26-JAN-1998 Family Group Sheet Page 1
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Husband: William Franklin "Frank" O'DELL #12
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Born: 12 AUG 1859 in: Tazewell (Claiborne) TN
Church: S. BAPTIST in:
Died: 20 FEB 1948 in: Plymouth (Marshall) IN
Cemetery: S.GERMANY/ZION in: Fulton County, IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation: Farmer/"singing teacher"
Father: William Lacy O'DELL #182
Mother: Sarah Ann "Sally" OVERBEY #181
Per the "Unrecorded Deeds" found on p 12 of the Laurel Co. Hist. Soc. publication, April 1994, the following deed was discovered in a box in the county court house:
"This indenture made and entered into this March 21, 1881 by and between Wm. H. SASSER ...and John H. ODELL...all of ...Laurel... KENTUCKY....for and in consideration of the sum of Eighty dollars... and sold unto the said John H. ODELL...parcel of land lying and being in Laurel County and State of KENTUCKY on the water of CAIN CREEK and bounded as follows...___?____WILLIAMS Corner Thence unto the first to the top of the Ridge to a Walnut Corner of Frank ODELL and George
PROFITT Thence ...supposed to contain fifty acres more or less...unto the said John H. ODELL his heirs and assigns...attested - Evan JONES Dep. Clk for C W WILLIAMS C.L.C."
This deed gives some idea of the location of property owned by Wm. F. "Frank" O'DELL and his first wife, Rachel PHELPS O'DELL. It also indicates that one of the WILLIAMS families lived in the same general area, although the first name evidently was not readable on the deed. Compiler also found a deed indexed for Laurel Co. Deed Book K, page 256: Grantee - W.F. O'DELL Grantor - W.H. SASSER 26 OCT 1882. Deed was not researched at that time, so it is unknown if this is the same parcel of land or a different one.
"Frank" O'DELL was the third of four children born to Sarah OVERBEY and Lacey O'DELL prior to Lacey's enrollment in the Union Army. About 3 years after his father's death, Sarah and her children relocated from Claiborne Co., TN to Laurel Co.,KY. In 1874, Sarah married William PHELPS, a widower and the father of Rachel Isabell and Virginia Margaret O'DELL.
"Frank" lost his first wife, Rachel Isabell and both of their young daughters in the 1880s. He then married Rachel's younger sister in 1889. Sometime between Oct., 1901 and Oct.,1903, Frank and his family moved to Montgomery County, IN. Then before 1906 they moved again to OKLAHOMA, where three of their children were born before
they returned to INDIANA about 1914 and remained there until their deaths.
Frank was a staunch Baptist, and delighted in singing "the old gospel hymns" such as "Amazing Grace," which he had learned and had taught in "Shaped-note School" in KY.
Compiler remembers little about this grandfather, but among the sketchy memories, there is a mental picture of Frank O'DELL, thick gray hair, heavy mustache, rocking in a large old wooden rocking chair on the porch of his daughter's home outside Argos, IN. As he rocked, Grandpa slapped the old rubber fly swatter on the arm of the chair in rhythm with the mountain-style version of "Amazing Grace" that he was singing; and as he sang
every one of the 5 verses from memory, tears trickled from the corners of his ancient brown eyes.
July 1996: Compiler found a court record from 1891, Laurel Co., KY, wherein "W.F. O'DELL" was appointed guardian for Nancy O'DELL, female, 11 years old, heir of W.F. O'DELL, dec'd...Entered bond..." The Nancy O'DELL mentioned would have been the second child born to Frank and Bell PHELPS O'DELL. Compiler has no idea why this appointment was made; it has been suggested that it might have been the result of an estate settlement after the death of William A. PHELPS. Bell, one of the daughters of Wm. PHELPS, would have inherited a share of his estate. Since she and her daughter, Virginia Ann,
both died about the same time as William PHELPS, it could be that her share was passed on to Nancy D. in trust. Since Nancy was only 11 years of age, it is likely that a guardian would have been appointed for that trust.
