Ernie Grubb has much more information on Rootsweb at the following link:
Grubb-Griffith and Related Familes
Descendants of Bartlett
H. O'Dell
Because of the length of this family report I am including it on five seperate
pages. Generation one will be included on the first, second generation
on the second, third on third, fourth on fourth and all others on the fifth.
This file was given to the Claiborne TNGENWEB Project by Earnest
Grubb.
First Generation Second Generation Third Generation Fourth Generation Fifth Generation
(1) Bartlett H.1 O'Dell was
born about 1785 in Washington County, NC, and on 6 Aug 1813 in Washington
County, Tn, married Elizabeth Quillen who was born about 1787 in
NC/TN (?). Bartlett H. died on 10 Sep 1858 in Claiborne County, Tn. Elizabeth
died on 11 Oct 1873 in Claiborne(?)/Union, Tn.
According to "OLD SPEEDWELL FAMILIES, Revised and Updated," page
279, Bartlett H. O'DELL "...Came from North Carolina to "the
Barren County" of Claiborne County, TENNESSEE about 1800. EDWARDS
also cites dates of death for both Bartlett and his wife, Elizabeth (QUILLEN).
Per the 1850 Census, Bartlett reports that he was born in NC; some reports
specify "Washington County", some say "Washington District"
and some say only "NORTH CAROLINA." There is no known documentation
to support any of these, except the consistency of census record responses
to to the "Place of Birth" question. That response has been "North
Carolina" in every instance researched by this compiler. Data collected
from several descendants of Bartlett O'DELL give 1785 as his year of birth.
Where this date originated is unknown. Lawrence EDWARDS uses this year
of birth for Bartlett. Census records calculate to support it as well.
Excerpts re the ODELL lineage, borrowed from descendents of John H. O'DELL,
contained information from the book, "OVER THE MISTY BLUE HILLS,"
by Ruth WEBB O'DELL. One candidate for the father of Bartlett was John
ODELL, the son of Benjamin, Sr. This John and his wife, were reported by
the author of that book to have been shown with six children by the time
of the enumeration of the 1800 census in Buncombe County, NC. This John's
father, Benjamin ODELL, Sr. and John's brother, Benjamin, Jr. also appear
in Buncombe County on that census. Buncombe County Deed Books show a sale
of property in 1813, wherein John ODELL, "of Pendleton District South
Carolina," was one of the parties involved. Unfortunately, the 1800
census enumeration shows no males in the "10-16" age range, where
Bartlett should have been. All six children shown on this enumeration of
John ODELL's household are under the age of ten. There are reports that
a John ODEL/ODIL, living in the Shenandoah Valley, then in Washington County,
TN, married a Margaret DENTON, widow of his good friend, John DENTON. There
is some speculation that this may have been Bartlett's father. Another
John ODIL, who resided for a time in SOUTH CAROLINA, later in Maury County,
TN, and who eventually died in Graves County, KY, has also been considered
as the father of Bartlett. There has, in fact, been no conclusive evidence
that one of these or any other known "John ODELL/ODLE/ODIL/O'DELL"
was Bartlett's father. Attempts to locate Bartlett on census records prior
to 1840 have been unsuccessful. He apparently lived in someone else's household
even after his marriage to Elizabeth QUILLEN, since his name never appears
as the Head of the Household before 1840. Bartlett was on tax lists of
Washington County, TN in 1814 and 1815, but he claimed no property in either
of these acCountyings. Obviously, however, Lawrence EDWARDS' report that
Bartlett was in "the Barren County" of Claiborne County by 1800
is not accurate. The marriage of Bartlett and Elizabeth (QUILLEN) is on
record in Washington Co., TN. Bartlett was a Lt.in the TN Militia in June,
1813. He was a veteran of the War of 1812. Per pension file records, he
"was drafted at Jonesborough, TN on or about the 13th day of November,
A.D. 1814 for the term of six months...." He was discharged 18 MAY
1815 after serving six months and six days. Elizabeth's and Bartlett's
family appear on the U.S. Census in Claiborne Co., TN in 1840. Bartlett
was not found as the head of a household in 1830. He did not appear on
1810 or 1820 census Compiler has searched neighboring Countyies in 1820
and 1830, but has been unsuccessful in locating Bartlett in either census
record. October, 1997, compiler received a photocopy of pages from "THE
PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF CLAIBORNE COUNTY TN, 1801-1988," from Eva (WELLS)
McCARTY, another descendent of Bartlett O'DELL. Recorded on pages 24, 25
and 26 of that book, are "...Free Male Inhabitants, Twenty-One and
Upwards, 1833." Page 26 contains the name of "Bartlet ODLE."
