An early settler of Clearfield county. Daniel with three of his sons came up the West Branch [of the Susquehanna River] in canoes in 1796 or 1797 and settled just above the old Indian town of Chinklacamoose and its "cleared field", about where Ogden Avenue now intersects Second Street, Clearfield. Here he built a log house with some assistance from the Indians who were still living in the old town.

Daniel Ogden was no "piece worker," but was able to do most kinds of labor. For instance, he could build a house, (log), as he did his own with help, make a loom, or a spinning wheel, cut out pants, coat and vest, repair a gun, pull teeth, and doctor. He made the millstones for his mill that he and his son Matthew built on Moose Creek, and which were later used in a mill on Trout Run at Shawville. He could also weave and spin, in fact though raised in the woods (having been the first settler in Sullivan County, where his son David was killed in the Cherry Valley massacre), he had enough mechanical genius to take care of himself anywhere.

Whether Daniel Ogden was really the first bonafide settler as some claim he was, he was far and away the most valuable one who came to the county prior to 1800. His son Joab was the second settler (the first with a family) in Brady township.

Daniel Ogden very soon brought the others of his family. His descendants still live in and around Clearfield [1925], and in other parts of the country. He died in 1818. His wife Eleanor died in 1835 aged 98 years and 3 months.

Daniel is named in December of 1806 among the 155 taxable inhabitants of Chinklacamoose township, which included all of Clearfield county.1360
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Served in Col., Harper's 5th regiment, New York State, Militia. 2nd Lieutenant.1364
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Daniel Ogden, prior to his coming to this locality, was a resident of Cherry Valley, New York State. During the war that place was the scene of a massacre almost equal to Wyoming. All his property was destroyed, and one of his sons, David, was killed by the Indians. His wife, with the remaining children, were compelled to flee to the woods for safety, and remained there during the entire night. In the year I797 Mr. Ogden, with three of his sons, came to this place, ascending the West Branch in canoes. In this work they met with great difficulty. The channel in places was narrow and filled with rocks, rifts, and water-soaked trees, and they were obliged frequently to unload and drag their empty canoes over these places, which hindered their progress considerably. They passed above the old Indian town, and made a landing on the site now occupied by Matthew S. Ogden, about half a mile south of Clearfield court-house. There was but one break in the vast wilderness, the far-famed clear fields near the site of the Indian village of Chincleclamoose. These fields bore evidence of recent cultivation upon the arrival of the pioneer. After having made a clearing and erected a log house, which was done with some assistance rendered by the few Indians then here, Mr. Ogden returned to Cherry Valley and brought his family here. Of his eight children, none were born here. They were Abner, Jonathan, David, who was captured and slain by the Indians at Cherry Valley; Daniel, jr., Joab, Jehu, Matthew, and Margaret….

Daniel Ogden, the father, was a strong, muscular man, a great hunter, and quite fond of joking. There was no grist-mill nearer than Lock Haven, and when meal was low, he used an old jointer-plane turned bottom up, and by drawing an ear of corn along the surface, managed to manufacture a sufficient quantity of meal to supply the family demand. His son, Matthew, being of an ingenious turn of mind, built a grist-mill in 1804 on Chincleclamoose Creek. The greatest novelty, in construction, that ever was erected in the country, was Mat. Ogden's mill. There was but one piece of iron in the whole structure, a spike used for a spindle. The bolter was made of capcloth, and geared to the water-wheel with a strap, but notwithstanding its rude construction, the mill supplied the grist for the neighborhood for some time, and until Robert Maxwell built the second mill on Anderson Creek some years later. Matthew Ogden married Elizabeth Bloom, daughter of William Bloom, in the year 1802. This was the first marriage ceremony performed in the county. "Squire" Arthur Bell officiated.

Daniel Ogden died in I819, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. His wife died in 1835, aged ninety-eight years. Several of the children returned to New York State. Daniel, jr., moved over to the Allegheny River. Joab went West, but returned and settled near James Woodside, in Brady township in 1804, and was the second white settler in that locality. He died there.1365
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Daniel Ogden was the first settler in Sulivan County. He located Hillsgrove on a survey made on a warrant in the name of "William Clair." "He is supposed to have settled here about the close of the Revolutionary War, and tradition says he was a Tory†, and certain parties sought to take his life while at Hillsgrove.

He did not remain here a great while, but left soon after the Birds, Warrens and Molyneux's settled at the forks of the Loyalsock Creek, in 1794. Ogden said neighbors were getting too near, so he left and moved up the West Branch Valley. He, however, built a small grist mill,* which was the first in the County."—The Historical Journal. McGinness. Vol. II, pp. 205.

In an editorial note in The Historical Journal, Vol II., pp. 205, it is stated that "After leaving Lycoming County in 1797, Ogden and three of his sons ascended the West Branch in canoes to a point just below (above) the present town of Clearfield, where they settled. He soon afterwards returned to Cherry Valley, New York, and brought out his family. He is claimed to have been the first settler in Clearfield County, and many of his descendants still live there."52
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Daniel Ogden located on the farm lately occupied by Matthew S. Ogden [in 1904], on South Second Street, Clearfield Borough. Cherry Valley was the scene of a massacre "during which all of Ogden's property was destroyed and his son David killed by the Indians.52
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Of his eight children, none were born here. They were Abner, Jonathan, David, who was slain at Cherry Valley massacre; Daniel, Jr.,, Joab, John, Matthew and Margaret."1362

Daniel Ogden always believed he was the only white man in the country now included within the present bounds of Clearfield County during the Winter of 1797-8. This fact his daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Ogden: widow of Matthew Ogden, and her brother, Benjamin Bloom, have repeatedly stated, and in which they are sustained by the Raftsman's Journal, article of July 11th, 1859.

