When World War II came to an end, Henry Ogden wanted to experience country and farm life, so he purchased a farm in Dunwoody, Georgia. Leila Harris Ogden was less enthusiastic about this adventure into country life. The farm was at 4831 Chamblee Dunwoody Road and is now Donaldson-Bannister Farm, a Dunwoody Park, owned by the city of Dunwoody and rehabilitated and managed by Dunwoody Preservation Trust.
As part of the sesquicentennial of Donaldson-Bannister Farm, I’ve been sharing the history of the families who owned the farm through the years. You can also read about the Donaldson, Pattillo/Bannister, and Roberts families in this blog. (Update: An article on the Smith Family, who bought the farm after the Roberts was added on April 30, 2020)
The next family to live there was Henry and Leila Harris Ogden, along with their children Hank and Meredith. Before moving to the farmhouse, the family lived with Leila’s parents, Arthur and Irma Harris. Their home was at 1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue, where Ponce meets Lullwater Road, and today is part of the Paideia School.
In 2018, Hank Ogden and Meredith Ogden Conklin, returned to the Dunwoody farm where they spent ten years of their childhood. They shared their memories of the years 1946 through 1956. There were very few houses around when they lived at the farm. In fact, Hank Ogden says there were only about six houses between their house and Chamblee.
It was an idyllic setting on twenty-six acres, plenty of outdoor space for children to roam and play. There was a creek to explore, swimming pool, farm animals and pastures. Both Meredith and Hank remember the swimming pool built into the creek down the road from the house. The pool was originally built by Lois Pattillo Bannister and included picnic tables and a changing house. There was a rock quarry somewhere north of the swimming pool. Today the house and outbuildings are on 2.9 acres.
There were all kinds of animals on the farm, including horses, cows, chickens, pigs, dogs, cats, ducks and a goat. Hank Ogden recalls that he had a wagon to ride in, pulled by a goat. Meredith Ogden enjoyed playing outside, digging in the leaves and dirt.
Hank and Meredith Ogden playing at the farm.
Henry Ogden stands in front of the caretaker’s cottage on the farm they called Boxwood Farm, today known as Donaldson-Bannister Farm.
One of Hank Ogden’s memories is going to downtown Atlanta to see a movie with his friends, by way of the streetcar from Oglethorpe University. They could catch a movie at the Fox, Rialto or Roxy Theatre, plus have popcorn and a Coca-Cola all for one dollar.
Ogden attended Dunwoody School for a while, but his parents moved him to Morgan Falls School in Sandy Springs. Meredith Ogden Conklin went to Morgan Falls School and later Hammond School, also in Sandy Springs. This meant the children had to be driven each day. Later, they moved to Randall Mill Road in Buckhead and attended private schools.
When asked whether they were sad to leave Atlanta and move to their Dunwoody farm, Hank and Meredith agreed that it was much more difficult to make the move from their farm to Buckhead.
Their father, Henry Ogden, was Vice President of Atlanta Paper Company and their mother Leila Harris Ogden, was daughter of Arthur I. Harris, President of Atlanta Paper Company. Leila Harris’ brother, Arthur L. Harris, would later become President of Atlanta Paper Company.
The Ogdens were generous to the community, paying for school lunches for Dunwoody children who couldn’t afford the fifteen cents. Many of the residents of Dunwoody were farmers, still struggling following the Great Depression and World War II.