Crow Wing, MN Genealogy

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Crow Wing County, MN Biographies

OGDEN MONELL, son of Robert B. and Permelia (Squires) Monell, was born September 15, 1833, in Chenango County, N. Y. When quite young his parents removed to Hudson, Columbia County, where he spent his youth. He was carefully educated at Hartford, N. Y., and at Stockbridge, Mass., with a view to his entering the legal profession. In 1850, Mr. Monell, being of a somewhat roving disposition, shipped as a sailor on board the ship " Great Britain," bound from New York to China, via San Francisco. After a long and tedious voyage around Cape Horn, the vessel arrived in San Francisco Bay, and the gold excitement being at its full height, the whole ship's company deserted, and engaged in the search for the hidden treasure. After an absence of over four years, in which he made several voyages on the Pacific Ocean, he again doubled Cape Horn in the whale ship "Boston," and landed at New Bedford, Mass. After remaining at home a short time he came to Illinois, and from there went to Minnesota, which was then a territory, where he acted as Sub-Indian Agent, at the Crow Wing Agency, and was afterward the first Sheriff of Crow Wing County, that State. In 1858, he returned to Boone County, Ill., where, December 25, 1858, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary E. Pearsall, a daughter of John and Clarinda Pearsall. Two children, George R. and Alber P., were the result of the union. In the spring of 1860, he came to Jasper County, Ill., where, in 1861, he was chosen Supervisor of North Muddy Township, which office he resigned and entered the army as First Lieutenant of Company F, Eleventh Illinois Volunteers, and served until the promulgation of President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, when, on his return home, he was appointed Deputy Sheriff under Harvey N. Love, after whose death he became acting Sheriff. In 1858, he was elected Circuit Clerk and Recorder of the county; was re-elected in 1862.
"Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland Counties" Illinois History Book