▁an ▁original ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Associ ated ▁Press , ▁and ▁a ▁prominent ▁citiz en ▁in ▁Baltimore . ▁He ▁was ▁offered ▁political ▁positions , ▁including ▁United ▁States ▁Senator ▁and ▁a ▁United ▁States ▁Cons ul , ▁which ▁he ▁decl ined . ▁He ▁served ▁on ▁several ▁local ▁and ▁national ▁comm issions . ▁Ag n us ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 . ▁A ▁fun er ary ▁statue ▁formerly ▁placed ▁on ▁his ▁grave , ▁known ▁as ▁Black ▁A gg ie , ▁is ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁urban ▁leg ends . ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁Felix ▁Ag n us ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Lyon , ▁France , ▁on ▁ 4 ▁July ▁ 1 8 3 9 , ▁to ▁Et ienne ▁Ag n us ▁and ▁Anne ▁n ée ▁Bern er ra ▁Ag n us . ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁College ▁J ol ie ▁Cla ir , ▁near ▁Paris , ▁and , ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 2 , ▁set ▁out ▁on ▁a ▁voyage ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁for ▁four ▁years . ▁Upon ▁returning , ▁Ag n us ▁studied ▁sculpt ing . ▁He ▁abandoned ▁school ▁to ▁fight ▁in ▁the ▁Franco - A ust rian ▁War . ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Regiment , ▁and ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Monte b ello . ▁When ▁the ▁war ▁ended ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 9 , ▁he ▁em igr ated ▁from ▁France ▁first ▁to ▁New port , ▁Rh ode ▁Island , ▁and ▁later ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁where ▁he ▁worked ▁for ▁T iff any ▁and ▁Company . ▁ ▁Civil ▁War ▁service ▁On ▁