The Hogarth Brothers after NYCC

After leaving Central College, both brothers returned to Brooklyn to be home with their mother. They worked menial jobs, George Jr. a pedlar and Joseph Henry a waiter, before enlisting themselves into service during the Civil War. 

As shown in this detail of the 11th Regiment in an 1890 report on retired soldiers, Joseph had spent his time in the Army as a private, enlisting in August of 1863 until his time of discharge in 1865. 

Joseph was 24 years of age when he enlisted in the 11th regiment. Here it's shown that he was a laborer before his time in the army. 

With the evidence of Joseph's pension card we know he was receiving money from the US Government for his services well into his later life. The sums were not likely to be very much, but they were a supplemental source of income alongside his other postwar jobs 

After the Civil War had passed, both of the siblings were back living in the New York City area close to where their mother resided. 

The Hogarth family as listed in the 1870 Census. George and Joseph are both named beneath Ellen and as related to her, being the head of household. Their occupations, George working at a store and Joseph as a porter. This shows that in the years well after their military service they had relocated back to Downstate New York. 

In 1880 Joseph H. appears to be working in Brooklyn as a porter. 

By 1884 both Hogarth brothers appear in the Brooklyn city directory, alongside another with the Hogarth last name, John. Here Joseph Henry is still a porter and George appears to be working as a janitor. This goes to show the modestness of the Hogarth brothers. They merely wanted to live as free African-Americans and make a living the honest way.