Warren County >> 1908 Index
History of Warren County, Iowa ... to
1908
by Rev. W. C. Martin, D. D. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1908.
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Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton.
Amon
L. Ogg, who
for some years has been a representative of the insurance business in
Indianola and has recently extended his operations to the field of real-estate
dealing, was born in Knox county, Ohio, May 4, 1837. His father, William
H. Ogg, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and when a boy accompanied
his parents on their removal to Knox county, Ohio, where he was reared
upon a farm. There he remained until after his marriage and in the year
1852 he arrived in Henry county, Iowa, settling near Mount Pleasant
upon a farm, to the further development and improvement of which he
devoted his energies throughout his remaining days. He was diligent
and active in his farming and stock-raising interests and his careful
management and keen business discernment won him a gratifying measure
of prosperity. He married Miss Amanda Bevans, who was born in Knox county,
Ohio, and was a daughter of William Bevans, a lawyer and newspaper man,
who was prominent in the Buckeye state in many ways. He served as a
general in the Ohio Militia and afterward located in the town of Mount
Vernon. He edited the second newspaper of the town and was prominently
associated with its upbuilding and development. He was an abolitionist
after the style of Horace Greeley. He served as judge of the probate
court and in public affairs wielded a wide influence. Both Mr. and Mrs.
William H. Ogg were devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church
and Mr. Ogg belonged to the Odd Fellows society and to the Masonic fraternity,
while his political allegiance was given to the democracy. He died in
1858 at the comparatively early age of forty-one years, while his wife
spent her last days in Iowa and departed this life October 19, 1881.
They were the parents of nine children.
Amon L. Ogg, the
second in order of birth, was reared in the usual manner of farm lads,
early becoming familiar with the duties of labors that fall to the lot
of the agriculturist. He was a youth of about sixteen years when he
came with his parents to Iowa. He had attended the country schools of
his native state and afterward became a student in Howe's Academy at
Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and also in the Wesleyan University. In early
manhood he engaged in teaching school in Henry, Lucas and Warren counties
and proved his ability as an instructor and disciplinarian, maintaining
good order and imparting clearly and readily to others the knowledge
that he had acquired. While thus engaged the summer months were devoted
to farm labor. He became a prominent resident of Warren county in October,
1869, and located in White oak township, where he purchased a tract
of land. Upon this farm he remained until 1882, when he came to Indianola,
where he engaged in the insurance business. For twenty-six years he
continued in this line, writing a large amount of insurance annually,
and recently he has also engaged in the real-estate business, in which
he has already secured a good patronage. He is a man of determination
and energy, carrying forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes.
In early manhood
Mr. Ogg put aside all business and personal considerations that he might
defend the Union cause in the Civil war and enlisted on the 2d of October,
1861, as a member of Company D, Fourth Iowa Cavalry, leaving at home
his wife and two children. He attained the rank of first sergeant and
was afterward second lieutenant, holding that position when mustered
out August 23, 1865, at Atlanta, Georgia, having been in command of
his company much of the time during the last year of his service. Something
of the character of his services is indicated by the fact that he was
on active duty in the siege of Vicksburg, at the battles of Selma, Columbus
and Macon, Georgia, and many others. In one of the earliest engagements
in which he participated - the battle of Mariana in Arkansas - he was
wounded. He made an excellent war record, of which he has every reason
to be proud. His regiment was in sixty-four battles and skirmishes where
men were killed on both sides. Mr. Ogg was never off duty save when
injured and was numbered among the loyal soldiers, fearless in defense
of the old flag, whether his duty called him to the lonely picket line
or stationed him in the midst of the firing line. He took part in many
of the long hard marches as well as the sanguinary conflicts and throughout
his entire life he has been as loyal in his citizenship as when he followed
the stars and stripes on the battlefields of the south.
Mr. Ogg was married
March 10, 1859, to Miss Mary McCoy, who was born in Guernsey county,
Ohio, May 7, 1842. Her parents came to Henry county, Iowa, when she
was two years of age. By her marriage she ahs become the mother of ten
children, namely: Charles M., now deceased; William M., who is a baker
and makes his home in Indianola; Edward M. S., who is employed with
the Herald office in this city; Lillie J., the wife of H. C. Fisher,
a resident of Indianola; Samuel B., who is also employed on the Herald
of this city; Mary B., the wife of F. c. Young, a harness dealer of
Indianola; Ollie M., the wife of Frank W. Sprague, a resident of Bagley,
Iowa, where he is engaged in the implement and hardware business; Elizabeth;
Nellie; and Frank L., who is in Seattle, Washington.
Both Mr. and Mrs.
Ogg are faithful adherents of the Methodist Episcopal church and he
is also a valued member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and James
Randolph Post, G. A. R., of which he is past commander. His political
record is creditable and his position on questions of importance is
never an equivocal one. He is a stalwart supporter of republican principles,
was city assessor for ten years and in 1901 was elected county auditor,
while popular suffrage continued him in office for two terms. His official
record is altogether creditable and throughout the period of his residence
in Warren county Mr. Ogg, whether in business or official relations,
in public or in private life, has commanded the respect and enjoyed
the esteem of his fellow townsmen.
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