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Wife: Rachel Isabell "Bell" PHELPS #183
Married: 25 MAY 1879 in: Laurel County, KY
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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Born: 16 OCT 1861 in: Laurel County, KY
Church: BAPTIST in:
Died: 29 JUN 1885 in: Laurel County, KY
Cemetery: in:
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Father: William A. PHELPS #159
Mother: Elizabeth CAUDEL #160
"Frank" O'DELL married this daughter of William A. PHELPS about five years after his mother and Rachel's father were married. "Frank" and Rachel had two daughters who both died young. After Rachel's death, Frank married her younger sister, Virginia Margaret PHELPS, compiler's grandmother. (Frank O'DELL's brother, Isaac L., married another sister of Rachel and Virginia, Alsey E. PHELPS.)
According to Callie (O'DELL) WILLIAMS, niece/stepdaughter of Rachel PHELPS, Rachel was called "Belle" by the family. Compiler has found no offical documents concerning the cause of death nor the exact date. Family tradition has reported that Rachel and both of her daughters died of flu/fever that was at epidemic proportions
at the time. It should be noted, however, that the dates of the three deaths do not support this. Rachel supposedly died in 1885; Virginia Ann in 1887 and Nancy D. nearly ten years later, 1895. (The source of the WARRENs'data is not given in their booklet.)
March, 1996: Compiler's uncle, Hubert D. O'DELL, loaned compiler some actual Family Record Sheets from his mother's Bible. Handwritten notes among these yielded the precise date of Rachel's birth and death, as well as the date of her marriage to Frank O'DELL and the births of their two daughters. The date of death for one of the daughters, Virginia Ann, is also found in these notes.
July, 1996: Cemetery index found at the Laurel County Public Library
shows a listing of graves at the abandoned PHELPS Cemetery "located near Highway 80E" outside London, KY. On that list is one entry which reads, "ODELL, ? Members of the ODELL Family." Compiler had previously found one grave in that cemetery marked "Sally A. ODELL," the first wife of John Henry "Bud" O'DELL, but did not see other O'DELL graves. It is possible that this is the place of burial for Rachel and her daughters, but this has not been confirmed.
Just as compiler was preparing to leave the Laurel County Court House after this brief research visit, a court order involving "Frank" O'DELL was found in Court Records Book J. There was not enough time to get a photocopy of the order, so very sketchy notes
were taken. The gist of the order was that "W.F. O'DELL was appointed guardian for Nancy D. O'DELL, 11-year-old heir of 'W.F. ODELL, dec'd'." The reason for this appointment is not at all clear. "Frank" had been married to Bell's sister, Maggie, for about two years by the time of this appointment (1891). Nancy is believed to have been Frank's natural daughter. Why he would have had to be appointed guardian by the court is a mystery. Family tradition has it that Nancy D. died in 1895 -- four years after this guardianship appointment. Further research of court records between 1891 and 1895 is needed. Frank's annual reports to the court on this guardianship may explain the reason for his appointment. It is also possible
that court records from the time of Bell's death to the 1891 appointment may reveal the reason for the court's action. (It is assumed that the "W.F. ODELL, dec'd" was miscopied from the actual proceedings.)
The "BRANCHES OF LAUREL" reference listed below, records the date of this marriage as "5/22/1879", probably the day the application was filed.
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Wife: Virginia Margaret "Maggie" PHELPS #11
Married: 27 OCT 1889 in: Laurel County, KY
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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Born: 19 OCT 1870 in: Laurel County, KY
Church: BAPTIST in:
Died: 28 MAY 1924 in: Plymouth (Marshall) IN
Cemetery: S.GER/ZION CEM. in: Fulton County, IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Father: William A. PHELPS #159
Mother: Elizabeth CAUDEL #160
Compiler knows very little about her Grandmother Virginia Margaret except a few details related to her by A. Elizabeth O'DELL, compiler's mother. From the time of "Lizzie's" birth, Virginia Margaret had a crippled leg. Per "Lizzie," her mother cut the bottom from a cane-bottom chair. By putting her crippled leg on the chair, Virginia Margaret used it like what we now know as a "walker", which enabled her to carry out the tasks of caring for her large family.
