Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by Bruce Odom, 1/2000 . ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ THE ODOM FAMILY OF UNION PARISH, LOUISIANA Written by Bettie Kroll ODOM Contributed by Bruce Odom, odom@tvcc.cc.tx.us This is the history of our ODOM family of Union Parish, Louisiana based on knowledge of family members and much research. "There were four brothers who came to Union Parish in the 1840s. This family had nine sons, sisters unknown; a fifth brother settled and stayed in Mississippi. They were all born in South Carolina as were their parents. (1880 census). The mother of these brothers was a "Walker" before her marriage. The father helped build the first railroad from Richmond, Virginia to Charleston." (The above information was supplied by Mrs. Griffin ODOM of Farmerville LA (deceased). Horace Griffin ODOM, her husband, was the son of Michael Ralph ODOM who was a son of Jesse ODOM. Before she died she passed on this material to LaFayne Morris of Farmerville. LaFayne is the grand-daughter of William Allen ODOM, first son of Jesse ODOM.) About this time she also wrote to J.Y.'s (my husband) oldest brother, James Marion ODOM (John Lee ODOM's father) and wrote this same information. She was seeking connections between the Farmerville ODOMs and the Bernice ODOMs. The knowledge of the nine sons in the family proved to be the vital clue that made it possible to find Michael ODOM in South Carolina. Our family tradition tells of the ODOMs coming from that part of Virginia that was cut off and made a part of North Carolina. One of the earliest ODOM immigrants to America was William Odean (ODOM) whose will was proved 16 Feb 1662. He was granted land "which was on the boundary line of Virginia and North Carolina and was a landmark mentioned as "Old ODOM Plantation". However, at this time, we can't claim William Odean as our original immigrant ancestor. (we need proof). The four ODOM brothers who came to Louisiana were. JOHN b. 1812; JESSE b. 1818; PINCKNEY b. 1820 and BENJAMIN WELLINGTON b. 1828. We have learned this year (1992) that another brother also came to Union Parish in 1840, along with John ODOM and a Michael ODOM. This fifth brother was JAMISON ODOM. Jamison's original application to purchase land was made 28 June 1841 for about 82 acres for which he paid $102.34. He married Levinia Ann Norman on 7 (8?) April 1842. A daughter was born to this union, Pamela Ann. Jamison died around the end of July 1843 when Pamela Ann was 7 months old. He left his widow an estate worth about $250.00 His land was sold on 3 June 1844. Levinia later married someone named Mills, and in January 1856 Levinia Ann Mills married John Norsworthy. (The above information on Jamison ODOM was found by Bob ODOM of Farmerville, LA and his brother, Bruce ODOM of Athens TX, descendants of Jesse ODOM.) It is not known the exact years that the other four brothers arrived in Louisiana and settled, but we can determine the approximate years that John and Pinckney reached Union Parish. Jesse and Benjamin Wellington were found in the 1850 census, but had no children, so no earlier dates could be determined for them. John was in Union Parish earlier than the other three brothers and a child was born to him in 1842. Jesse, Pinckney and Benjamin Wellington all had land within three or four miles of each other in the Zion Hill Community north of Farmerville, John and Jamison bought their land 20 miles or so east of them. Documents show the land was bought from the government; 80 acres was about the largest purchase - other land they bought was from individuals. The ODOM brothers paid for their land with cash and "Choctaw scrip". (The land purchase information was found by Bob ODOM of Farmerville and his brother, Bruce ODOM of Athens TX, descendants of Jesse ODOM.) The earliest records found on the ODOMs in Union Parish were in 1840. In the census of that year we find a Michael ODOM in the 15-20 age group, living alone - no wife and no children. Another 1840 record shows the Police Jury directing, John ODOM, Michael ODOM and Jamison ODOM to maintain a public road to the Arkansas line. This road, evidently, went through their land. I am sure Michael was another brother, about 18 or 19 years old (census). He came to Louisiana with his two older brothers, possibly considering settling there too, but there is no further record of him there. He probably went back to Madison Co., Mississippi where Michael Sr. was still living. Michael, the father, died in 1842. In the 1850 and 1860 censuses of Hinds County, Mississippi is found an M.J. ODOM, overseer, born in SC and wife Martha. The 1860 census shows him as 38 and his wife Martha as 42. The 1850 census shows Martha 32 and Michael 24 - so there is a mistake