A Surprise In Deed!

I have been doing genealogy for many years and I learned long ago that it is always important to visit courthouses and city halls for the actual documents. I have also learned to expect the unexpected.

I had an opportunity to travel to Butler, Bates Co. Missouri recently and spent quite a bit of time in the Bates County Courthouse.

In the 1880's, a few of my Badgley ancestors followed Martin Jones Badgley and moved from Belleville, Illinois to Butler, Missouri.  Martin J Badgley officiated at the marriage of my great grandfather Henry Isaac Ogle to my great grandmother Barbara Caroline  Roos in Butler in 1882.  After the death of Barbara in 1896, Henry returned to Butler and married M J's daughter Martha Isabel Badgley in 1897. I wanted to find the specific areas where they lived in Butler.   I was searching the microfilms of deeds looking for land purchases and sales.  Sometimes, with luck, you can find out much more than the land location.

I spent a great deal of time looking at many microfilms.  They were organized by year and then by Grantor and Grantee.  I never did find exactly what I was looking for, but there was one record that was exciting.  I found a will for Martin J. Badgley! ¹  Since there was a land transfer in the will it was included in the deed books.  It was a pleasant surprise.

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¹ Missouri, Bates County. Deeds. Book 85: 379-380.  Grantor Martin J. Badgley, grantee Priscilla Badgley et al.  Recorded July 30, 1888. Register of Deeds Office, Butler.

A Revolutionary War Hero

On September 27, 2015 in Shiloh, Illinois, I was honored to attend the monument dedication to Captain Joseph Ogle by the Ogle/Ogles Family Association.

Joseph Ogle was born 17 Jun 1737 in Maryland. His first wife was Prudence Drusilla Biggs (b. abt 1746, d. abt 1777 in western Virginia).  Joseph married his second wife, Jemima Meigs abt 1779 and they lived near the site of current day Wheeling, West Virginia.

Joseph was an illustrious fighter for his country. He served in 1775 as a Lieutenant in Captain George McColloch's company. He was commissioned to the rank of Captain by Gov. Patrick Henry of Virginia on 2 Jul 1777.  Among his many battles, he defended Ft. Henry in two attacks. He was also involved in battles at Foreman's Massacre in 1777 and the Coshocton Campaign in 1781.

In 1785 Joseph headed west to the area now known as Illinois.  Battling Indian attacks and dangerous currents on the Ohio river, and keeping his family safe, Joseph settled in the area known as The American Bottom in Illinois across the river from St. Louis.

Living with Jemima and raising his nine children, he was considered a local leader and was involved in several expeditions to deal with Indian attacks. Joseph was also the first Methodist baptized in Illinois and later became a preacher. He died on his farm on 24 Feb 1821 at the age of 84 in Ridge Prairie, Illinois a few miles from the current town of O'Fallon.

In 1836, a northern Illinois county was named Ogle County in honor of Joseph Ogle.

On September 24, 2015, a Tribute to Captain Joseph Ogle was entered into the Congressional Record in the United States House of Representatives.¹

The dedication on September 27, 2015 was attended by about 200 people. It was co-hosted by the Illinois Society Sons of the American Revolution Lewis and Clark Chapter, and the Belleville Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution.

The pageantry and speeches were a fitting tribute to this great man.

I am proud to say that Captain Joseph Ogle was my
 fifth great grandfather.

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^1. Volume 161, Number 138, Pages E1353 by the Hon. Mike Bost of Illinois.