Compiler particularly remembers stories that portrayed this grandmother as a quiet-spoken, philosophical woman who must have held to considerable mountain superstition. For example, following her eldest daughter's elopement, she, out of great disappointment
chided the girl with "hopes that (Hettie) would not live to regret having been married in black." (Virginia Margaret had been in the process of making a pink dress for the bride when they decided to elope).
On the day when "Lizzie" mashed her finger between the pump and the pump handle in a fit of temper, Virginia Margaret prophesied that "...(Lizzie) will go to your grave with this reminder of your quick temper..." (And she did!)
Virginia lost her own mother soon after she was born; she was raised by her father, her older sister and her stepmother, Sarah OVERBEY O'DELL PHELPS, who was reputed to be "very difficult." Virginia's husband, Sarah's son, was also a demanding and difficult person; her life as his wife
and mother to ten children was far from easy. She spent a great amount of time as a "single parent" because of her husband's frequent travel.
Pictures of Virginia Margaret in the early 1920s show her as a rather stout woman, whose posture was "tall and erect" (as was her daughter Elizabeth's). She had a rather square face, dark hair and eyes; her long hair was braided and the braids wound around her head. Her two oldest daughters wore their own hair in this same style in their middle years, and showed great resemblance to their mother.
There has been argument among compiler and her siblings about our grandmother's "real name." Compiler remembered always hearing Margaret Virginia. Some of the siblings argued for
Virginia Margaret. The O'DELL Family Tree Book records her name as Virginia Margaret. When compiler finally re-examined Grandma's tombstone, she had to yield--the stone reads "Virginia Margaret..."
March 1996: Compiler received a letter from Hubert D. O'DELL, Virginia's youngest son. The pages from his mother's Bible which contain handwritten family records show her name as "Maggie V." Apparently she was called "Maggie", but whether the Virginia was a middle name or whether she simply preferred to use her middle name is not known.
One of the Family Record pages contains the following notation in what seems to be a man's writing (Frank O'DELL's??):
"William F. Odell and Maggie V Phelps was Maried
Oct the 27 1889."
On another page from the same Bible, in what appears to be the same writing and the same green ink is written, "Maggie Phelps 18?0" (maybe '70) "was Bornd Oct the 19 18?0" ('looks like '90 in one place, then directly under it is another "1890" with lines drawn through it.)
Examination of the 1920 Census for Fulton County, IN showed Virginia M. O'DELL as 49 years of age, born in KENTUCKY. She reported that she was able to read and write, that her father was born in VIRGINIA and her mother in KENTUCKY. At the time of this enumeration, Virginia and her husband had seven children residing in their household - John G., 25, Thomas L., 19, Isaac M., 18, Alcie E., 16, Lillie R., 12, Callie O., 10 and Hubert D., 7.
Compiled by:Ann & Ernie Grubb
26-JAN-1998 Family Group Sheet Page 1
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Husband: John "Red" Gilbert O'DELL #165
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Born: 29 JUL 1894 in: Laurel County, KY
Church: in:
Died: 26 JUL 1952 in: Rochester (Fulton) IN
Cemetery: S.GERMANY/ZION in: Fulton County, IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation: Farmer
Father: William Franklin "Frank" O'DELL #12
Mother: Virginia Margaret "Maggie" PHELPS #11
"Red" O'DELL, in spite of his frequent use of swear words and almost constant teasing, was loved by his family and highly esteemed by friends and neighbors. He was a "red neck" in many ways but one of the most caring and generous people compiler has ever known. When anyone, family, friends or neighbors, had problems and needed help, "Red" was there. Compiler remembers many stories of members of the extended family being out of work or ill and having food supplied from Red's farm or from groceries he bought and took to them.