It was when Daniel Ogden returned to the "Big Island" on one of his trips that he met Arthur Bell, who soon afterwards followed him to Chingleclamouche's old Town, where he remained with Ogden and assisted him in the erection of his house, after which he went further up the River to settle. John Bell followed his brother Arthur.1366
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Arthur Bell came up the river, from Big Island, in a small canoe– at that day there were no roads. Even the Indian trails had not yet been discovered. So, the only means of travel was by the river. When he arrived at Ogden’s, the senior Ogden and his sons were busily engaged building a log cabin. Bell, being a man of genius impulses, and always ready and willing to assist his fellows and though he had never before seen Mr. Ogden, he immediately landed his canoe, and for several days assisted him in constructing his first house. The house, being completed he again embarked, and turned the prow of this canoe up stream.1367
NOTE: See more about Bell’s trek in the notes of his record in this database.3
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Clearfield Borough, located nearly in the center of Clearfield County, began when Daniel Ogden, in 1797, first saw this land and saw that the cleared fields were covered by buffalo grass. He noticed that the bison herds didn't seem to harm the growth of this grass. In hopes of obtaining his own supply of hay, he fenced in the area and cut the grass. After cutting the buffalo grass, it never grew back. This resulted in the bison leaving the area.

Lots in Clearfield were initially sold for $30 to $50. At one point, though, the cost for a lot dwindled to $1.50 to $2. During this time, there was only one tavern, a tannery, and approximately ten homes.1368
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In 1797 Daniel Ogden and his son Matthew came up the river and located where M. S. Ogden of Clearfield now [1878] resides.... The next house [after the first cabin in Clearfield county was erected by James Woodside] was built by Daniel Ogden, at " Chincleclamousche," in the year 1797. He afterward erected a grist mill on Moose creek, a mile and a half above his location. He also planted the first orchard, on the farm occupied at present [1878] by M. S. Ogden. This was about the year 1798. The largest piece of iron used in the construction of the mill was a three inch spike....

To give an idea of the early settlers' privations we present the following: Daniel Ogden, with his son Matthew, only eighteen years of age, and Arthur Bell, came up the West Branch in the spring of 1797, bringing with them the simple tools of the pioneer, with a few potatoes and seeds for their first crop.

Ogden settled near the mouth of the "Chincleclamousche" creek, now called Moose creek; and Bell several miles up the river, above the present site of Clearfield. They suffered various trials and hardships in opening up their new home. Provisions were very scarce, and the nearest settlement was at Bald Engle, one hundred and forty miles distant by water. Nothing of any weight could be brought by land.

For some time before the mill was built they pounded their corn in mortars. Their route by land was the old Indian path across the mountains, by the Snow Shoe camp, to Milesburg. Mr. Ogden once traveled this route in winter, with snow shoes, requiring two and a half days to reach Milesburg--33 miles. When Daniel Ogden first saw his new location [Clearfield], the cleared fields were covered with buffalo grass. The pasturing of the stock upon it did not interfere with the next season's growth. Hoping to lay in a supply of hay he fenced in the lands, cut the grass, and made a quantity of hay. But this was the last of the buffalo grass. The scythe of the pioneer was as a deadly poison to it, and it never grew again.1369
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In the same year that Daniel Ogden settled at Chinclelamousche, making the first permanent settlement in Clearfield county, Arthur Bell came up the river, from Big Island, in a small canoe– at that day there were no roads. Even the Indian trails had not yet been discovered. So, the only means of travel was by the river. When he arrived at Ogden’s, the senior Ogden and his sons were busily engaged building a log cabin. Bell, being a man of genius impulses, and always ready and willing to assist his fellows and though he had never before seen Mr. Ogden, he immediately landed his canoe, and for several days assisted him in constructing his first house. The house, being completed he again embarked, and turned the prow of this canoe up stream.1367
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The first industry to spring into existence [in Clearfield County] was the exportation of sawed lumber. Prior to 1805 Daniel Ogden and Frederick Haney had erected saw-mills.1370
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The story is told that when Daniel Ogden had grown old and quite feeble and lived with his son Matthew, who was then running the farm, one evening at dusk he said, "Matt, I'll go down to the lick and kill an elk. When you hear the gun go off, come down and bring it in." Soon the family heard the gun crack, but the son who thought his father was growing somewhat feeble minded, paid no attention.

However in a few minutes Daniel came hurrying up and said "I shot an elk and he ran across the river, but fell and is laying on the beach at the other side. Come and bring him in." And sure enough when the family went down to the natural "salt lick" which was on the river bank a few feet above the abutment of the present Second Street Bridge, there was a big elk laying at the edge of the water on the far side of the river. This is believed to have been the last native elk killed in the county.1371
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Daniel Ogden, pioneer settler from Cherry Valley, New York, Rev War Vet, son David, Mathhew, Daniel’s wife, Elanor Scoutan. In 1810 clearfield county census.653
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The first sermon preached in the county was by Rev. Charles Pinnock, a Baptist clergyman, at Daniel Ogden's funeral.1372 [This Daniel Ogden?]


*A gristmill or grist mill is a building in which grain is ground into flour. In many countries these are referred to as corn mills or flour mills.
† An American colonist who supported the British side during the American Revolution.3

Of the children of Daniel Ogden, several returned to the State of New York, and we have no trace of them.1375