Biographical Sketch of Samuel Odell, Greene County, Missouri, Springfield >From "History of Greene County, Missouri," St. Louis: Western Historical Company, 1883. ********************************************************************** Mr. Odell is the son of Samuel and Ovela (Welch) Odell, and was born at East Hartford, Connecticut, October 8, 1834, and was educated there and in Lower Canada. At the age of thirteen he was bound out for three years to learn the carpenter's trade. In 1858 he went into the "oil regions" in Pennsylvania and Canada. He put down the first well at Enescilow. He enlisted in May, 1861, in Company A, 5th Connecticut volunteers for sixty days, and was at the battle of Bull Run. After the expiration of sixty days, he and his brother Alexander joined Com- pany A, 8th Connectiucut volunteers, and remained three years and ten months. He was wounded at the battle of Seven Pines, and was captured before Richmond and confined six weeks at "Castle Thunder" and escaped. In 1865 he returned to the oil regions, and was master and superinten- dent for the United States petroleum company. In 1866 he went to Cin- ciunnati, and from there to St. Louis, Missouri. In 1868 he was a delegate to the national Democratic convention from the eighth ward of St. Louis, that nominated Seymour and Blair, and also a delegate to Jefferson City in the interest of John S. Phelps. He came to Spring- field in the latter part of 1868, and in 1871 was street commissioner, and in 1872 was a member of the council from the fourth ward. In 1877 he went to the Black Hills, and travelled over the great West. He is now proprietor of the Odell House on Boonville Street. He was married February 2, 1868 to Miss Victoria Bouguenot, who was born at Paris, France. They have one son and two daughters. Mr. Odell's father died at East Hartford, Connecticut, in 1846 and his mother died in 1864. They had three children, viz.: Alexandria, Victoria and Samuel. Sam- uel's father was a civil engineer, and was on the government survey in Illinois, Missouri and the one establishing the boundary line between the United States and Canada. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Joe Miller Penny Harrell ====================================================================