Deem’s History of Butler County Missouri
by David Bruce Deem, Probate Judge, Butler County, MO


JAMES R HOGG


JAMES R. HOGG, familiarly known as “Jim” Hogg by his hundreds of friends in
Butler county and throughout Southeast Missouri was one of the outstanding men
to have resided in Butler county.

No resident of Butler county was ever closer to his fellow men than the beloved
Jim Hogg during his lifetime.

Mr. Hogg was born in Jennings county, Indiana, January 4, 1863 and with his
parents, Marion and Mary B. Hogg, moved to Butler county in 1870. He resided in
Butler county until his death July 12, 1934.

Jim Hogg accompanied his parents to Poplar Bluff from Indiana in a covered wagon
making the then hazardous overland trip in several weeks instead of in a few
hours as can be done today.

His father, Marion Hogg, helped organize the first schools in Butler county
pioneering in educational circles as well as in farm, business and community
life in the early days.

Mr. Hogg traded a team and a wagon to his father-in-law, Louis Dillard, one of
the founders of Hilliard, for a 160 acre farm on old highway 67 near the
Hilliard Black river bridge. One of his first jobs was section hand on the old
Iron Mountain railroad.

He lived on a farm until 1884 when he moved to Poplar Bluff to engage in the
meat market and livestock business. He purchased the market on old Fourth street
(now Broadway) formerly occupied by Tom Hood. Hogg was successful from the first
business venture because he worked day and night and his dealings were always
such as to inspire the confidence of his acquaintances who all knew what Jim
Hogg told them was the truth. His business grew until he finally owned three
markets. One was on South Broadway, one was on Barlett street and one was in the
100 block on North Main street. They were all known as the James R. Hogg markets
and, during open season, a special effort was made to carry game, deer, bear and
wild turkey meat,  a practive maintained only in larger cities.