Marion County, West Virginia Biography of Marshall W. OGDEN This file was submitted by Joan Wyatt, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, Page 247 Marshall W. Ogden, a vital and representative member of the bar of Marion County, is engaged in the successful practice of his profession in the City of Fairmont, the county seat. He was born at Prospect Valley, Harrison Co., this state January 26,1873, and is the son of Van Buren and Marcy (Talkington) Ogden. In assured genealogical records of lineage of the American branch of the Ogden family tree traces back to Maryland and its early settlement. At Port Tobacco in that commonwealth we find Jonathan Ogden, who from liberal research of genealogical records is believed to be a lineal descendant of John Ogden, the Pilgrim, who came to America in 1640 from England and settled on the southern shore of Long Island. Jonathan Ogden married Jane Howell, daughter of Paul and Mary Howell. of Howell's Delight, Maryland. Among his ten children was a son, Thomas, born September 30, 1775, who married Elizabeth Moore at Port Tobacco in 1793, and with his family, including his father, mother and eight of his brothers and sisters, came to what is now West Virginia and settles near Enterprise in Harrison Co., where he became a successful trader and accumulated an appreciable estate. His father and mother are buried in the Hardesty Cemetery at that place. The Barnes, Richardson, Martin, Robey and Bigler families of the Upper Monongahela Valley can trace their ancestry to the daughters of Jonathan Ogden. Nathan Ogden, son of Thomas, was born in Harrison Co., near Enterprise, June 14,1811. He married Jane Duncan. of Prospect Valley, and settled in that neighborhood. He became prominently identified with early lumbering operations in that section, and as owner and operator of a water power sawmill he shipped lumber,cereals and other products down the Monongahela River in flat boats to market. Van Buren, son of Nathan Ogden and father of the subject of this review, was born November 27, 1837, became a skilled blacksmith and followed his trade until 1873, when he engaged in the mercantile business with Benjamin W. Harbert at Prospect Valley, and after eight years of successful business their store was destroyed by fire. He then turned his attention to farm enterprises, though in later years he then engaged in mercantile pursuits. He was appointed postmaster at that place by President Grant, which position he held until 1904, when the post office was abolished and placed on rural free delivery. He married September 29, 1864, Marcy E., daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth W. (Hartley) Talkington, pioneer residents of Marion Co., near Mannington. Though born on the 27th day of February. 1835, Mrs. Ogden is still in fair health.Van Buren Ogden died January 26, 1911, known as a business man of ability and as a sterling citizen well worthy of the popular esteem which was ever accorded to him. Of the children the following brief record is available: Savilla A., born January 28,1866, married G.D. Shreve on June 30, 1887, and she died June 4, 1889, their only child, Goff D., having died in April of that year of the first anniversary of his birth. William B., born April 13, 1869 , married, May 16, 1893, Miss Lilly Weekly, and to them have been born five children, Paul G., born December 15, 1895, married May Matthews; Ira D., born July 25, 1897, married Blanch Hildreth; William F., born October 12,1899; Zabell Flora, born March 6,1905; and Oran Maxin, their youngest son. Marshall W., the subject of this review, was the next in order of birth of the children od Van Buren and Marcy E. Ogden. Emma Z. born August 24,1874, was united in marriage to James D. Robinson, December 21, 1893, to which union was born two children, David W., born July 12, 1895, married Willa R. Robinson, and they have one child, Virginia Lee; and Vera M., born November 11,1900. After completing the cirriculumn of the public schools and teaching two years therein at Prospect Valley, Marshall W. Ogden continued his studies in the State Normal School at Fairmont, and in 1897 graduated from the law departmtent of the University of West Virginia. His admission to the bar was virtually coincident with the reception of the degree of Bachelor of Laws, and he forthwith opened an office at Fairmont as partner with Ross A. Watts, which partnership was continued until 1901, when the same was dissolved by mutual agreement, since which time he has continued in the successful practice of law, and has secured status as one of the able and successful members of the Marion Co. bar. He was for two years acting president of the Marion Co. Bar Association, and is an active member of the West Virginia Bar Association. He is a loyal advocate and supporter of the principals of the republican party, but the only elective office which he has consented to hold was as member of the City Counsil. He and his family are affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he was president of its Business Men's Bible Class in 1919-1920. On the 16th day of June, 1901, was solemized the marriage of Mr. Ogden and Lelia, daughter of Thomas and Amanda Hawker, she having been born in Harrison Co., February 25,1878. Mr. Hawker was a prosperous buisness man, and was president of Farmers