Attended in part or in full by a total of 57 persons, the program and the opportunity to meet with fellow Ogles was enjoyed by all. Shirley Ogle Willard and husband Bill Willard, organizers of the Convention, centered the general theme around the local libraries and the libraries’ genealogical information. Willard organized tours which enriched the Convention experience, one to the Fulton County Museum in nearby Rochester and another involving historic sites of Fort Wayne itself.

The Convention program involved a pleasant mix of past, present, and future. President James Engler, besides outlining the history of the Association largely for the benefit of first-time attendees, also gave a talk on the Nicholls Expedition, that military incursion which brought our common ancestor, John Ogle, to North America. Other bits of our past were vividly brought to life by Harlan Ogle in his “full regalia” representation of his great-grandfather Iverson Ogle and by Charles Ogles’ presentation of vintage farm equipment. Both programs were well-received. President Emeritus Wayne Ogle updated members on the long-planned Ogle Family Genealogy Book, which is nearing completion and publication. He made available several general genealogical charts of the first several generations of Ogles in North America. For those members interested in pursuing even more Ogle genealogy, or genealogy in other branches of their families, representatives of the Allen County Public Library also gave a presentation on it historical and genealogical resources and James Engler reminded members of the many links available via the Association’s website http://www.ogles.org.  The 2005 trip to Northumbria, under the capable leadership of J. W. Elder, was outlined, an illustrated summary of which was made available by Harlan Ogle on that trip’s highlights. Discussions were held regarding a repeat of this popular itinerary and a Committee formed to head up those plans. James Ogles of Snellville, Georgia, was named as Chairman, J. W. Elder to be available as consultant.

One of the Convention’s highlights was, as always, that of meeting cousins, “sharing” by attendees, the opportunity to meet, chat with, and exchange family data with one another. A general meeting of the Association updated members on the interim work of the Board members and an update on the Association’s finances. Elections returned incumbents Engler to the Presidency, Myrna Menke, Kimberly Jackson, Peggy Higham, and George Wiley Ogles to positions of Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Coordinator, and Immediate Past President. Paul Ogle was named as Vice-President, and Elinor Stroup as Member-at-Large, terms of office to begin January 1, 2007. The Convention closed with a gala banquet on Saturday evening, at which touching poetry was read by Elinor Stroup, bagpipes played by Mark Gropp - reminding us that we share Scottish as well as English ancestry - and the group singing of “God Be With You Till We Meet Again” which appropriately closed this very successful eighth Convention until we Ogles and Ogleses do indeed meet again at our next Convention in 2009.