in ages there. The 24 is no doubt 28 since there is a four year difference in 1860, This is probably the brother Michael found in the 1840 census of Union Parish LA when he would have been 18 years old. He would have been born in 1822. John, the eldest of the four Union Parish brothers, obtained a license to marry Elizabeth Lawhorn in Hinds County, Mississippi. Elizabeth Hendrick had been married to Roland Manning. In 1833 she married William Lawhorn, who died in 1836. John and Elizabeth were married in 1837. Her first husband died in 1844, so had Elizabeth divorced him? (We have quite a few pieces of research material from Hinds Co. MS concerning Elizabeth and her marriages, contributed by Bob ODOM of Farmerville, LA.) John became legal guardian of Elizabeth's son, David Hendrick Lawhorn who was born in 1838 MS, and another in 1840. In 1842 a child was born in Louisiana. The last time John and Elizabeth ODOM appear together in records is on 2 Feb 1879 when they sold land to Organ Tatum. This land is now known as the Tom Ferguson place. Elizabeth died about 1880. John married Sarah L. Heath Diffey on 30 July 1881. Soon after their marriage they moved to Texas where John died 9 June 1899 and is buried in Simmons Cemetery, Nacona TX. Jesse has an entry in the land book on March 22, 1849. He married in 1851 at the age of 33. His wife, Mary Ann Jones, was 15 years old. Their first child was born in 1852. Twelve children were born to this union, and there are still many of Jesse's descendants living in the Farmerville area. Jesse died in 1891 and is buried in Zion Hill Cemetery near there. Most of his family is buried there; in fact this cemetery is full of ODOMs. The first entry for Pinckney in the land book was on 12 Feb 1851, but a child was born in Louisiana in 1847. He was married to Mary Catherine Ward in Alabama about 1839 (age 19); their first child was born there in l840 (Census). Another was born in 1842 and a third in Louisiana in 1847. They lived in the Loundes County (Butler) area of Alabama. So we find Pinckney in Loundes County Alabama for a number of years, while the rest of the family moved on to Mississippi. This was probably due to the fact that he married at an earlier age and started his family there. Pinckney worked as a surveyor on his westward trek. J.Y.'s older brothers and sisters remember seeing his surveying instruments in their home when, they were growing up. J.Y.'s father, William Lee ODOM, was Pinckney's grandson. During one period after he came to Louisiana, Pinckney was tutor to the two young sons of George Rossitter. A daughter of Pinckney, Martha Ann, later married one of these sons, Jefferson Blankenship Rossitter. Pinckney died in 1895 and is buried in an old cemetery in Farmerville. We have visited his grave there. Benjamin Wellington has an entry in the land patent book in October 1854. It is interesting that he is the only one of the brothers whose name is always written with a middle name, 'Wellington' - and now we know that the father of the 9 sons was Michael Wellington ODOM. Benjamin Wellington was born 14 March 1828 in SC so he and the children born after this were quite young when the family left South Carolina. (My guess is the departure was about 1834--1835). The 1850 census of Union Parish shows him listed as an overseer for Robert W. Windes. He was 22 years old that year and was unmarried at the time the census was taken. He married Sarah F. Dick on 25 Dec 1850. Sarah was 14 years old. Her parents were Robert L. Dick, b. 1810 in Georgia and Mary Meadows, b. 13 Oct 1810 in Georgia. Sarah was born 5 March 1837. She died 13 July 1912. In 1850 census Benjamin Wellington listed his birth place as South Carolina. South Carolina is also given as his birth place in his family Bible. I have xeroxed copies of pages from this Bible giving births, marriages and deaths. This Bible is in the possession of Marvin ODOM, Maysville, Oklahoma. I mention this because the 1880 census of Union Parish shows Benjamin Wellington's two sons - Michael and Benjamin Franklin - both giving their father's birth place as Mississippi. Benjamin Wellington died when these two sons were young children, six and 10 years. They evidently thought their father was born in MS since Benjamin Wellington was there when he was quite young and probably had no memories at all of South Carolina - so Mississippi was "home" to him and his young sons heard him mention Mississippi, but not South Carolina. I mention this because there have been mistakes made relating to Benjamin Wellington's birth place. Also, some genealogists have confused him with other "Mississippi Benjamins" (there are a few). Benjamin Wellington ODOM enlisted in the Confederate Army 14 May 1862 at Monroe, Louisiana, was 2nd