Sunday, August 21, 2016

ODOM/ODUM/OLDHAM

   
ODOMS

Like the Hendersons, our Odom research has been quite a journey. The Odom and Henderson lines intersect with the marriage of Sarah Francis Odom and James H. Henderson about 1844 in Mississippi (marriage record not yet found in any of the counties where their families are known to have lived or the surrounding counties. Pike and Simpson Counties had fires and the early records were lost. Marriage date has been calculated by age of oldest child.) The Odom-Henderson line was previously covered in posts #14 through post #18 of this blog.

For many years, most of us researching this Odom line, have known that a Richard Odom was the father of Sarah Francis but various undocumented internet trees do not have the correct Richard and do not have his correct linage. The next few posts on this blog will attempt to present the correct information with documentation.

Richard Odom was probably born before 1792 in South Carolina. By 1820, he was residing in Pike County, Mississippi (1820 U.S. Census; Census Place: Pike, Mississippi; Page: 87, NARA Roll: M33_58; Image 119.) Also about 1820, Richard married his first wife, (First name unknown) Merchant. This marriage record has not been found but the date was surmised by the birth of their first child in 1821. Some trees assert the wife's first name as Mary or Nancy or Sarah or Jane. This needs more extensive research. On this 1820 census only two people were in the household, one male age "of 16 and under 26", and one female age "of 26 and under 49".

The next census record where Richard Odom is found is the 1840 census in Simpson County, Mississippi. (1840; Census Place: Simpson, Mississippi; Roll:217; Page 218; Image: 893; Family History Library Film: 0014841) In the household was the following enumeration: Males: Ages10-14, 2
40-49, 1
Females: Ages 5-9, 1
10-14, 2
15-19, 2
40-49, 1

By 1850, Richard's first wife Unknown Merchant had died and Richard had married Elizabeth Cook, widow of Joseph Purvis. Richard and Elizabeth had no children together.

In 1850, also in Simpson County, Mississippi, Richard's household is listed as follows: #27
Richard Oldham (name misspelled) Age 61 Farmer Born SC or NC
Elizabeth Oldham Age 50 SC cannot read or write
Elizabeth Oldham 20 Miss
James Pervis 13 "
Joseph Pervis 11 "
Alexander Pervis 9 "
(1850; Census Place: Simpson, Mississippi; Roll: M432_381; Page: 289A; Image 78.)

On the same page surrounding Richard are the following listings:
#25 James Henderson Age 21 Farmer Ala
Sara " 24 Miss Daughter of Richard & __Merchant
Allen " 2 "
Richard " 5/12 "

#26 Henry H. Thornhill Age 29 Farmer Miss
Lavina " 27 " Daughter of Richard & __Merchant
Sara A " 1 "
Dolly Oldham 18 " Daughter of Richard & __Merchant


#28 Solomon Thornhill Age 40 Farmer
Eady " 29 Daughter of Richard & __Merchant
John " 7
Asa D " 3

#30 John Oldham Age 23 Farmer Miss cannot read or write
Nancy " 25 Daughter of Elizabeth & Joseph Purvis
Isaac " 6
Mary A " 1
Lucy Pervis 18 Daughter of Elizabeth & Joseph Purvis

Examining Richard's age through the above census records, we can surmise that his age of 61 is about correct in the 1850 census. This would have put his birth in 1790 or 1791.
The 1850 census page listings is really incredible in that so many close family members are clustered, not only in the same county, but as neighbors. As the Odom family is explored going back in time, this same concept of moving and living in family clusters will be seen in previous generations.

