Henry County, Indiana
BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCH
OF ALBERT DURET OGBORN.
CAPTAIN, COMPANY G, 161 ST INFANTRY REGIMENT, INDIANA VOLUNTEERS,
SPANISH
AMERICAN WAR; LAWYER AND LEGISLATOR.
It is merit that wins. One may by study fill the mind with knowledge
and in theory, at least, know how to do things, but success depends
largely upon the application of such knowledge in a practical way.
Ability to accomplish results establishes merit and on the strength of
merit comes the reward, confidence, commendation and advancement. It is
this ability to do things, to accomplish results, that has
characterized the life of the subject of this sketch.
In the pioneer days of Eastern Indiana," Wayne County was peopled by
large numbers of vigorous, energetic men and women who came mainly from
Pennsylvania, old Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky.
Many of these settlers, after a more or less brief residence in
Wayne, moved onward to Henry County, and became permanent citizens of
that county. Obeying the restless spirit of enterprise and discovery
which had carried their parents away from established homes into the
wilderness, the descendants of many of the pioneers of "Old Wayne"
separated themselves from the parental authority and came to Henry
County, where they soon became identified with its people, grew up with
its growth and frequently achieved civil, political and social
distinction. This early immigration accounts for the close ties of
kinship existing between so many of the families of Wayne and Henry
counties down to the present time. Descendants of the large Bond
family, of the Hoovers, the Elliott's, the Bradburys, the Bransons, the
Drapers, the Thomburghs, the Shaffers, the Strattons, the Roofs, the
Ezekiel Rogers' branch of the Rogers' family, the Murphy's, the
Mendenhalls. the Martindales, the Harveys, the Clifts, the Bundys, and
many others, whose names might be mentioned, have spread over Henry
County, so that strong ties of blood exist between the two counties,
uniting them more closely probably than any other two counties in the
State. What is here said of others equally applies to the paternal and
maternal families of Albert Duret Ogborn.
His great-great-grandfather, Caleb Ogborn, the first, was born in New
Jersey in the year 1729, and his great grandfather, Caleb Ogborn, the
second, was born in the same State in the year 1755. Both lived and
died in their native State. Caleb Ogborn, the second, married Ann
Parker in 1784. She was also a native of New Jersey where she was born
in the year 1759. Their son, Samuel Ogborn, the grandfather of Albert
D. Ogborn, was born at Egg Harbor, New Jersey, on March 14, 1788. He
moved from that State to Ohio in the year 1824 and thence to Wayne
County, Indiana, in 1825, settling near Greensfork, where he died July
14. 1839. The grandmother, Esther (Andrews) Ogborn, wife of Samuel
Ogborn, was born in New Jersey, November 18, 1784. She died December
19, 1867, and the remains of both herself and husband are buried in the
old cemetery at Greensfork. They were all Quakers and their homes in
New Jersey were not far from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where at that
time, the Quaker or Friends' Church was predominant.
Esther Andrews was a descendant of Isaac Andrews, the first, and his
wife, Elizabeth Andrews. Their son, Isaac Andrews, the
second, born in New Jersey, September 21, 1749, married in June, 1771,
Rebecca Evans, who was born in Eversham, Burlington County, New Jersey,
June 19, 1753. To this couple were born November 18, 1784, the twin
sisters, Hannah and Esther. Esther was married at Egg Harbor, New
Jersey, to Samuel Ogborn in the year 1810, and died in Wayne County,
Indiana, December 19, 1867. Of the children born to Samuel and Esther
(Andrews) Ogborn, there was Edwin Fethergill Ogborn, father of Albert
Duret Ogborn, subject of this sketch; and Allen Ogborn. These were twin
brothers, born in New Jersey, August 25. 1816. Edwin Fethergill Ogborn
died in New Castle, July 4. 1895, where he.had resided for several
years during the latter part of his life. His remains lie buried in
Sugar Grove Cemetery, near Greensfork, Wayne County, Indiana.
On the maternal side, the great grandfather of Albert Duret Ogborn, was
David Bradbury, a native of Elizabeth, New Jersey. He was born October
13.
1760, and in later years moved to Warren County, Ohio, where he died
May 7, 1824. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, who served five
years and among other engagements participated in the historic battles
of Staten Island. New York, and Monmouth, New Jersey, and camped with
Washington at Valley Forge. He never lived in Indiana except for a
brief period in the Wabash Valley. The great grandmother, Susannah
(Craig) Bradbury, was born at Elizabeth, New Jersey, April 2, 1762, and
it was there she became the wife of David Bradbury. She died in what is
now Clay County, Indiana, May 17, 1819. and is buried there.