Lt., Co. H., 31st Louisiana Infantry. He was promoted to 1st Lt. 1 Jan 1863. Federal Rolls of Prisoners of War show he was captured and paroled at Vicksburg, Mississippi 4 July 1863. (From Booth's Louisiana Confederate Records, Vol. 3. Louisiana Collection, Shreve Memorial Library, Shreveport Louisiana.) Benjamin Wellington was allowed to go home on furlough because of serious injury or illness on July 4th. He died on July 30th. (This information from Marvin ODOM.) Benjamin Wellington's son, Benjamin Franklin, moved from Farmerville, LA in 1895 to McGee, Arkansas (?) and then moved to Story, Indian Territory, Oklahoma in 1904. He married for the second time late in life and had two other sons, Marvin and Benjamin. Marvin is still living (1992) in Maysville, Oklahoma. There are many ODOMs in Oklahoma descended from Benjamin Wellington. Sarah F. Dick, wife of Benjamin Wellington, lived with Benjamin Franklin until her death and is buried at Maysville Cemetery. When I first started researching ODOMs in South Carolina, I began reading census records, and in the 1820 census of Barnwell District, South Carolina, I found a MICHAEL ODOM as the father of four sons under the age of 10. In the 1830 census, Michael was the father of 9 sons and 3 daughters, He was the only ODOM in census records in South Carolina with 9 sons. So, I began to feel that Michael must surely be the father of our "boys" - and there are "Michaels" in our second generation ODOMs, of Union Parish. Jesse named his second son Michael, and Benjamin Wellington named his first son Michael. Soon after this J.Y. and I attended our first N.O.A. (National ODOM Assembly) in Eufaula, Alabama, in 1981. This was the next year after the ODOMs met for the first time (1980) and organized to become the genealogical oriented group it is today. The late John Lee ODOM of Arkansas, J.Y.'s nephew, had attended the year before and enthusiastically told us about it. Everyone told who their earliest ancestor was, and when we mentioned Michael ODOM of Barnwell District South Carolina, we were lucky to meet another descendant of this family - James Holman of Columbus, Georgia. He is descended from Benjamin ODOM Jr. - brother of Michael. James had several copies of records which he generously shared with us; and we were able to learn more about this family. It was at this same N.O.A. meeting that we found Marvin ODOM from Maysville, Oklahoma and his brother, Benjamin (Ben) from Oklahoma City. They are grandsons of Benjamin Wellington. We were all thrilled to find some of "our family" there! We learned that the father of Michael was Major Benjamin ODOM and his mother was named Julia. On one sheet James Holman shared with us the name "India" with a "?" was also there, as Major Benjamin's wife. Both names are found in the next generation or so. Major Benjamin ODOM died intestate, and one document was equity papers and one was of the estate sale. From these it was possible to put together the reason for the departure of Michael and his family from South Carolina and their migration through Alabama to Mississippi and on to Louisiana for some of them. Referring to the papers: "South Carolina Barnwell District: In Equity: This is a petition to sell the estate and divide shares among the heirs: John Reed, widower of Emelia ODOM Reed, and father of their child, Benjamin, sought to buy the plantation. This paper lists the children of Major Benjamin ODOM as: Benjamin Jr,; Martha Ann ODOM and husband, Darling Peeples; Sarah ODOM, Muke Youn and his wife, Ann ODOM; M. W. (Michael); Levice ODOM and Julia ODOM. (This John Reed, Emelia's widower, later married Julia and they had a large family - from "Vidalia Papers".) Major Benjamin died in 1822. This document was filed 1825. It states; "You Orators and Oratrixes (heirs) show your Honor that they have here unto enjoyed the shared premises in common, but it being inconvenient, and also contrary to their intent to continue to so to do, your Orators and Oratrixes are desirous that partition of the said premises should be made between them." So the plantation was being sold. The heirs evidently chose to take their inheritance and move on. Martha Ann, married to Darling Peeples, was the eldest child. I believe their plantation bordered the ODOM Plantation. The ODOM place was called "Kelly's (Calles) Cowpen". "Cowpens" was a name given to pasturing ground during the revolution where the troops could camp and rest. Kelly's Cowpen consisted of 808 acres and adjoined Darling Peeples', Cornelius Tobin and William Matheny and lying on the head of Reeves' Branch, waters of South Edisto River. We do not know when Michael left with his family - it was after 1832, because a daughter, Mary, was born in 1832, probably sometime after that - 1833 