The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-08-26
A Famous Family.
From The Harrisburg siar-Independent


The announcement Of the deash ofMrs.
Charlotte Ogle, at Somerset, recalls the name
Of family which was once . potent factor
in the politics of this state. General Alex
ander Ogle vas one of the great men Of his
time. He was a man Of remarkable force Of
character and easily The leader in public
affairs in his section of the state. He repre-
sented his county in the state legislature
lettsred but mastery eloquence as well As
his unswervins devotion to popular rights.
he was democrat Of democrats and al in
innate friend Of Andrew Jackson. His son,
Charles 0gle, more famous than even his
great father, was an eminent lawyer and left
the democratic party to become the leader of
the anti-masonic movement in Western
Pennsylgania Until his detection from the
democracy Somerset county was steadfsst in
its adherence to the party of Jefferson and
Jackson. but so powerful was his personal
influence with the people ofthat county that
its democratic majority of seven hundred
was changed to an anti-masonic-whig ma
jority Of two thousand. He was elected to
congress several times and became widely
known through a speech delivered by him
on the floor of the house of representatives,
in which be severely criticised the admins
trstion Of Martin Van Buren, alleging among
other things, that the president used gold
spoons at his table. This speech drew from
the democrats the epithet of "spoony 0gle.r
which was freely applied to him by the par
tisan democratic press in the presidential
campaign Of 1910. His lsbors in that poiiti-
ca canvass were Of 50 arduo1s a character,
his speeches al the immense mass meetings
OF that time frequently occupying a whole
day in their delivery. that he died shortly
after the election from the effects Of his ex-
traordinary exertions on the stump. His
daughter, Mrs. Hurst, and daughter-ii-iaw,
Mrs. Hetiie ogle, perished in the JohnstOwn
flood OF lSS9. Alexander Ogle, the second
brother Of Charles, was a man ofsplendid
abilities and represented his county in the
legislature at one time, but fell into i'll health
early il life His son, the late Hon. a. J.
OBlc, AdlltlAAIAy AuO8n 70 tue pOllllClduS OF
the era of Taylor and Fillmore, as Jack
Ogle, served term in cOngress-lS49 to IS5l
and was defeated for re election by the late
John L. Dawson in 1859, the district then
being composed of the counties of Fayettee,
Greene and Somerset. He was appointed
minister to Denmark by President Fillmore,
but died suddenly when be was preparing
10 leave the country for the Danish court.
He was a tall aud exceedingly handsome
man and one of the most entertaining and
effective stump speakers Of his time. His
son, Lieutenant Alexander ogle, of the
United States army, died only few days
ago at Pittsburgh while en- route to his post
al Columbus, Ohio. Mrs. Charlotte Ogle,
who died al Somerset the other day, was the
widow Of Alexander ogle, the second, and
the mother of Jack She was an aunt Of
Hon. W. h Koontz, of Somerset, and of
Mrs. B. F. Meyers, of this city and the
mother-in-law of Hon. Edward Scull, the
present representative in congress from the
Somerset district.