Still, this man knew trouble of his own. Twin daughters died in infancy and a son also died at birth after 1926. His beloved wife, Sarah, suffered from mental illness and after several years of trying to care for her at home, Red had to raise his two boys alone when Sarah was committed to the Mental
Hospital in Logansport,IN. She never returned for more than a short visit.
The personal description of John Gilbert O'DELL taken from his draft registration card: 23 years of age
"Medium" height "Stout" body build "Gray" eyes
"Red" hair ("bald") NO"Red was real good to Sarah's family. He kept Frank and Aunt Lydia like they were his own family...Sarah's brother Frank lived with them and helped with the farming. When they lived on the Brewer place Frank started acting funny---talking to himself and getting mad over nothing. He kept getting worse, he said something to his mother and she laughed and he got real mad. Red talked with the county doctor and they examined him (Frank) and put him in Longcliff, a mental hospital at Logansport.
I don't know when he died. We never heard from Roy. We didn't know about Sarah's death till I read it in the newspaper. She was buried the same day...."
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Wife: Sarah Louise MARSHALL #166
Married: 29 MAY 1920 in: Rochester (Fulton) IN
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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Born: 31 AUG 1900 in: Tiosa (Fulton) IN
Church: in:
Died: 01 FEB 1989 in: Lafayette (Tippecanoe) IN
Cemetery: S.GER/ZION CEM. in: Fulton County, IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Father: George W. MARSHALL #1088
Mother: Lydia Lavina O'BLENIS #1087
Compiler never knew "Aunt Sarah", but the family reports of her illness and years of hospitalization were so familiar that it seemed that we were well acquainted. Sarah was a beautiful and talented young girl. She was for a time the sweetheart of compiler's father, Virgil GILCHRIST. Virgil told many stories of Sarah attending musical concerts, hearing for the first time a piano arrangement, then going home and playing it the same way on her piano.
Sarah knew heartache. In 1924, she gave birth to twin girls who both died in infancy. Later, after 1926, a son died at birth. There was a history of mental illness in Sarah's family; a brother took his own life. While her two sons were quite young, Sarah was committed to the State Mental Hospital in Logansport, IN. She never returned home except for short visits.
Sometime after the death of her husband in 1952, Sarah was moved to the Indiana Veteran's Home in Lafayette. She died there in 1989.
Wilma MOW FOLTZ; Rochester, IN related the following stories to compiler in a letter, June, 1994. Wilma's mother and Sarah's mother were sisters.
"Red and Sarah lived south-west of Argos when Sarah started acting funny. I don't think she and Red had any problems but one day she decided she was going to live with Aunt Nora WRIGHT, a sister to Aunt Lydia (her mother)...and to my mom.
Red took her to Burr Oak--2-3 miles north of Culver. While she was staying there Bob graduated from Richland Center. Bob and I were in the same class, 1939.
Sarah wanted to see Bob graduate so Aunt Nora fixed sandwiches and a bottle of water and Sarah started walking to my folks house (20+ miles). Some farmer picked her up and brought her all the way. She got to see Bob graduate.
That summer she started acting strange. Aunt
Nora was afraid to keep her so Aunt Lydia and Sarah got an apartment in Rochester. Sarah kept getting worse so the doctor sent her to Longcliff..." (Logansport) "Suppose now the Drs. could help but 50 years ago they didn't have the medicine--or know how..."
"Red and Sarah lived northwest of Rochester on the Brewer farm.
Sarah's mother and brother lived with them. One evening Red looked out the door and saw Bob standing on the rear "hocks" of a horses' legs, hanging onto the tail while getting a "free" ride around the barn."