Below are the known children of Richard Odom and his first wife, Unknown Merchant.
1. Edith Odom b. 1821 in Simpson County, MS; d. April 1860 Pike County, MS;
Married Solomon Thornhill.
2. James Richard Odom b. ca 1823 MS; d. 1898 Rapides Parish, LA. Married Cinderella Beall.
3. Lavina Odom b. ca 1823 MS; d. after 1860. Married Henry Thornhill ca 1840.
4. Sarah Francis Odom b. 10 August 1826 MS; d. 20 September 1911, Forest Hill, Rapides, LA. Married James H. Henderson.
5. John Odom b. ca 1825 MS; Married Nancy Purvis. d. after 1870 Trinity, TX
6. Elizabeth Odom b. 1830 MS (no other info)
7. Dolly Odom b. 1832 MS (no other info)

Some internet trees have other children listed as follows: Margaret (no other info); James Addison (It seems he has been confused with James R. listed above and also with James Addison son of the above listed James R. Odom and Cinderella Beall)

If we match the known children with the 1840 census, this is the exact result:

Males: 10-14-2: James R. and John
Females: 5-9 - 1: Dolly
10-14-2: Sarah Francis and Elizabeth
15-19-2: Edith and Lavina



Unfortunately, the 1850 census is the last one where Richard Odom appeared as he died in 1853.

Before going back to Richard's ancestors, here are his children and their children. Most of this information was taken from census records.

Edith Odom (1821-Aft 1860 Pike Co., MS) and Solomon Thornhill (1814-April 1860 Pike Co. MS)
John Solomon Thornhill (1843 - 1909)
Asa Denson Thornhill (1847 - 1927)
Amenda Jane Thornhill (1856 - 1942)
Clarissa Thornhill (1857 - 1887)
Minda Ellen Thornhill (1859 - 1942)

Lavina Odom (1823 - Aft 1860) and Henry Thornhill (1818-Apr 1860)
Sara Thornhill b. 1849
Joseph R. Thornhill b. 1850
Leroy Thornhill b. 1853
May or Mary Thornhill b. 1856

James Richard Odom (b.20 Dec. 1823) and Cinderella (or Sinderella) Beall (b.Abt 1824 - Aft 1850)
William W. Odom b. 1846
Nancy Odom b. 1848
Dolly J. Odom b. Aug. 1850

John Odom (b. Abt 1825) and Nancy Purvis (b. Abt 1825)
Isaac Odom b. 1846
Elizabeth Odom b. 1850
Jerry Odom b. 1854
Joseph Odom b. 1856
Richard b. 1858

Sarah Francis Odom (b. 10 August 1826) and James H. Henderson (b. 8 August 1821)
Allen Henderson b. March 1847
Richard Henderson b. December 1849
Caroline E. Henderson b. 5 March 1854
James W. Henderson b. 24 June 1856
Henry Henderson b. 4 September 1858
Sarah Frances Henderson b. 18 February 1862
Yosebia Lavinia Henderson b. 5 July 1865

Summary of known records of Richard Odom:

1813, Marion County, Mississipi tax list, 1 pole, no land. (will be discussed in next post)

1815, Private, 13th Regiment(Nixon's), Mississippi Militia, War of 1812, January 6, 1815 to
February 5, 1815. Captain Moses Collins' Company. Discharged 5th of Feb 1815.
Term of service charged 1 month; Amount of pay 8 dollars.
(Fold 3)

1816 Pike County, Mississippi census, Richard Odum: 1 white male 21+.

1819 Pike County, Mississippi 1 poll $1.

1820 Pike County, Mississippi 1 poll .75

1820 Pike County, Mississippi census, Richard Odom: 1 male 16-26; 1 female 26-44.
(All of above information from Historic Pathways, EShownMills)

1821 Pike County, Mississippi combination tax roll.
1822, 1824, 1825, 1827, 1828, 1829, 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835 combination tax roll Pike County.
(This information posted on Ancestry Tree by Dawn Driskell of Union, Mississippi)

1834, 1 Sept. Land sale from US Government to Richard Odom of Pike County, Mississippi,
81.5 acres, Washington, Mississippi; Certificate #1521. (Ancestry)

1840 Simpson County, Mississippi census, Richard Odem (see census information above)

1841 Simpson County, Mississippi combination tax roll.

1844 Simpson County, Mississippi personal tax roll. (Dawn Driscoll, Ancestry)

1845 Simpson County, Mississippi personal tax roll. (Dawn Driscoll, Ancestry)

1850 U.S. Census, Simpson County, Mississippi Richard Oldham (see census information above)


The next Post will be about Richard and his Odom ancestors.