A BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY OF JESSE S. OGDEN AFTER HIS CIVIL WAR
SERVICE WITH ADDED COMMENTS ABOUT SOME OF HIS DESCENDANTS

[Written by Robert Foster Ogden; links to the mentioned documents are given at the bottom of this page]

This summary is a follow-on to Jesse S. Ogden’s Civil War Diary. As an introduction, he was born
in Taylor County, West Virginia on August 23, 1839, the son of John Jackson Ogden and Julia Ann
McKeever Ogden. His father, John, was born in Virginia in 1816, the son of David Ogden. David is listed
in the 1790 New York State Census as having lived in Otsego County and is believed to have been born in
1760/1770 in New York State. John Jackson Ogden’ s mother was Rebecca Hughes and she was born in
1770/1780, probably in Virginia since her parents were born in Virginia. Both David and Rebecca died in
1833. Julia Ann McKeever Ogden was born in 1811/1812 in Hampshire Co. Va. Her parents were Paul
McKeever, born in 1785 in Hampshire Co., Va. and Margaret Switzer, born in 1789 in Hampshire, Co. Va.
The lineage is based on a pedigree chart from the Ancestral Research program maintained by the Church of
Latter-Day Saints in Arden, NC. However, David Ogden is listed in the 1790 New York State Census. The
presumption is that David moved to Virginia from New York, met and married Rebecca Hughes. John must
have moved to Taylor County and subsequently took his family to Danville, Ind.

A copy of Jesse’s Civil War Diary is available and his life’s journey continues from that closure. He
was discharged as a corporal and paid $100 on July 25th, 1862, at Indianapolis, Indiana. His discharge was
caused by a gunshot wound to his right hand which he suffered at the Battle of Winchester on March 23rd,
1862. He returned to his home in Danville, Hendricks County, Indiana at age 22. However, he continued a
military affiliation by enrolling in the Shuler Guards of the Indiana Militia, Hendricks County, and was
elected a Second Lieutenant on January 7, 1863. He was elected a Captain in the Shuler Guards on July 10,
1863. His militia appointments were signed by Indiana’s war time governor, Oliver P. Morton.

When Jesse returned to Danville, he resumed his role as a student and laborer but also began to
study law. He was also elected Recorder of Hendricks County on the Republican Party ticket on Nov. 7,
1862 at the age of 23 for a term of four years. He was admitted to the bar in June, 1867, and formed a law
partnership with John Hadley in 1869. He was elected prosecuting attorney in 1870 and elected to the State
Legislature in 1872.

Jesse married Mary A. Carter on June 19, 1866 in Danville, Indiana, with Rev. Frank Taylor
officiating. They had known each other for five years before his enlistment. She was born in Indiana in
1845. They had three children as follow: Horace Greeley Ogden, born on Sept. 22, 1867; James Matlock
Ogden, born on April 5, 1870; Adella L. Ogden, born on Oct. 5, 1872.

Jesse had been granted Pension Certificate 70726 on September 6, 1866. This was because of the
gun shot would to his right hand which caused partial disability. His pension was $4.00 per month. On
November 30, 1875, he applied for an increase to at least $15.00 per month. Mary A. Ogden applied for a
pension in 1885. In one affidavit to support her request, a cousin of Jesse’s, Adeline Johnston of Danville,
said she was acquainted with his family history. She said that his father died at age 68 and his mother about
the same age. His father's brothers and sisters all lived to advanced age except for two who were killed in
an accident. She also said that he had twelve brothers and sisters--some lived to near 100, three sisters were
living at the time, one aged 85, one aged 82 and one aged 79. This information was extracted from her
General Affidavit dated February 2, 1885, in Hendricks County.

He suffered from consumption (tuberculosis), probably from his army service although this is
conjecture. In 1874 he made an attempt to rid himself of this disease by traveling, without his family, to
California. A number of letters were written by Danville citizens on his behalf to introduce him to citizens of
California. These letters are in the possession of his great-grandson, Robert Ogden of Flat Rock, N.C.
Unfortunately his trip was in vain and his health did not improve. He returned to Danville and died at the
early age of 37 on February 10, 1877. He was a fluent speaker and had many friends. A moving
testimonial was made on Feb. 27, 1877, by members of Western Star Lodge No. 26. A copy is attached.
He wrote the Jesse S. Ogden Creed on January 18, 1877. An embossed copy of the manuscript was printed
in Indianapolis on Feb. 10, 1910, probably at the request of his son, James Matlock Ogden. It was framed
and now is also in the possession of Robert Ogden.

When he died, his children, Horace, James and Adella, were ages 10, 7, and 5, respectively. An
unsung heroine was his wife, Mary. Somehow, she was able to sustain the family and put all three through
college. College was DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind., some 25 miles from Danville, and all are
graduates. Information on the children follows.

Horace was elected to Phi Beta Kappa at DePauw which also awarded him a degree of doctor of
divinity in 1908. After completing his seminary work at Boston University School of Theology, he returned
to the Northwest Indiana Conference. In Indiana he served churches at Kewanna, Attica and Frankfort. A
copy of a tribute from Henry A. Wilson of Kewanna is also attached. He also served churches in Louisville,
Ky., Rochester, N.Y. and Albany, N.Y. Shortly after the latter appointment, he died in 1923 at the age of
55. He married Katherine Gertrude Mikels, daughter of Rev. W. R. Mikels and Hestor Moore Mikels. A
copy of Hestor’s obituary is included and provides some additional information on Gertrude’s family.
Gertrude was also a graduate of DePauw and did graduate work at Boston University. A copy of additional
biographical information on Horace from the Troy Conference Minutes of 1923 is attached. Gertrude
subsequently married William Briggs of Jamestown, N.Y. where she made her home until her death.
Horace and Gertrude had three sons, Jesse Switzer Ogden, Edward Mikels Ogden and Tarrence Foster
Ogden. Note the retention of the family names, Switzer, Mikels and Foster. Further comments on the three
sons will be made later in this summary.

