My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Wright County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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William C. Odell, a successful farmer and stock raiser of Union Township, Wright Co., Mo., was born in Pulaski County of that State in 1837, and is the son of Samuel and Mary L. (Devashier) Odell, and grandson of Enoch Odell, who was born in Virginia, and who was an old soldier in Jackson’s war. He married and lived in Tennessee, and was the father of three sons and five daughters. He moved to Missouri, where he died. The paternal great-grandfather was a native of Virginia. The Odells were of Irish descent, and the Devashiers were of German, Grandfather Devashier coming from Germany. Samuel Odell was born in White County, Tenn., October 30, 1800, and attained his growth in his native State. He was married in White County, Tenn., to Miss Cynthia Walker, who bore him seven children. They afterward moved to Illinois, but six years later moved to Missouri, locating in Pulaski County, and lived on the Osage Fork of the Gasconade until 1881, when he received his final summons. He was one of the pioneer men of this section of the country. His second wife, Mrs. Mary L. (Devashier) Odell, was born in Maury County, Tenn., in 1815, and died in December, 1888; she became the mother of nine children by her marriage, eight of whom grew to manhood. Abraham, one of the sons, was a Federal soldier, and was killed in the battle of Pleasant Hill, La. William Odell was married in 1858 to Miss Mary Randolph, who bore him eight children: James S., Enoch B., Mary A., wife of Thomas Colton; A. F., a young man, who has not attained his majority, but who weighs 203 pounds, and has traveled all over the United States; Isaac, Jacob, Billy and Cynthia. Mr. Odell was a member of Company B, Forty-sixth Missouri Infantry, and received his discharge at Springfield, Mo. He is a successful, enterprising farmer, and is the owner of 200 acres of land. He is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is a Democrat in his political views.

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This family biography is one of 90 biographies included in The History of Wright County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Wright County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Wright County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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