Compiled by:Ann & Ernie Grubb
26-JAN-1998 Family Group Sheet Page 1
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Husband: Charles "Charlie" Cecil MOW #243
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Born: 08 AUG 1872 in: Fulton County, IN
Church: METHODIST in: Richland Center (Fulton) IN
Died: 22 NOV 1916 in: Fulton County, IN
Cemetery: IOOF in: Richland Center (Fulton) IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation: Farmer
Father: Adam Hartzell MOW #118
Mother: Harriet Jane WALKER #117 Data copied from "Death Records 1882-1920" at the Fulton County Board of Health, by Rosemary WILLIAMS, give the date of death for "Chas. C. MOW, Male, White, 44 yrs..." as "Nov. 30 1916".
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Wife: Clara Fredonia HARPSTER #244
Married: 30 SEP 1896 in: Fulton County, IN
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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Born: 26 JUN 1879 in: Topeka (Shawnee) Kansas
Church: METHODIST in: Richland Center (Fulton) IN
Died: 02 NOV 1950 in: Buchanan (Berrien) MI
Cemetery: IOOF in: Richland Center (Fulton) IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Father: Samuel HARPSTER #660
Mother: Eliza Jane EVANS #659
Compiled by:Ann & Ernie Grubb
26-JAN-1998 Family Group Sheet Page 1
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Wife: Harriet Eliza MOW #777
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Born: 02 NOV 1913 in: Richland Township (Fulton) IN
Church: in:
Died: 10 FEB 1973 in: Lake Alfred (Polk) FL
Cemetery: in:
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Father: Charles "Charlie" Cecil MOW #243
Mother: Clara Fredonia HARPSTER #244
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Husband: Collis PUTT #778
Married: 06 SEP 1930 in:
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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Born: in:
Church: in:
Died: in:
Cemetery: in:
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Father:
Mother:
Compiled by:Ann & Ernie Grubb
26-JAN-1998 Family Group Sheet Page 1
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Husband: James Harold WEIR #245
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Born: 25 JUL 1889 in: Fulton County, IN
Church: METHODIST in: "Whippoorwill"
Died: 11 MAY 1966 in: Noblesville (Hamilton) IN
Cemetery: IOOF in: Richland Center (Fulton) IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation: Farmer
Father: George W. WEIR #242
Mother: Sarah "Sattie" Estella MOW #241
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Wife: Anna Gertrude KERLER #246
Married: 02 SEP 1919 in: Akron (Fulton) IN
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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Born: 05 SEP 1897 in: Fulton County, IN
Church: in:
Died: 21 OCT 1948 in: Richland Township (Fulton) IN
Cemetery: IOOF in: Richland Center (Fulton) IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Father: George KERLER #634
Mother: Lydia MARSHALL #633NOTE: Dollie Kerler, sister is listed as Dollie Gleen in the above. Per Wilma FOLTZ, her middle name is "Glee".
Per the 1920 census enumeration (19 Jan. 1920), "Annie G." was 22 years of age.
Compiled by:Ann & Ernie Grubb
26-JAN-1998 Family Group Sheet Page 1
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Husband: Leo "Lee" Clark MOW #236
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Born: MAR 1895 in: Fulton County, IN
Church: GRANDVIEW EUB in: Fulton County, IN
Died: 24 JUN 1958 in: Fulton County, IN
Cemetery: IOOF in: Richland Center (Fulton) IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation: Farmer
Father: Marion Lee Walker MOW #226
Mother: Eva Lanora CLARK #227
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Wife: Esther Marie BURKETT #237
Married: 20 APR 1918 in: Fulton County, IN
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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Born: 29 OCT 1896 in: Fulton County, IN
Church: METHODIST in: Rochester (Fulton) IN
Died: 02 JAN 1977 in: Rochester (Fulton) IN
Cemetery: IOOF in: Richland Center (Fulton) IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Father: William BURKETT #952
Mother: Martha AUDGEON #951
Compiled by:Ann & Ernie Grubb