This data confirms that Bartlett was in Claiborne County at least by 1833,
but since he was not shown as the head of a household on the 1830 census,
it would appear that he arrived there between 1830 and 1833. In the Pension
File, Jesse and Mary Jones testified that they had known Bartlett before
and at the time of his marriage "near Jonesborough, (TN)," in
Washington Co. TN; they (the JONES family) had moved to Claiborne Co.,
TN "some years afterward, as did Bartlett and his wife, Elizabeth,
... have been neighbors to said parties since that date...". Per Deed
Book Z, Bartlett contracted for purchase of 200 acres in Claiborne Co.
in 1854; however, the original deed was evidently lost and not recorded
until Jan. 1860, probably as a part of the probate settlement after Bartlett's
death. According to the 1854 document, "...being the Same place whereon
the Said Odell now lives and was conveyed from Said Cain to the Said Odell
Some years since which conveyance is lost or mislayed without being recorded..."
Although errors in reporting were not infrequent on census records, the
informant in the household of Bartlett's son, Quillen O'DELL, in Franklin
County, AR, in 1850, reported that Quillen was born in VA. Also, the informant
in the household of McKindry EDWARDS in 1880 reported that McKindry's mother,
"Artiemacey" (the daughter of Bartlett O'DELL), was born in VA.
Since both of these children of Bartlett's, at other times were reported
born in TN, this may not be significant; however it is possible that one
or both of them could have been born in VA, indicating that Bartlett and
his family went to VIRGINIA between the time they lived in Washington County,
TN and the time they appeared in Claiborne County. (There is some evidence
that the QUILLIN/QUILLEN/McQUILLEN family residedin VA, but no definite
connection of Elizabeth (QUILLEN) O'DELL and those QUILLENs has been made.)
From the contents of Bartlett's Pension Files, it appears that he filed
in 1851 and again in 1855 for Bounty Land. One document from the Department
of Interior indicates that the claim was re-examined in 1856. In 1871,
shortly after the enactment of a new widow's pension law, Elizabeth QUILLEN
O'DELL filed for a pension from the military service of her husband. She
evidently was granted a pension in the amount of eight dollars a month
until her death in 1873. Two application numbers do appear in the pension
file, along with the applications and sworn statements of his witnesses.
It is possible that Bartlett was granted the land, but did as many other
veterans of the day, and sold the warrant to someone else. This possibility,
however, has not been researched.
REF: 1. "Genealogical Helper Magazine, Jan-Feb. 1991, Computerized
Roots Cellar", pg 233 (Query published by compiler; response from
Wm. J. HEINLE, desc. of Mary Pauline O'DELL LAY.)
2. U.S. Census 1840; TN; Claiborne Co.; pg.228 (copy provided by Wm. J.
HEINLE, desc of Barlett H. O'DELL.) 3. U.S. Census 1850; TN; Claiborne
Co.; 7th Subd. E. Dist.; pg.674; #1349/1349. M.F. #432-874. 4. William
J. HEINLE; 219 E. Date Ave.; Casa Grande, AZ 85222; desc. of Mary Pauline
O'DELL LAY --dau/o Bartlett H. O'DELL. 5. "Marriage Records of Washington
County TN 1787-1840"; GRAMMER and MULLINS; Genealogical Pub. Co.,
Baltimore, 1975. pg. 10. 6. "Washington County TN Marriages 1780-1870",
G.F. BURGNER, Southern Hist. Press, Inc.; Easley, SC, 1985 "Records
found at Jonesboro, TN", pg. 10. (Ref. also explains "Washington
Co., TN was formed from Washington District, NC). 7. "Record of Commissions
of Officers in the Tennessee Militia,, 1796-1815." Compiled by Mrs.
