San Joaquin County
Biographies
DANIEL ODELL
DANIEL ODELL is a native of
Clyde, Wayne County, New York. When he was about eight years old his father,
James Odell, died. There was a large family of children, some eight or ten in
number. The homestead farm being encumbered, the widow lost it, and the family
had to get other homes. Daniel obtained a home for himself in a good
Connecticut family who were living in New York. He remained with them three
years. When he was fifteen years of age he went as an apprentice to the
carpenter’s trade in Clyde, but not being exactly satisfied, quit his employer
and went to Waterloo, where he completed his trade until he was able to take
charge of buildings and do for himself. He went to Michigan and went to
jobbing, remaining two years. At this time there was a great financial
depression in the country; what was called the “wild-cat” money was in
circulation, and it was difficult to make it a legal tender between different
States. Finally, after having his share of this difficulty, Mr. Odell went back
to Clyde and carried on the jobbing business there for five years. He next went
to Indiana, but finding much sickness there he concluded to go on to Adrian,
Michigan, as he had a brother living about twelve miles from there. It was
there that he became acquainted with the lady who afterward became his wife.
They were married there August, 1843. Mr. Odell bought a farm in that locality
and they lived upon it, although he devoted his time to his trade.
When the gold excitement was at its
height, he decided to come to California. April 15, 1852, he started across the
plains with ox teams, also horse teams, arriving in Hangtown October 15. He was
about dead broke, and finally took a position as cook for a man who was running
a saw-mill, the man offered Mrs. Odell the position with $150 a month, with Mr.
Odell to help her as assistant cook. They remained but a month; then friends in
Stockton wrote to them to come here, offering good inducements, the proposition
being accepted. The winter of 1852-’53 was a very rainy and wet one, and very
little could be found to do; but when spring came he obtained work at his
trade, commanding a salary of $8 a day. For six years he continued to work,
until wages came down to $5 a day; then he gave it up. Coming out into O’Neil
Township, he bought the ranch where he has resided for thirty-one years. The
ranch contains 264 acres, situated on the lower Sacramento road, six miles
north of Stockton, and is devoted to farming and stock-raising.
Mr. Odell is an Odd Fellow, having joined
the order in 1854 in Stockton. He was in early life brought up in the faith of
the Baptist church, and still maintains his religious belief. His first
Presidential vote was cast for Martin Van Buren, the Democratic nominee, who
ran against General Harrison, and from that time to this he has always been an
upright and honest supporter of the Democratic party; never but once in his
life has he scratched a ticket, and that was in the fall of 1888, and that time
he scratched out one name. He has often been a member of the county
conventions, and his judgment and influence has been brought to bear in more
than one case for the good of the party.
The wife of Mr. Odell was born in England,
but came to this country with her parents when two years of age. Up to the time
she was nine years of age she was raised in Oneida County, and from there the
family moved to Michigan and settled in Lenawee County, about twelve miles from
Adrian. Mr. and Mrs. Odell have one son, James M. Odell, a business man of
Stockton.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 583-584. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
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