and Margaret (Vail) Ogden, both of whom were also natives of the Keystone State. His father, who was of French descent, was born Jan. 16, 1812, and died March 2, 1884. His mother traced back her ancestry to Germany. Our subject was the third child in a family of seven, of whom the following still survive: Francis C., who is a builder and contractor at Las Vegas, N. M.; Harriet, Mrs. Jacob F. Bream, a resident of Adams County, Pa.; John W., of whom this sketch is written; Catharine M., the wife of John M. Musselman, living at Fairfield, Pa., and Robert Z., living in Sedgwick County.

      The subject of this biography was reared upon a farm, and in his youth received a good common school education. In the latter part of August, 1862, when but eighteen years of age, he enlisted in Company K, 1st Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, which was assigned for duty to the Army of the Potomac. He participated in most of the bloody battles that were fought in Northern Virginia and Southern Pennsylvania, including the decisive contest at Gettysburg. He continued in the service and was present with his regiment, than whom a braver set of men was never gathered together, at the surrender of Gen. Lee at Appomattox. He received his honorable discharge from the service June 8, 1865, and returned to his father's home, where he assisted in carrying on farming operations on the old homestead until 1875, when he removed to Tazewell County, Ill. After two years' labor on a farm in that locality, he came to Kansas, and landed in Wichita Feb. 15, 1877. Shortly after this he purchased his present home. He had at first 160 acres of land, but sold it to the railroad company, and some time afterward bought back forty two acres of it, on which he has fine and commodious dwelling; here he has made his home ever since. He is also the owner of the northwest quarter of section 25, and here, May 19, 1880, he brought his young bride and installed her mistress of the home. The lady, Miss Elizabeth Mandane Williamson, was born at Ash Ridge, Brown Co., Ohio, Nov. 18, 1852, and is the daughter of Addison and Angeline (Moore) Williamson, natives of the Buckeye State. Her father was born Aug. 4, 1823, in Warren County, Ohio, and died July 9, 1880. He had married, Feb. 22, 1848, Miss Angeline Moore, who was born in Brown County, Ohio, Feb. 2, 1828. They were the parents of six children, of whom Mrs. Ogden was the third. The following is the record: Lamartine, born Nov. 24, 1848, lives in Goddard, this county; Emily S., born Sept. 27, 1850, married John W. Carskaddon, of South Bend, Ind.; Elizabeth M., Mrs. Ogden; Dwight D., born Oct. 25, 1854, lives in Attica Township, as does Byron Moore, who was born Nov. 11, 1856; Flora Eveline, who was born Sept. 9, 1859, and died April 21, 1872. Mrs. Ogden, who is of Welsh descent, was reared upon a farm, her father being both a carpenter and a farmer, and received an excellent education in the common schools of her district.

      Three children were born to Mrs. Ogden, as follows: Warren, whose birth took place Aug. 7, 1884, and died the same day; Lawrence Earl, who was born May 10, 1886, and died August 24 following, and John W., who was born Dec. 31, 1887.

      The subject of our sketch has been a life-long Democrat, as his father was before him, but has never been a seeker after political preferment. He is a believer in the doctrines of the Reform Church, as his wife is of the Methodist, but they have not identified themselves with any religious society since coming to Kansas. He is a strong believer in the system of public schools in the State, and is a cheerful worker in all educational matters.

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