a campsite for many farmers. John Harmeson came from Anderson, IL to what is now Ogden; he purchased from the government 9,160 acres at $1.20 per acre. The land was divided by his sons, with John receiving the land where Ogden now stands. He sold it to one of his relatives, John Leney, in 1861. The town consisted of nine blocks between Market and Leney Streets, to Broadway and North Street. It was laid out by John Leney in 1870. The town was named after a pioneer settler, John Ogden. An agreement was made that if John sold a tract of land to the railroad company, they would name the town after him. The Ogden family lived just south of town in a log cabin. The first general store opened on June 25, 1870. Ogden had a jail on the property where the village hall now lies. Business owners in Ogden have included J.W. Alsip (general merchandise/grocery), John Alsip (livery stable), James Bensyl (livery Stable), D.E. Helton (Jewelry), Kenneth Brown (appliances/historian), and many more. Patrick and William Brennan owned a peddler's wagon going through the countryside ringing its bell and showing many items for sale. They would buy chickens in trade because of the chicken coop attached underneath the wagon to carry them back to the store. The first newspaper in town, the Ogden Sun, began publishing in 1885. Ogden's Fire Department was organized in 1941 with Ray Richardson as chief. In 1912 resident John Rose donated the ground on which to build a town hall, stipulating that one room be reserved for a library. Mr. Rose died in August 1916 and willed $800 to start the library. Past librarians and board members include Lena Ackerman and Florence Sadler. In 1946 the American Legion Post 998 was organized. In 1959, a lot on the northeast corner of Main and East Streets was purchased by the American Legion and plans were made for a Memorial Park which stands today in honor of Ogden war veterans. Around 1871, the Methodist and Christian Churches were erected in Ogden. The first Nazarene church was built in Ogden in 1919. Reverend Clover Keen was the first pastor. Henry Cherry built the parsonage and later deeded it to the church. Henry Cherry's daughter, Nellie McKinney was a pianist for over 48 years. The ground for the first Ogden Methodist Episcopal Church was purchased from John and