Jesse’s second son, James Matlock Ogden, graduated from DePauw and then studied law at Indiana
University Law School. He was admitted to the bar and subsequently was elected Attorney-General
State of Indiana. He married Bess Alice Dean in 1903 and they had one son , James, was killed in a trolley accident at an early age. As a memorial to him, his parents started the Easter Sunrise Service at the Indianapolis downtown circle. James also served on the Board of Trustees of DePauw University for many years.

Adella Ogden was a student in a philosophy class at DePauw which was taught by a young
instructor by the name of Trumbull G. Duvall. They fell in love and were married after she graduated. He
became a full professor of philosophy at Ohio Wesleyan University. She was a very accomplished
vocalist. A fully endowed chair was established in his honor. He was affectionately known as “Duvy’ or
“Uncle Trummie” He was born in Indiana in 1868 and died in 1951. Adella died in 1943. They had a
daughter, Mary, who died when she was 21.

Several years after their deaths, an organ was placed in the Phillips Building and dedicated as a
memorial to them. The speaker at the dedication was Selma Amelia Lindenmeyer Ogden, herself an Ohio
Wesleyan graduate, class of 1923. She met her future husband, Tarrence Ogden, while she was living with
the Duvalls. Tarrence went to visit his Aunt Della when Selma happened to answer the door. It was love at
first sight. At the time, Selma was an instructor in the English Department at Ohio Wesleyan and Tarrence
was studying for the ministry after having graduated from DePauw, class of 1922. A two page tribute to Dr.
Duvall was published in the June, 1951, issue of the Ohio Wesleyan Magazine. The writer was Tarrence
Ogden.

Horace Greeley Ogden’s oldest son was Jesse Switzer Ogden. He was born on December 5, 1894,
in Rockland, Mass., and died on February 20, 1958 in Ivy, Virginia. He had one son, Horace Greeley
Ogden, who died on January 3, 1998. A copy of a tribute to Uncle Jess which also contains some
biographical information is attached as is a copy of Horace’s obituary.

Horace Greeley Ogden’s next oldest son was Edward Mikels Ogden. He was born on August 1,
1897, in Kewanna, Ind., and died Nov. 28, 1959, in Rochester, N.Y. He married Doris Andrew on
October 20, 1923. They had five daughters, Betty, Katherine, Helen, Polly and Virginia. An extensive
biography of his life has been developed by his family and a copy has been provided to his nephew, Robert
Ogden. Needless to say, Uncle Ned was a fine person, beloved by his family and highly involved in his
community and in his career as an attorney in Rochester. He purchased and developed property on a bluff
overlooking Lake Ontario near Wolcott, N.Y. He named the property “Oakdene” which we think was the
original spelling for the name “Ogden” and means “den of oaks”. “Oakdene” was the location of many great
get-togethers for many generations of Ogdens and their friends.

Tarrence Foster Ogden was born on March 17, 1899, in Attica, Ind., and died on June 26, 1962, in
Albany, N.Y. He and Selma Lindenmeyer were married on June 30, 1926, with the bride’s father, Rev.
Samuel Lindenmeyer officiating in Portsmouth, Ohio. Selma was born in Amherst, Ohio, on Nov. 13, 1899,
and died in Hendersonville, N.C. on October 2, 1991. They had two children, Robert Ogden, who was
born on January 27, 1928, in Albany, N.Y., and a daughter, Mary Louise, who was born on February 22,
1929, in Albany, N.Y. Copies of various family documents are attached and also provide considerable
information about Tarrence and Selma.

Horace Greeley Ogden’s sons (Jesse Switzer Ogden’s grandsons) maintained close personal and
family relationships all their lives. When together, they loved to sing and play and were just great men and
fathers. Their wives were fine women, wonderful mothers and formed close personal relationships with
each other.

Robert F. Ogden
Flat Rock, N.C.

ATTACHMENTS:

  1. Jesse S. Ogden’s Record of Military Service, July 25, 1862
  2. Jesse’s Election to Second Lieutenant, Shuler Guards, Jan. 7, 1863
  3 Jesse’s Election to Captain, Shuler Guards, July 10, 1863
  4. Jesse’s Election to Recorder of Hendricks County Nov. 7, 1862
  5. Tribute to Jesse by Western Star Lodge No. 26, March 8, 1877
  6. Jesse S. Ogden’s Creed, Jan. 18, 1877
  7. Hester Moore Mikels Obituary, July 17, 1912
  8. Minutes of Troy Conference of 1923
  9 Tribute to Horace Greeley Ogden by Henry Wilson, Kewanna, Indiana, Jan. 31, 1940
10. Jesse S. Ogden (grandson) tribute upon his death by Howard McCluskey.
11. Horace Greeley Ogden (great grandson) Obituary, Jan. 8, 1898
12. Several articles on Tarrence F. Ogden
13. Newspaper article from the Schenectady Gazette on Selma L. Ogden written by Cynthia Dreher Baker
14. Newspaper articles on the engagement and marriage of June Jensen to Robert Ogden
15. Obituaries of Tarrence and Selma Ogden