OGDEN, Percy T., St. Landry, then Acadia Parish, Louisiana -------------------------------------------------------------- Submitted for the LA GenWeb Archives by Mike Miller, Apr. 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------- ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 336-339. Edited by Alcee Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association. Ogden, Percy T., of Crowley, La., lawyer, was born at Opelousas, St. Landry parish, February 6, 1878, the son of John Nicholson and Celestine Minerva (Thompson) Ogden, the former a native of Bay St. Louis, Miss. (1847); and the latter born in St. Landry parish. Both are living. John Nicholson Ogden was principally educated in private schools. At the age of 15 he enlisted, in 1863, in a Mississippi regiment of the army of the Southern Confederacy, and served until the close of the Civil war in 1865. When peace came, he returned home, studied law under the guidance of his father, Judge R. N. Ogden, of New Orleans, passed an examination before the supreme court of the state of Mississippi, and was admitted to the bar. The next step was to ask for permission to practice in Louisiana, and after having studied the jurisprudence of that state in the office of his father's former law partner, Judge Henry J. Leovy, who was a distinguished attorney-at-law in New Orleans, young Ogden successfully underwent an examination before the justices of the State supreme court, and during a few years practiced in New Orleans. In 1871 he removed to Opelousas, and became a leading member of the bar of St. Landry parish, serving for some time as city attorney for Opelousas, and was district attorney before St. Landry parish was divided into new sections of Louisiana, and also after the partition, filling two terms of four years each. He was a member of the democratic convention that nominated Hon. Murphy J. Foster for governor of Louisiana in 1896, and being a personal friend of the candidate, he was selected to make the address seconding the nomination on the floor of the convention. John N. Ogden is one of the most gifted orators of Louisiana. He has taken part in all political campaigns. In 1912-13 he made a tour of the 7th congressional district in favor of the candidacy of Hon. A. J. Pujo for congress. The campaign resulted in the election of Hon. Pujo by an overwhelming vote. After having ably and successfully practiced law for more than forty years, John N. Ogden retired to private life. Judge Robert Nash Ogden, paternal grandfather of Percy T. Ogden, was of the distinguished Nash family of North Carolina; came to Bay St. Louis, Miss., practiced law in New Orleans, was elected judge before he was 30 years of age, and died in his 55th year. The Ogden family came from England many generations ago, and have taken a leading part in professional life of the South. An uncle, R. N. Ogden, of Percy T. Ogden, was at one time speaker of the House of Representatives of Louisiana. He was a man of recognized oratorical powers, which showed at their best during political campaigns. He was one of the principal speakers supporting Samuel Douglas McEnery during the memorable, statewide and strenuous anti-lottery fight, when Hon. McEnery was a candidate for governor in 1892. He was one of the judges of the Circuit Court of Appeals, New Orleans, serving two terms of four years each, and then retired from politics, and engaged in the practice of law. Judge Abner Nash Ogden, a brother of Percy T. Ogden's grandfather, was formerly one of the justices of the Supreme Court of Louisiana, and his son, Horatio Nash Ogden, was attorney-general of the state. The maternal grandparents of Percy T. Ogden were James M., and Celestine Minerva (Dupre) ,Thompson. Mr. Thompson was a well-known physician, who died in 1881. The first of this Thompson family to become residents of America, emigrated from Ireland. On the sailing vessel which was bearing them to the new world, the maternal grandfather of Percy T. Ogden ,was born. The Thompsons settled in Illinois, in which state James M. Thompson was partly educated; he then came South, as a soldier of fortune; saw service on the Texas border, attended a medical college, from which he graduated, and after receiving his diploma, came to Opelousas. At the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted, and rose to the rank of colonel, serving until the end of hostilities. On his return to Opelousas he resumed the practice of his profession, retiring a few years before his death, because of ill-health resulting from the hardships of his military