Ogg, Amon L.

OGG

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/29/2021 at 14:16:48

History of Warren County, Iowa; Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns & Etc., by Union Historical Company, 1879, p.648

OGG, AMON L., farmer and teacher, Otter Township, Sec. 31; P. O. Indianola; he owns a farm of 80 acres; he was born May 4, 1837, in Mount Vernon, Ohio; he lived there until 1852, at which time his parents moved to Henry county, Iowa; he came to this county, in 1869, and settled on present farm in 1875; he was educated at How's Academy, at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, where he attended school for three years; he has followed teaching during the fall and winter for the last twenty years, and is a thorough educator, carrying on his farm at the same time; enlisted October 4, 1861, in Co. D, Fourth Iowa Cavalry, as private, was promoted to First Sergeant, July 1, 1862, and to Second Lieutenant, April 8, 1864, and was discharged August 20, 1865, at Davenport, Iowa; he was in all the battles in which the Regiment was engaged; he was married March 10, 1859, to Mary McCoy, a native of Ohio; they have a family of ten children: Charles M., Wm. M., Edwin M. S., Lillie J., Samuel B., Mary B., Olive M., Lizzie C., Nellie M., Lola F., all now living.

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.668

AMON L. OGG
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.