Daniel Bradbury, the grandfather of Albert Duret Ogborn. was a native
of Warren County, Ohio, in the Northwest Territory. He was born
September 22, 1800, and died May 29, 1882. He married Mary, daughter of
Abraham and Jean (Alexander) Elliott, at Jackson burg, Wayne County,
Indiana, August 13, 1821. She was born November 10. 1804, and died
April 4, 1868. They are both buried in the Sugar Grove Cemetery
mentioned above. During his lifetime, no man in Wayne County probably
was held in higher esteem by the people of Eastern Indiana, among whom
he had a wide acquaint- ance, than Daniel Bradbury. He was prominent in
the affairs of the county. Of himself, he says in a brochure, relating
to the events of his life, entitled "Memoirs of Daniel Bradbury'
published in 1879: "I collected taxes, assessed property and appraised
real estate for twenty nine years.'' Again he says: "I have in my time
filled a great many offices of trust and among other things have
settled ten estates, as executor and administrator, and was requested
to settle many more but declined." Starting out in life for himself at
the early age of eighteen years, he determined that his conduct should
be governed by the following rule: "I would not keep bad company with
male or female; that I would not be a gambler or a drunkard and would
lead an honest life, all of which I have kept up to the present time
(not even having drunk a dram as a beverage for over forty years) just
entering on the eightieth year of my age." He was a man of unusual
parts, well informed, earnest in his opinions, firm in his beliefs and
possessed of a personal dignity and bearing that won the respect and
commendation of all.
His wife. Mary (Elliott) Bradbury, was a fit help meet of her husband.
She was a sister of the late Judge Jehu T. Elliott. Mrs. Martin L.
Bundy, Stephen Elliott, and Elizabeth ("Aunty Betsy") Peed, the mother
of Evan Peed, the well known farmer, who is now and has been for
several years the super- intendent of the Indiana State Agricultural
Society. Mrs. Bradbury was quiet in demeanor, possessed of a clear mind
(a characteristic of her family), very domestic, very charitable, and
to her family, true, loving and devoted. Referring to the death of his
wife, Daniel Bradbury in his reminiscences above mentioned says: "She
had been an exemplary Christian from her youth, and had been a member
of the Old Christian Church since she was sixteen years old." They
lived together, a calm, quiet, peaceful life for a period of nearly
forty seven years.
Jane (Bradbury) Ogborn, daughter of Daniel and Mary (Elliott) Bradbury,
was a native of Wayne County, Indiana, where she was born February 24,
1826; she died September 10, 1882, and lies buried beside her husband
in Sugar Grove Cemetery, already mentioned. She was married to Edwin
Fethergill Ogborn on -.April 14, 1850, and to them were born the
following named children: Matilda C., now Mrs. Matilda C. Wisehart, of
Flagstaff, Arizona; Esther, afterwards Mrs. William R. Wise, now
deceased; Daniel B, of Lincoln, Nebraska; Charles, now deceased; Edwin
C, now living in New Castle; Melvina, died in infancy; Duret, the
subject of this sketch; Vienna M., a resident of New Castle, and a
housekeeper for her brother, Albert Duret; and John B., a citizen of
Denver. Colorado. These were the children of the second marriage of
both parents. The children of Edwin Fethergill Ogborn by a previous
marriage were: Mrs.Gulia Weyl, of Economy, Wayne County, Indiana; Mrs.
Mary Tingley, of Fairfield. Nebraska; Julia, afterwards Mrs. Samuel
McCullough, deceased; and Allen W., deceased. The latter was a member
of Company B, 19th Indiana Infantry, and was mortally wounded at the
battle of Gettysburg, July , 1863; he died in the general hospital at
Philadelphia, July 18, 1863. He was a brave and gallant soldier. Jane
(Bradbury) Ogborn was first married to James Wilson and they were the
parents of one child, a son, named Martin Luther, who was a member of
Company A, 36th Indiana Infantry. He died at Buffalo, Kentucky,
February 17, 1862. while in the service of his country during the Civil
War. Both of these patriotic soldiers are interred in Sugar Grove
Cemetery, Greensfork, Wayne County, Indiana.
Source: Hazzard's History of Henry County, Indiana, 1822-1906 by
George Hazzard 1906
Transcribed and contributed by Larry Wells
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