Rash's Surname Index
Notes for Charles Smith OGDEN
CHARLES SMITH OGDEN402 was educated at Friends' schools in Phila. His mercantile training was in the wholesale drug and chemical business. In 1845 he formed a partnership with W. J. Jenks, which was dissolved in 1860 because of financial difficulty brought on by opening of the Civil War, their trade being largely carried on with the South.
In 1855 he was elected a Manager of the Board of Directors of Spring Garden Institute; in 1856 he was chosen Vice-President of the Tenth Ward Relief Association. He was one of the early Directors of the Mercantile Beneficial Association, and a Director of the first Board of Managers of the "Merchants' Fund," Vice-President of the Tenth Ward Republican Club, also Vice-President of the Central Republican Club.
In 1860, at a critical period of the political canvass in the State for the election of A. G. Curtin for Governor and Abraham Lincoln, President, a few prominent gentlemen assembled and formed a committee to render substantial aid in the collection and distribution of funds; Hon. Henry C. Carey acted as chairman and Charles Smith Ogden as secretary and treasurer. Their services were warmly acknowledged by the Governor-elect and Col. A. K. McClure, chairman of the State committee. After the election of Lincoln, at a meeting called for the purpose, Charles S. Ogden was made secretary, and a committee was appointed to proceed to Trenton, N. J., there to receive the President and escort him to Phila. The committee consisted of the Hon. Morton McMichael, Hon. Henry C. Carey, Hon. William D. Kelley, Charles Smith Ogden, and others. The following incident occurred on the special train after leaving Trenton: Mr. Lamon of the President's suite came into the car and announced that the President was ready to receive them and be personally introduced; as Charles S. was crossing the platform of the car to the President's car the wind blew off his hat; this caused much merriment to his friends as he entered. Upon moving up to the centre of the car where the President was standing, and before introduction, Lincoln asked, "What is the joke, gentlemen?" Judge Kelley replied, "One of our committee has lost his hat," indicating him; the President advanced, and presenting his hat, said, "Here, my friend, take mine; it is of no use to me, for they compel me to constantly take it off."
In 1861 he was appointed U.S. Consul-General to India; he declined the honor, and was afterward appointed Consul to Quebec, Canada, with "confidential relations" with the Department of State. This he accepted, and with his family went there to reside. He resigned in 1864, and Secretary Seward, in the acceptance of his resignation, said, "This department will lose with regret the services of a zealous and faithful officer."
In 1864 he was elected a member of the Union League of Phila. and served upon various committees. Upon going abroad he resigned, in 1886. On the one hundredth anniversary of the first meeting of the Continental Congress, held in Carpenters' Hall, Hon John Welsh presiding, Charles Smith Ogden was chosen secretary. In 1876 he presented to the city of Phila. two arm-chairs used in Independence Hall when the Declaration was signed. In 1892 he presented to the Historical Society of Penna. his original of the first portrait of George Washington, painted by Charles Willson Peale at Mount Vernon in 1772, also the portrait of "Billy Lee," the favorite military servant of Washington, by the same artist.
In 1886 he began his tour around the world, which was leisurely and painstaking, and occupied over five years. He travelled over 31,000 miles by water, never encountering a storm, and a corresponding distance overland, visiting the world's chief countries and cities and their main points of interest. He flrst passed through Cuba, Yucatan, and Mexico, and after visiting the Yosemite Valley and the Big Trees, sailed from San Francisco, 8 mo. 13, 1887, for Yokohama, Japan. He thence travelled through China, and was at the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs. He visited India, British Burmah, and Ceylon, and passed by the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea to Egypt and the Holy Land. From Syria he next went to Greece and Constantinople, and, crossing the Black Sea, spent some time in Russia. Thence he travelled through Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. On 10 mo. 7, 1888, he was in Hamburg, Germany, and after studying its other chief cities went through Austria to Venice, Rome, and other Italian cities. From Genoa and Milan he passed through Switzerland, its St. Gothard tunnel, and visited its beautiful lakes. He then toured Germany and France, and was at Monte Carlo on Christmas day, and at Cannes New Year's day, 1890. Crossing the Mediterranean to Oran, Africa, he passed through Algiers and Tunis, and thence sailed to Malta. He again visited Alexandria, and took passage up the Nile on the steamship Prince Abbas, and was at the old temples and tombs, ascending the valley to the First Cataract and the Isle of Phil‘. His course was thence to Sicily, its Mt. Etna, and to Sardinla and Corsica. Again in Italy, he visited Porto Ferrajo, Elba, Napoleon I.'s residence. Mt. Blanc and several Swiss cities and lakes were then studied, when he again entered Germany, and attended the Passion Play at Ober-Ammergau. From Germany he went to Holland and Belgium, and passing through several French cities, on 4 mo. 18, 1891, crossed to England. He leisurely studied old English cities, and was especially interested in Quaker Ogden researches. While spending some days in Scotland, a cablegram announcing the death of his son H. Corbit Ogden caused him to sail from Greenock for New York on the steamship Circassia, arriving 8 mo. 17, 1891.
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