| Biographies James J Odekirk Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin | |
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From the 1880 Portrait and Biographical Album, Fond du Lac Co. WI James J. Odekirk, farmer, Sec. 22, P.O. Eden; born in Rensselaer Co. NY Feb 17, 1822; spent his early life and was educated in his native town of Hoosick; came to Wisconsin and to Eden in 1847, buying heavily timbered land of the Government; he built a shanty, 12x20, with a flat roof of basswood troughs; among the first trees he cut was an immense "bee tree." from which he and his wife took four pails of honey, which was a most welcome feast; during the first years, Mr. O., in order to live, used to seek and find work bu the day, sometimes many miles from home, his plucky wife remaining for days alone in the forest cabin, with Indians and wild animals for neighbors; the present Fond du Lac road was then an Indian trail; one dark night, in coming from the house of a neighbor with a lantern, they lost their way in the dense woods, and actually "camped out" that February night, building a fire by the aid of the lantern; most of their household furniture was home-made -- a pork barrel and soap barrel dug from logs, and a butter-bowl and ladle made of maple, the latter still in active use, and kept as a token of old times; they made large quantities of maple sugar, and exchanged it for coarse flour; as a result of this toilsome and needy beginning, Mr. Odekirk has 135 acres well improved, several large barns, (one new one) and a pleasant residence, besides property in Fond du Lac - a good showing for a man who used to make his summer shoes of old boot-legs. He married, Feb 12, 1846, Miss Almira Kelyer, a native of Grafton, NY who was then 16, and began frontier life at 17; they have two children - Emma (now Mrs. S.M. Kuter) and Alice A. (the wife of Charles Youmans). Mr. Odekirk is a Republican, and has been Supervisor and Justice of the Peace. Three of the children are not living - Harriet A, James F and Julia. | |
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last modified: 19 Jun 2004 Return to 
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If you have corrections or additions to share, please contact Tracy Reinhardt by email at fondygenie@charter.net or at (920) 929-8538. Disclaimer | Privacy Statement These electronic pages may not be reproduced in this format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons without the permission of Tracy Reinhardt Copyright © 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 by Tracy Reinhardt ** Ruth Shaw Worthing, The History of Fond du Lac County, as told by its Place-Names, 1976. ** The History of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1880. ** Portrait and Biographical Album of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, Chicago: Acme Publishing Company, 1889. ** A. T. Glaze, Incidents and Anecdotes of Early Days and History of Business in the City and County of Fond du Lac from Early Times to the Present, Fond du Lac: P. B. Haber Printing Company, 1905. ** Maurice McKenna, ed., History of Fond du Lac County, Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1912. ** Wisconsin Volunteers: War of the Rebellion 1861-1865 ** Plat Book of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, C. M. Foote & Co. 1893 |