service. The Dupre family, of which Mrs. John N. Ogden was a descendent, originally came from France and settled in Louisiana during the French domination. Percy T. Ogden's paternal grandmother was named Frances Nicholson, whose people were distinguished residents of North Carolina. Judge and Mrs. John Nicholson Ogden had a family of 9 children, in order of birth, as follows: Nuna, wife of Emile Carmouche; Mable, wife of Sanford White; Carlton Nash, in the Wells-Fargo service at Houston, Tex., Percy T., the subject of this sketch; John Nicholson, Jr., commercial traveler; Guy Malcolm (died) ; Pearl, Lessie, and Florence. Percy T. Ogden was educated at the Opelousas institute, of which Mrs. M. Hayes was principal; was also given private tuition in mathematics and Latin by Hon. L. H. Bailey, formerly of Opelousas, and now a member of the Texas State senate; by profession a lawyer. In 1892 Mr. Ogden entered Tulane university, followed the courses for 4 years. He began reading law in 1896 in his father's office and also under the direction of some of the most distinguished attorneys of Opelousas, among whom were Hon. Thomas H. Lewis, and Hon. Edward P. Veazie. Feb. 1, 1899, he was examined by a committee of lawyers appointed by the Supreme court, and obtained a certificate entitling him to examination before the State Supreme court which granted him his license to become a member of the bar, after thoroughly satisfying the justices that he was eminently qualified to take the oath administered by the chief justice for admittance to the ranks of attorneys in the state. The young lawyer had just completed his 21st year of age when beginning his professional career. He went to Opelousas, and entered into partnership with his father, the firm being John N. Ogden & Son. In Jan., 1902 he removed to New Orleans, and entered the law office of Lazarus & Luce, remaining until April, 1902, and then going to Crowley, where he has since been actively practising his profession. Percy T. Ogden was elected city attorney of Crowley, serving two terms of two years each, but declined a third election. During 5 months of the year 1912 he filled the office of district attorney of Acadia and Lafayette parishes, under appointment by Gov. Hall. He then retired temporarily from politics, preferring to devote himself to his lucrative practice of the law. Like the rest of the Ogden family, Percy T. Ogden was a brilliant orator, and before having attained his 21st year was deeply engrossed with political agitations. He made speeches during the campaign for Murphy J. Foster for governor at the age of 18, and afterwards was one of the party of distinguished speakers during 3 successive campaigns, of Heard, Blanchard and Sanders, candidates for governor. He was Gov. Sanders' manager for Acadia before election. In the last senatorial contest for the popular vote, Mr. Ogden went out with the Broussard contingent of orators and spoke throughout the state in favor of the candidacy of Hon. Robert F. Broussard ("Cousin Bob"). When the Good Government league was organized, Percy T. Ogden was among the first to join. He was a prominent speaker at the meeting at the Gruenwald hotel when the league launched its campaign against the ''Regular" democrats, and was a member of the convention that selected Hon. Luther E. Hall to be the standard bearer of the Good Government league in Louisiana. Mr. Ogden was chosen to make the address at the convention that assembled at the Athenaeum to form the state ticket, for nominating Hon. Ferd Claiborne for lieutenant governor, but Mr. Claiborne retired in favor of Sen. Gueydan. In the gubernatorial campaign Mr. Ogden warmly supported Hon. Luther E. Hall for governor and Hon. Henry Gueydan for lieutenant governor. Mr. Ogden was a member of the convention held at Baton Rouge, to select the delegation to the national presidential nominating convention of the democratic party and voted for Champ Clark. In politics, Mr. Ogden has always supported the democracy. It was his relative, Fred Nash Ogden, who led to victory the militant forces of the White league Sept. 14, 1874 in New Orleans, and gave back to Louisiana unsullied--her democratic party. In religion he belongs to the Episcopal church; and in fraternal circles he is a member of the Elks, of whose lodge, No. 745, of Crowley, he is Loyal Knight; and he is also affiliated with the Woodmen of the World and Odd Fellows. Aug. 18, 1902, occurred the marriage of Percy T. Ogden and Miss Annie Carter, of Indianola, Miss. They have 2 children, Annie Lucile, and Percy T. Ogden, Jr. # # #