or 1834? Maybe they tarried a few years, more or less, in Alabama since Pinckney was there for awhile. Alabama seems to have been a "stopping-off" place for many people who migrated to Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. There is a spot on the Ouachita River, north of Monroe, Louisiana, and east of Marion, Louisiana, called "Alabama Landing." Settlers coming into Union Parish came up the river and debarked at Alabama Landing. A route widely used was to travel by river to Mobile, Alabama, thence to New Orleans, Louisiana, up the Mississippi River, then to the Red River, and to the Ouachita river. This debarking spot was so widely used by the Alabama settlers that it was dubbed "Alabama Landing", a designation still in use today. We do not know if the ODOMs traveled this route or came overland by wagon train. Alabama Landing has always been a favorite place to go on overnight fishing and camping trips. The ODOM boys (J.Y.'s family), while growing up, made many trips there and have some hilarious tales to tell. There are records of John ODOM being in Mississippi in 1837 when he obtained a license to marry Elizabeth. Michael is found in the 1840 census with a large family still under his roof. He is in the 50-60 age group - no wife listed - there are 4 males, 20-30 yrs; 2 males 15-20 yrs and 2 males, 10-15 yrs; 1 male 5-10 yrs. Three females are listed: 1 under 5 yrs; 1 girl 10-15 yrs. From the time I found this census record I felt confident that this was "our Michael", and our "boys" were on their way to Louisiana. There is no Michael ODOM in the 1840 census of Barnwell Co., SC. We have learned, within the last year (in June 1991), through Ora Jo Mathis of Hattiesburg Mississippi that a family Bible had come to her attention. The "Black Family Bible" belonging to a descendant of Mary Albany ODOM Black and her husband, Herman Cain Black. This Bible gives the parents of Mary Albany as Michael Wellington ODOM and Dorcus Walker. Mary's birth is listed as 29 Dec 1832 in South Carolina. She could possibly be the youngest child of Michael and Dorcus. The same source that furnished the Black Family Bible information also had material on Ann ODOM, another daughter of this family, along with a detailed family group of Ann and her husband, Ludwell Smith. Ludwell Smith and his wife, Ann, are found in the Madison County, MS, census of 1850. Ludwell - 50 yrs, b. VA. (1800) wife Ann 40 yrs, b. SC (1832) and living with them, Mary ODOM 18 yrs, b. SC (b. 1832) Ann ODOM and Ludwell Smith were married 14 Oct 1839. Dorcus died before 1840 (we do not know the year) but within a few years after their arrival in Mississippi, Ann, being the eldest daughter, no doubt had to take on the responsibilities of her mother, including the care of Mary, her young sister. When Ann married in 1839 Mary was 7 years old and probably went with Ann and lived with her until her marriage. The 1840 census of Madison County Mississippi also shows an EMANUEL ODOM living near Michael. We have felt sure Emanuel is one of the 9 sons of Michael, possibly the eldest, but we can't say positively, at this time, that it is true. Edgar A. ODOM of Killeen, Texas, descends from Emanuel's son, Jefferson Davis ODOM, through his son Aubrey Elisha ODOM. Edgar ODOM is in possession of Emanuel's Bible, but it is our understanding that it does not show Michael and Dorcus as his parents. It is rumored that Julia, wife of Major Benjamin ODOM, parents of Michael, was possibly an Indian. Emanuel left Mississippi after our Union Parish brothers did and lived in another area of Louisiana before going to Texas. Emanuel had 10 children; one is named Marion Irwin ODOM. It is interesting that J.Y.'s oldest brother was named Marion and the next brother was named Irwin. Are these ODOM family names? I am in touch with a descendant of Marion Irwin ODOM - Janet Crabaugh of California, and she laughingly said a piece of their "family lore" passed down in her family was: The story goes that old M.E. (Marion Ervin) got into trouble in Texas for selling whiskey to the Indians. Some of the family think that is the reason parts of this family wound up in Oklahoma - they were running for the closest border! Marion Irwin ODOM died in Holdenville, Oklahoma. In 1984 we attended N.O.A. (National ODOM Assembly) in Augusta, GA, which is on the Savannah River - the river is the boundary between Georgia and South Carolina. Saturday we had some free time so we drove down to Barnwell, South Carolina, about an hour's drive from Augusta. John Lee ODOM (J.Y.'s nephew) had explored this area a year or so before so he was our guide. The area where Major Benjamin ODOM's and Reverend Darling Peeples' plantations were is north of Barnwell between the small towns of Blackwell and