J.T. MOORE, Lib. & Archiv.; State of TN, 1947. pg.215 "Washington
County Commissions" - O'DELL,Bartlett. 8. Civil War Pension File #WC66-610;
Wm. L. & Sarah A. O'DELL-PHELPS (Copy owned by compiler.) 9. "OLD
SPEEDWELL FAMILIES," Lawrence EDWARDS; Claiborne Co. Pub. Library;
Tazewell, TN 10. Deed Book Z, pp 182-184; Recorder's Office, Claiborne
County Court House; Tazewell, TN. (Copy of deed owned by compiler.) 11.
"Index to War of 1812 Pension Files" Vol. II; J-Z, transcribed
by Virgil White. Index located at Henderson Co. Pub. Lib, Hendersonville,
NC. 12. Military Pension File #WC 2049 & Blount.Lnd. WT #37502-80-55
and WT #11123-80-55: Bartlett H. ODELL; National Archives, Wash., D.C.
(Copy owned by compiler.) 13. Tax List of Washington County, 1814-1819,
p 5; MF #639; Jonesboro, TN Library. 14. Marjorie WALSH, 4309 W. Atlantic
- Apt. 917; Coconut Creek, FL ; desc. of Bartlett O'DELL. 15. Ben L. O'DELL,
1808 N. Roan St.; Johnson City, TN; desc. of Bartlett O'DELL. 16. Eva McCARTY;
616 Miller Road; Clinton, TN; desc. of Bartlett O'DELL. 17. "OLD SPEEDWELL
FAMILIES, Revised and Updated," by Lawrence EDWARDS and Joy EDWARDS
DAVIS; Claiborne Co. Pub. Lib.; Tazewell, TN. 18. "THE PEOPLE'S HISTORY
OF CLAIBORNBE CO. TN., 1801-1988," pp 24-26, "Claiborne County,
Tennessee Free Male Inhabitants, Twenty-One and Upwards, 1833," photocopy
provided by Eva (WELLS) McCARTY, 616 Miller Rd., Clinton, TN 37716. (Book
probably on file at Claiborne Co. Pub. Lib., Tazewell, TN. 2 PLAC Washington
County, TN
BIO: According to "Old Speedwell Families",
Elizabeth QUILLEN was born in NC about 1787 and died in Claiborne County,
TN in 1873. The date of death was confirmed by records found in the Military
Pension File. Elizabeth's marriage to Bartlett ODELL in 1813 is documented,
but census statistics do not agree as to her date and place of birth. On
the 1850 census, Elizabeth reports that she was born in NC, as was her
husband. In 1860, two years after the reported death of Bartlett, there
is an "Elizabeth ODELL" listed as head of the household just
after that of William L. ODELL, her youngest son. In that record, Elizabeth's
age is given as "60" (which would calculate to a birth date of
ca 1800) and her place of birth is given as "TN." The application
for widow's pension in 1871 gives her age as "78 years". EDWARDS
reports that Elizabeth died in 1873, yet compiler was unable to find her
on the census microfilm for Claiborne County in 1870. In 1880 her unmarried
daughter is shown living in the home of Elizabeth's grandson, William "Frank"
O'DELL, in Laurel County, KY. Compiler has been unable to locate the burial
place of Bartlett O'DELL and his wife Elizabeth, but the pension file has
confirmed that Bartlett died in 1858; Elizabeth died in 1873. Per the records
in the file, Elizabeth was living with her son, Marshall L. O'DELL, in
1871 and 1872. Marshall's place of residence was given as "11 miles
west of Tazewell in Claiborne" (TN).
Nov. 1996: Eva McCARTY, desc. of Elizabeth (QUILLEN) O'DELL via Mary Pauline
(O'DELL) LAY, sent compiler a summary of census enumerations from Union
County, TN which includes the households of Henry and "Mahaley"
(O'DELL) ELLISON and Henry's widowed mother, Eliza ELLISON. In Eliza's
household are enumerated: Eliza (60), Nancy CLEMANS (40), Martha (16),
Mary (16), Elizabeth (13), Nancy (28) and "Elizabeth ODLE, 70."
