OGG, B.F. AND CAMA (PONTON) by Mrs. Ford Waring

Benjamin Franklin Ogg was born in Summerfield, Noble County, Ohio April 17, 1865. He came with his parents to Kansas in 1869. He had measles when they crossed the Mississippi and a black mama sang a song to him and kept him wrapped in a blanket. He used to sing that song when he told the grandchildren stories of his early days. His parents had signed for land which now is Minnesota Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas. Upon arriving in Kansas, they found that area occupied. They then went southwest and settled on a farm close to Douglass, Kansas. Later they moved to Douglass and had a hotel there. As a young boy he had several tasks, such as taking care of the commodes in each room and driving the hack (wagon) to pick up people at the railway station. They had lots of drummers (salesmen) stay at the hotel.

Cama Ora Ann Ponton was born November 9, 1871 in Greensboro, Gilford County, North Carolina. She came with her parents and grandmother to Kansas, arriving in Wichita on her third birthday. They settled on a farm near Rose Hill, later moving to Douglass. B.F. and Cama were married in Douglass on February 8, 1887. They went west in a covered wagon to an area close to Johnson, Kansas and took a claim, building a sod house. They were one of few that had glass windows in their soddie. Cama returned to Douglass when she was pregnant. B.F. stayed to prove the claim. They lived in Douglass area for awhile, where three of their children were born. They were: Hazel Annetta, born December 4, 1887, passed away August 2, 1889; Floyd Liman, born August 22, 1889; and Otis Talmage, born January 22, 1892.

They moved to Oklahoma for awhile, raising Texas longhorns in the Guthrie area. Later, they owned a meat market in Chandler, Oklahoma. Four more children were born: Courtney Stamp, born June 30, 1894; Beulah Beatrice, born July 3, 1897; Cecil Rodolph, born November 17, 1900; and Lawrence Jesse, born June 15, 1906.

In 1908, B.F. went by train to Baldwin, Kansas, planning to move his family there and send the children to Baker University. B.F.'s sister had gone to Baker. He had a two hoot wait in Ottawa, both going and coming. He found Baldwin too small for his large family and he liked what he saw in Ottawa. In August 1908, B.F. and sons Floyd, Otis, and Courtney came by covered wagon with five horses to Ottawa. It took them two weeks. Cama and the other children went by train to Douglass until they were settled. They rented a house on the east side of Main between Eighth and Ninth Streets. It was one of the houses destroyed years later when a gasoline truck turned over and five houses were burned. They bought house on West Second between Willow and Maple. Their last child was born there. She is Dorothy Elizabeth, born May 25, 1914, and writing this report. B.F. started the Ogg's Cash & Carry Store shortly after arriving in Ottawa. It was across from the Court House at 330 South Main, where Pizza Village is today. As the boys and my sister got old enough they started working in the store. Some of them attended Ottawa University. Around 1940 B.F. celebrated 50 years in the meat business. While living on West Second, there were seven floods in one year. Water got into the house several times. One time they went out the upstairs window into a boat. B.F. found a house out of flood area at 1034 West Seventh and bought it with five acres of ground. They moved there April 17, 1916. In 1922 they moved the house on the east corner of the property and built a new one on the site. The boys Floyd, Courtney, Cecil, and Lawrence all married and lived in Ottawa and worked in the store. Otis married an Ottawa girl but became a salesman with Swift's Packing and lived in Topeka. Beulah married Ferguson Shuey. He worked in the store and at the Gas Service Company. Dorothy married Ford Waring and moved around till retiring in Ottawa. In about 1935 Courtney and his two boys went into a store at Sixth and Maple. B.F. turned the downtown store over to Floyd, Cecil, and Lawrence. Upon retiring, B.F. bought a farm seven and a half miles south, where he fattened Hereford calves. In around 1946, because of Floyd's ill health, they closed the store. Cecil continued in the meat business with A&P. Lawrence went into the cement business with his wife's brother. It is now Penny Cement.

All the family but Otis is buried in Highland Cemetery. Cama passed away in 1947, BF in 1956, Cecil in 1980, Floyd in 1981, Beulah in 1986, Courtney in 1984, and Lawrence in 1988. All were active in church and community service.

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