Elko. The road today follows the same paths as on the old map of Barnwell District that we have . John Lee had browsed around, talked to people and found an "old-timer" who knew where the old family cemetery of Darling Peeples was - on the land that had been his plantation. John Lee had found it earlier and remembered how to find it. It was not far off the road and was easy to get to. We drove about a mile off the main road, on a sandy farm lane, through corn fields until we came to a "big dead tree". We walked a short distance off to the right of this road - and there it was! It has been neglected for years and years, is weed-grown and in very bad condition - tombstones broken, some graves barely recognizable. There is one large central monument with names and inscriptions on all four sides, Darling Peeples and his wife, Martha Am ODOM, Michael's sister are buried there and their children. Since this little burying ground is not maintained at all, I fear it will soon be gone if something isn't done to save it. When John Lee first found it and was so sad to see its' deteriorating condition, he went to the Barnwell Baptist Church and told them they should do something to preserve it and take care of it since Reverend Darling Peeples had been a pastor of their church for 40 years, but they evidently chose to ignore his suggestions. We took pictures, copied names and inscriptions - and absorbed atmosphere. This plantation bordered Major Benjamin ODOM's land, so we were probably not far from "Kelly's Cowpen". We drove back down to Barnwell and explored the little town. There is a beautiful old court house which was completed in 1879. The original courthouse for Barnwell County was a small wooden structure that had been constructed in 1819. A new brick courthouse was built in 1848 and was used until February 1865 when Sherman's Army swept-across the state and destroyed, by fire, all the public buildings and many dwellings. The courthouse was lost. County records for Barnwell were saved through the foresight of some patriotic citizens who helped get the records away to a place of safety. There were nine of us on this trip to Barnwell, in two cars. Marvin and Ena ODOM of Maysville Oklahoma (Marvin is descended from Benjamin Wellington, one of the four ODOM brothers), his niece Ellen ODOM Nichols and her husband Bill; Harry ODOM of Rome Georgia who is descended from the other Benjamin ODOM. (I call him #2 through George); J.Y.'s sister, Polly from Shreveport LA and John Lee ODOM, Chidester, Arkansas (now deceased). We all had lunch together in Barnwell before heading back to Augusta and the N.O.A. A wonderful day! So we continue to put this family together, and gradually we find out more about them. We hope to some day know all twelve of these brothers and sisters - 9 boys and 3 girls. We know that Michael and Dorcus died in Madison County Mississippi and are buried there - and we feel sure we know seven of the brothers -Emanuel, John, Jesse, Pinckney, Jamison, Michael and Benjamin Wellington - and two of the sisters: Mary Albany and Ann. We have two brothers to find and one sister. Before I finish this let me clear some of the confusion over the "other Benjamins". Anyone who researches Barnwell District South Carolina for the period during the late 1700s and early 1800s will find two Benjamin ODOMs there and it is awfully easy to get them mixed. So, beware! Our ancestor is Major Benjamin ODOM, but on occasion the "Major" isn't used. His wife was Julia. We do not know if the "Major" signified a military title, but if so, I have never seen a reference to it. He could possibly have been a Major in the South Carolina Militia after the Revolution, but it is a question. The "other Benjamin" is always written as Benjamin ODOM Sr. His wife was Thamer (or Tamer). To add to the confusion, each had a son named Benjamin Jr. I separate the two families by being familiar with the names of their children and in-laws. To add to the confusion: In researching in Mississippi there is another Benjamin ODOM who lived in Perry County in the early 1800s. He had three wives and 21 children - so therefore there are many Benjamin ODOM descendants there belonging to that family. As far as we know now there is no connection with our branch of the family. Bettie Kroll ODOM (Mrs. J.Y.) 3 January 1993 INSCRIPTIONS ON MONUMENT TO REVEREND DARLING PEEPLES, HUSBAND OF MARTHA ANN ODOM - near Barnwell, South Carolina Sacred to the memory of The Reverend Darling Peeples Son of Henry and Sarah Peeples, who was born in Barnwell District, S.C. on the 24th Nov 1774 and died on the 3rd Jan 1850, aged 76 years, 1 month, 9 days He was a liberal contributor to Enterprise beneficial to the State; was the first to advocate the Temperance Reformation