Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western
Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
CONBURSE J. OGDEN has labored
quite extensively in bringing about the improvement and upbuilding of Okanogan
county. He has devoted himself largely to general farming and stock raising
since coming here, and it is to these related industries that he is bending
his energies at the present time. He resides one mile south from the Methow,
where he has also started a fine orchard and expects in the near future
to be one of the large shippers of fruit from Okanogan county.
Conburse J. Ogden was born in Fulton county,
Illinois, on June 20, 1861, the son of Joseph and Samantha (Babbitt) Ogden,
natives of Illinois and Indiana, respectively. The father was a miller
and a farmer. When our subject was four years of age, he came with his
parents to Carthage, Missouri, and there remained until he grew to manhood.
He was well educated in the common schools and learned the trade of the
miller, in addition to doing farm work. In 1887, he came west to Ellensburg
and there took up the hotel business. He operated the Ellensburg and then
the Horton, until 1890. In that year he removed to Centralia, Washington
and opened a restaurant, attending to that business for one year. The year
1891 marks the date in which he came to Okanogan county and Ruby was the
place of his first settlement. He was variously engaged there for three
years, when he removed to the Methow valley, one mile east from Twisp.
At that place he took a homestead and improved it in a very becoming manner.
After securing title to the land, he sold it in 1898 and then went to the
Republic country and did road making and contracting for some time. In
1901, Mr. Ogden settled on his present piece of land of one hundred and
sixty acres and since that time he has devoted himself to its cultivation
and to stock raising.
At Ellensburg, Washington, in November, 1889,
Mr. Ogden married Miss Elvira, daughter of Emille and Malinda Galliac,
and to this union six children have been born, Carl, Herbert, Mabel, Melba,
Irene, and Blanche.