-----Original Message----- From: Whitney, James E, II, NLSOP Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2000 7:18 AM To: 'CPTNRIC@aol.com' Subject: RE: O'Dells in Nicholas County WVa. This is great! My family will rejoice over these nuggets of genealogy. My heart felt thanks to you sir. James E. Whitney, II -----Original Message----- From: CPTNRIC@aol.com [mailto:CPTNRIC@aol.com] Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2000 4:52 PM To: Whitney, James E, II, NLSOP Subject: Re: O'Dells in Nicholas County WVa. Hi James: Your grandmother, Eva O'Dell Whitney was born Eva Ruth O'Dell in Nicholas County, WV on October 16, 1896. She was the daughter of Franklin R. "Frank" O'Dell and Harriet Elizabeth "Hattie" Beam. Frank was born in Hominy Falls, Nicholas County, WV on September 21, 1969, he died in Richwood, WV on March 11, 1951. His death was attributed to "cerebral hemorrhage & hypertension." He is buried in Hominy Falls, WV. Hattie was born September 23, 1870, in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA. She was the daughter of John Beam. She died of "brocho-pneumonia & intestinal obstruction" in Richwood, WV on April 23, 1952. She is buried next to Frank in the Penile Methodist Church #2 in Hominy Falls, WV. In addition to your grandmother, Eva Ruth O'Dell Whitney, she had the following brothers and sisters listed by order of birth: Liew Irwin; Myrtle Ann "Mertie"; Eva Ruth; Everette Harry; Frankie Marie; Dewey Nesbit; Wilson; Arrena I. O.; and Romeo Gaylord. Your grandmother, Eva Ruth O'Dell Whitney, married Charles P. Whitney in Nicholas County, WV on April 18, 1914. The source for this information is Some Known Descendants of Jeremiah and Rachel WALTERS ODELL by Neva Jane STOUT BRYANT. I've found this book to be generally accurate but somewhat focused on women to the exclusion of paternal history. In fact, as a listing resource it is good but it does little to shed light on the family's history. Your great-grandfather, Franklin R. "Frank" O'Dell, was the 9th generation of his forefathers in America. We are English, and at the time of immigration in 1677 our uncorrupted name was originally Oldale. We immigrated from the Yorkshire region of Great Britain. The details of that immigration, and the family migration from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, and then to Virginia can be found in a separate appendix of Pioneers of Old Frederick County, Virginia by Cecil O'Dell. Hopefully this helps. It should give you some good leads for further research. I was born in 1947 in Bluefield and have never lived in Nicholas County. However, I do sponsor an annual reunion of my father's family there every July at the Hickory Grove United Methodist Church in Mt. Nebo. In looking up your information I noticed we were very distant cousins. One of my great-grandfathers was Perry Newton Wiseman who served in the West Virginia Senate. The only significant legislation he was able to get enacted in his single 4-year term was the creation of Carnifax Ferry Battlefield State Park. He was one of your great-grandfather Frank's first cousins. Interesting that you live in Atlanta -- so does one of my first cousins. Small world! Best wishes. Rick O'Dell Roanoke, VA In a message dated 10/20/2000 11:32:27 AM Eastern Daylight Time, jewhitney@att.com writes: << Dear Rick O'Dell: Seeking info. on my grandmothers family. She was Eva (O'Dell) Whitney from Richwood b. 1896. Her parents lived on a farm outside Richwood, Nicholas County, W.Va. Her father Frank O'Dell lived next door to his brother Frank G. Her sister is still alive in Seth, WVa.-Aunt Io(O'Dell) Areshire. Granny married my grandfather Charles Porter Whitney in 1913. My great grandmother was a BEAN supposedly from Penn. We don't know her first name. Any help or leads would be appreciated. Sincerely yours, James E. Whitney, II Atlanta, Ga. P.S.- I was born in Richwood in 1946 in the old clinic.