in Barnwell District, etc. "The path of the just is as the Shining Light That shineth more and more into the Perfect Day." Proverbs 4:18 Sacred to the memory of Mrs. Martha (ODOM) Peeples, who was born in Barnwell District, S.C. n the lst day of Nov. 1779 and died on the 10th Sept. 1848; aged 68 years 10 months, 10 days "Possessed of an Excellent mind, Great Fortitude, and kindness of Heart." "Thou art gone to the grave, But we will not deplore thee Though sorrows and darkness encompass thy tomb, The Savior hath past through its portals And the lamp of his love is the guide through its gloom." The children of Darling and Martha ODOM Peeples on East side of monument: Ann L. Duncan (Wm. H.) Mary P. Tarrant (Jas. W.) born 12th Nov 1817 born 22 Oct 1799 died Oct 1836 died 27 May 1820 Elizabeth A. Peeples Aged 20 yrs- 7 mos. 5 days born 21 Dec 1804 Henry M. Peeples died 28 June 1812 born 3 April 1797 Aged 7 years, 6 mos. 7 days died Jan 1824 Aged 26 years, 9 months John J. Peeples born 10 Jan 1814 Dr. Pinckney Peeples died 16 Jan 1814 born 27 Jan 1802 Aged 6 days died 13 April 1829 Aged 26 years. 2 mos. 17 days Benjamin F. Peeples born 18 April 1809 died 14 Oct 1819 Aged 10 years, 5 mos. 26 days Now that our family listings are growing and we are all becoming more familiar "cousins," we are getting serious inquiries about our origin (across the ocean). We have not done a great deal of research on ODOMS prior to finding them, principally, in Barnwell District SC. The attached sketch of South Carolina history, with a drawing of a County map, showing Barnwell in the western portion of SC bordering Georgia, and continuing across the country from Georgia to Alabama, Mississippi and to Louisiana. In 1671 first settlers from ENGLAND, the BARBADOS, DUTCH, who had originally come to New England, settled along the Ashley river and were joined by families direct from HOLLAND. QUAKERS came in 1675, and also an IRISH colony settled along the Ashley river in 1683. In 1680 SCOTCH Presbyterians settled at Port Royal. From 1732 to 1736 families from ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, IRELAND, WALES, and GERMANY settled central South Carolina. The so-called "Up-country" of western SC was settled in 1745 to 1760 by Rhine river section people of GERMANY, NEW ENGLAND colonies and Northern (Ulster) IRELAND and by 1761 the SCOTCH-IRISH came. In 1798 BARNWELL DISTRICT was established. Major Benjamin ODOM's first child, Martha Ann, was born 1 Nov 1779 in Barnwell District (per the monument of her husband Darling Peeples, who was born 24 Nov 1774 in Barnwell District). This indicates the area was known as Barnwell District before it was officially established as such in 1798. The second sheet lists various traditions for origin of our ODOM ancestors. Most of these traditions and beliefs are of the Benjamin ODOM #2 ("other" Benjamin) who married T(h)amer, as variously, and not always correct, outlined in the "Wise Family of Louisiana..." by Erbon W. Wise, published 1961, and are listed here only to consider, not to try to attach to, until and as we find proof. It would be almost impossible to search in any of the European country records and suddenly "find" our Major Benjamin ODOM's antecedents, so we should continue our search, one generation at a time and find, first, the father of our Major Benjamin ODOM, then work back from him. Regarding the coat-of-arms: The arms we are "claiming" is, as the description says, on page 4 - the arms of ODEHAME castle, the remains of which are one mile west of the town near Bassingstoke canal. There is NO coat-of-arms listed in Burke's "General Armory of England, Scotland and Wales" and this arms for ODEHAME (with various spellings and definitions for the origin of the name). we will continue to use this ENGLISH-based coat-of-arms until someone can tell us differently of our origin. Just think! we could be any one of all of the countries above! We need your help in finding - like an old family Bible - a statement that Major Benjamin ODOM's parents, or ancestors came from ______. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Conrtributor's Remarks The information you just read was taken from a book compiled by Ouida Nelson and Jay Watters, twin sisters of Shreveport descended from Pinckney Odom. The geneological information they compiled is over 250 pages long. They did the whole thing on a typewriter! I have entered their Odom brothers genealogy into Family Tree Maker and posted it online. The genealogy of these Union Parish Odom brothers can be found by starting at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~odomly/ Ouida Nelson died in August, 2000. Jay is in poor health. Bruce Odom 8477 Mill Run Rd. Athens, TX 75751 bodom@tvcc.edu March 10, 2004 # # #