Since this compiler did not find Elizabeth (QUILLEN) in the 1870 census
in Claiborne County, this probably is she, however, the age of this Elizabeth
ODLE is not consistent with her age as reported in other documents, e.g.
census records, the C.W. Pension application in 1871, etc. Still there
have been many inconsistencies among records on this family.
Compiler located the 1870 enumeration for Marshall O'DELL in Claiborne County. Elizabeth was not in his household at the time of the enumeration. This leaves speculation as to where Elizabeth died; she may have returned to Marshall's home before her death; she may have died in the home of her daughter, Mahala Elizabeth ELLISON, in Union County. She may also have died in the home of Louisa/Eliza (O'DELL) NELSON, another daughter, who lived in Campbell County, TN.
Other correspondence between compiler and Eva McCARTY
has also introduced the tradition among Eva's branch of the family that
Elizabeth QUILLEN's father was "Charles QUILLEN." Compiler has
tried to find evidence to support this report, but the only Charles QUILLEN
found in Washington County, TN during the time that Elizabeth and Bartlett
would have been there seemed too young to have been the father of Elizabeth.
This Charles married Harriet GYRE after Elizabeth's marriage to Bartlett.
There was a Thomas QUILLEN who appeared on Tax Lists of Washington County,
TN during the same time as Bartlett; this Thomas disappeared from those
tax rolls about 1818. There has been no documentation found which would
link Thomas to Elizabeth, however.
1. "OLD SPEEDWELL FAMILIES, Revised and Updated," Lawrence EDWARDS
and Joy EDWARDS DAVIS; Claiborne County Public Library; Tazewell, TN.
2. U.S. Census 1850, TN; Claiborne Co.; 7th Subd. E. TN Dist.; p 674; #1349/1349.
M.F. #432-874.
3. William J. HEINLE; 219 E. Date Ave.; Casa Grande, AZ 85222; desc. of
Mary Pauline (ODELL) LAY, dau. to Elizabeth QUILLEN.
4. "Marriage Records of Washington County TN 1787-1840"; p 10;
GRAMMER and MULLINS; Genealogical Pub. Co.; Baltimore, 1975.
5. "Washington County TN Marriages 1780-1870," G.F. BURGNER;
Southern
Hist. Press, Inc.; Easley, SC, 1985 "Records found at Jonesboro, TN,"
p 10.
6. U.S. Census 1860; TN; Claiborne Co.; 2nd Subd.; Tazewell P.O.; p
26; #168/168.
7. "Index to War of 1812 Pension Files" Vol. II; J-Z, transcribed
by Virgil D. White. Henderson Co. Pub. Lib, Hendersonville, NC
8. Military Pension File: Bartlett H. O'DELL WC 2049 BWT 37502 8055; National
Archives, Wash., D.C.
9. U.S. Census 1870 TN; Union Co.; 12th Dist.; Lost Creek P.O.; p 3;
#15/#15 (HH of Eliza ELLISON) MF 593-1567.
10. U.S. Census 1870 TN; Claiborne Co.; 12th CD; Tazewell P.O.; p 14; #101/#88;
(HH of Marshall O'DELL). MF #593-1518.
11. Eva McCARTY, 616 Miller Road, Clinton, TN; desc. of Bartlett and Elizabeth
(QUILLEN) O'DELL.
2 1 Nancy2 O'Dell was born about 1814 in Tennessee. Nancy
died after 1888 in Laurel County, Ky.
BIO: This daughter of Bartlett O'DELL is listed in his household in 1850
as "36" years old; on the 1860 census in Claiborne Co., TN, "Elizabeth
O'DELL" is listed as head of the household, and there is a "Nancy"
listed there who is "40" years old. In 1880, "Nancy"
is listed in the home of her nephew, and her age is given as "66."
