FACTORS IN COLUMBIA COUNTY HISTORY

From

Columbia County at the End of the Century

Volume II

Published and Edited Under the Auspices of the Hudson Gazette

The Record Printing and Publishing Co.

Hudson, New York

M C M (1900)

"O" SURNAMES

These biographies  in Part III begin after page 132 of Volume II beginning with page 3.

Abbreviations used: p. o. = post office

Page 345:

ODELL, Cordelia R., of Copake, was a daughter of Abraham and Christiana (Vosburgh) Odell, who had ten children:  Amelia M., Cordelia R., Maryette, Walter V., Christiana (deceased), Ivan A., Hester A., Abram I., Jr., William E., and Elmer Co. (deceased), all native of Columbia county.  Abraham Odell was born in the town of Taghkanic and educated in the common schools.  He was associated with his parents until his father's death, after which he purchased the farm where Cordelia R. now resides, where he remained the rest of his days.  He was engaged in farming, making a specialty of stock farming, and during the latter part of his life dealt largely in farm products, which he sold in New York and other markets.  He died December 31, 1880, survived by his wife, who died October 25, 1894.  Mr. Odell was a man that was respected by all who knew him as a wise counselor and an upright and honest neighbor.  He was very domestic in his habits, living mostly within his family, to whom he devoted his time and energy.  He was interested in school and educational work and was connected with his school in an official capacity as trustee, etc., many terms.  The family are affiliated with the M. E. church of Craryville, to which he was a liberal contributing and supporting member.

Page 182:

OLCOTT, Edmund H., was a native of Hudson, where he was born in 1807.  He early in life became connected with the hardware trade, and for sixty years his name in this line was a synonym for honor and integrity in business, as well as in social matters.  Mr. Olcott went to learn his trade at the age of fifteen.  In his nineteenth year he went to sea; was gone three years, returned and went the second time on another three years' voyage.  Upon returning again he married Ann H. Wells, and at the outbreak of the California gold fever he left for California and returned after a year's stay there, leaving, while gone, his wife in charge of his store.  He returned and continued the business until he retired.  It is seldom that an instance is afforded of a man conducting the same business for so long a period, and retiring with a record of unquestioned uprightness and commanding the esteem and unqualified confidence of all who knew him.  In whatever sphere Mr. Olcott was called to act, he invariably acquitted himself with honor and with credit to the judgment of those who placed their confidence in him.  Hating falsehood in any form, despising misrepresentation or trickery in business affairs, he stood out in all his sturdy integrity as a representative example of rectitude and unflinching honor.  Mr. Olcott was twice married; his first wife was Ann Wells, whom he married September 8, 1832, and who died August 30, 1879.  He afterward was married to Mrs. Mary J. Castle, daughter of John Winslow, of Schoharie, November 11, 1885.  Mr. Olcott died January 31, 1891.

Pages 345 & 346:

OLES, Frank C., of Austerlitz, was born in Alford, Mass., May 9, 1854, a son of Herman Oles (born in Alford, Mass., in 1816, and died February, 1898), and Martha Snyder, his wife; they had nine children, Frank C., being the fifth.  Mr. Oles received his education in the public schools and has since followed farming; he also conducts a grist and sawmill at Spencertown.  October 14, 1875, he married Mary Jane, daughter of Erastus Brownell and Mary J. Rundell, his wife.  The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Oles:  Newman F., born June 28, 1876; Roy A., born June 1, 1877; Elmira L., born May 15, 1879, and Merton R., born September 8, 1880.  Mr. Oles is a member of Columbia Lodge, No. 98, F. & A. M., of Chatham.

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