A Life in the Saddle: Memoirs of a Pioneer, Circuit Rider and Missionary: A Life in the Saddle, #3

By Brian Hogan

A Life in the Saddle is an expansion on the account Rev. Davie Hogan left of his own life, which he entitled: Autobiography of David Hogan (1811-1899).

This is Part 3 of 4

The author will quote directly from this work in the following format, as in the following opening passage:

I propose on this the 16th day of February A.D. 1899, in the 88th year of my life, to continue the work of writing a biographic sketch of my life, from a very imperfect, or partially kept diary. I will here state, this work is only intended as a manuscript for the information of my children, grandchildren, and those who in the future may be interested in the history this writing may afford. I have tried to keep as far from self-laudation as possible. I therefore pray that whosoever may consult or read it, if they think they see a spirit of exultation, they will account for it, on other grounds than intention of the writer.

The rest of the text is comprised of quotes from other sources and background information researched and compiled by the author. Davie wrote for an audience with a base of shared experience and knowledge mostly lost to contemporary readers. The author has attempted to fill out Hogan's often terse or detail lacking account with the wealth of information on history, family members, and local color his ancestor neglected to include. By the way, the author, Brian Hogan, is Rev. Hogan's third great grandnephew.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brian Hogan
• Release date: Oct 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223856061

Book preview

Prosperity and Tribulation (1858-1860)

. . . March 1858, when I sold my entire land possessions and moved to Vernon County. I located two and a half miles south of Deerfield."

U

ncle Davie sold his Johnson county real estate and invested in a large tract of land on Big Dry Wood Creek called the Big Dry Wood Ranch. The road across his property afforded a shallow spot to cross the creek and is called Hogan's Ford or Hogan's Crossing to this day[1]. On April 20th, just a month after his arrival, Rev. David Hogan was appointed Postmaster of Deerfield, the nearest town. The Hogan home served as Post Office until 1863 when it was disbanded due to the Civil War.

Diagram, engineering drawing Description automatically generatedA picture containing text, wooden, table, wood Description automatically generated

It will not be out of place, I hope, to give some of the facts causing our move from Johnson to Vernon County.  I had enlarged my land possessions in Johnson far beyond a profitable occupancy. The thought suggested to my mind that if I would sell my land in Johnson, I could go south, and for a small portion of what it would bring, I could buy a good home where the range was good and with the remainder of the funds, I could buy a fine start in livestock; and I could even get rich, if God would bless my efforts. Now mark this fact - I failed to observe the charge of St. Paul to Timothy (1 Tim. 6:9-11).[2] God apparently favored my every movement for three years, but destruction overtook me, as we shall hereafter see. Now I do not believe it is wrong to manage our business affairs, in temporals, so that we may even get rich, but the love of riches, God will not favor.

I succeeded in the purchase of a large tract of land on Big Dry Wood, in Vernon County, two hundred acres in cultivation; I also