Most sources say that Nancy's father and mother were both born in N.C.;
the 1880 census says both were born in VA. Nancy's exact birth place is
not known. She is consistently reported to have been born in TN; her parents
were been married in Washington County, TN, about 1813, and she was probably
their first child. A brother, Quillen, was thought to have been born in
Claiborne County, TN, but later research revealed two census records where
his place of birth was recorded as "VA." He is thought to have
been born about 1818. A sister, Artemicia, thought to be born about 1817
was reported to have been born in TN. The census records contain varied
and somewhat conflicting data on members of this family. Other records
refer to the "Speedwell CommUnionty" near Tazewell in Claiborne
Co., TN. Lawrence Edwards, in his book about about the old Speedwell families,
claims that Bartlett moved to Claiborne Co. as early as 1800, yet Bartlett
is on militia lists from Washington Co. in 1813. His marriage to Elizabeth
Quillen is recorded in Washington Co. in August of that same year. The
family appears on Claiborne Co. census records in 1840, but attempts to
locate the family between 1815 and 1840 have been unsuccessful. (Nancy
is not mentioned in EDWARDS' book.) It is not known where Nancy ODELL died,
but in April, 1888, Nancy and her former sister-in-law, Sarah OVERBEY O'DELL
PHELPS, signed an affidavit, testifying on behalf of Sylvania OVERBEY in
her efforts to obtain widow's benefits for her husband's C.W. service.
On that affidavit, which Nancy signed with "her mark", Nancy's
age is given as "73". Calculation would place her birth about
1815. Compiler did not find Nancy on the 1900 census and neither did she
find her nephew, (Wm. Franklin O'DELL), with whom Nancy had been enumerated
in 1880. Sarah PHELPS appeared in 1900 as a "boarder" in the
home of Will Henry JOHNSON. February 1996: Compiler received copies of
Military Pension File # 2049; Bartlett ODELL-Elizabeth QUILLEN ODELL. Testimony
on behalf of Elizabeth's application for pension included sworn statements
by Jesse and Mary Jones, husband and wife, who say that they were friends
and neighbors of the ODELs even before their marriage. This testimony states
that Bartlett and Elizabeth were both residents of Carter County, TN at
the time of their marriage. The Jones couple also state that they moved
from Carter County to Claiborne County about the same time as the ODELLs.
If this report is true, Nancy may have been born in Carter County, TN.
(It should be noted, however, that this eastern TN area had undergone a
great deal of confusion as to which state - NC or TN - was to claim the
area. It was highly possible that many of the residents of the area truly
did not know in which County or state their homes were situated!)
REF: 1. William J. HEINLE; 219 E. Date Ave.; Casa Grande, AZ 85222; desc.
of Mary Pauline "Polly" (O'DELL) LAY, sister to Nancy. 2. U.S.
Census 1850, TN; Claiborne Co.; 4th Subd.; E Dist.; p 675; #1349/ #1349.
Photocopy provided by Wm. J. HEINLE. 3. U.S. Census 1860, TN; Claiborne
Co.; 2nd Subd.; Tazewell P.O.; p 26; #168/#168. Microfilm #653-1244. 4.
U.S. Census 1880, KY; Laurel Co.; 4th & 5th Mag. Dist.; E.D.#57 p 42;
#348/#364. Household of Wm. F. O'DELL. Microfilm #T9-427. 5. Civil War
Pension File: Henry OVERBEY, #SC 110437. N.A., Wash. DC. (copy owned by
compiler) 6. Military Pension File: Bartlett H. O'DELL; WC 2049 BWT 37502
8055; National Archives, Washington DC (Copy of file owned by compiler.)
+ 3 2 Artemicia O'Dell was born about 1816.
+ 4 3 Mary Pauline "Polly" O'Dell was born about 1818.
+ 5 4 Quillen B. O'Dell
+ 6 5 Louisa/Eliza O'Dell was born on 11 Apr 1824.
+ 7 6 Elisha Jordan O'Dell was born on 15 Aug 1827.
+ 8 7 Elizabeth Mahala O'Dell was born on 25 Aug 1830.
+ 9 8 Marshall Love O'Dell was born on 11 Apr 1832.
+ 10 9 William Lacy O'Dell was born about 1836.
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