William O'DELL

                   HOLSTON PASTFINDER DEC 1983 - HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE LUTHERN CHURCH FROM "HISTORIC SITES OF SULLIVAN COUNTY" 1980 EDITION "(JOHN) SEVIER'S FIRST TENNESSEE HOME SITE; JOHN SHELBY'S FORT SITE; CAWOOD'S FORD"
       "JOHN SHELBY OWNED NINE HUNDRED AND FORTY ACRES ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HOLSTON RIVER RUNNING FROM ABOVE KEYWOOD'S (NOW THOMAS) CREEK DOWN TO NEAR THE SUGAR HOLLOW ROAD, HAVING RECEIVED THIS GRANT FROM GEORGE THE SECOND, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE AND IRELAND, KING AND DEFENDER OF THE FAITH.****UNDER THE SEAL OF OUR SAID COLONY (COUNTY OF AUGUSTA) THE SIXTEENTH DAY OF AUGUST ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX.  LATER THIS LAND BECAME THE CAWOOD PLANTATION--MAIL WILL STILL BE DELIVERED ADDRESSED TO 'CAWOOD'S FORD, TENNESSEE.'
       AGATHA CAWOOD'S SON SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT. HIS MOTHER HADN'T DIED WHEN HE SOLD TO JOHN MCGARY THIS LAND -- WITH ALL PRIVILEGE OF OWNERSHIP, TO BUILD, CUT WOOD, MINERAL RIGHT, AND THE LAND TO BE COMPLETELY MCGARY'S AT HIS (CAWOOD) MOTHER'S DEATH.  WE KNOW THAT MCGARY HAD AT LEAST ONE SON (MCGARYS STILL LIVE DOWN THE ROAD) AND HE HAD 2 DAUGHTERS: MARY AND ANNE BECAUSE THEY MARRIED TWO ODELL BROTHERS.  ANNE AND WILLIAM ODELL BECAME THE PROGENITORS OF NUMEROUS PUBLIC OFFICIALS, BORN ON THIS PROPERTY, MAGISTRATES, SHERIFF, STATE REPRESENTATIVE.  THE LAST SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE FROM SULLIVAN COUNTY, HOM. JOHN EDWARD O'DELL JR. WAS BORN HERE.  WILLIAM ODELL, ONE OF THE MEN WHO BROUGHT THE VIRGINIA-TENNESSEE RAILROAD TO THIS SECTION ALSO WAS BORN HERE.  CAWOOD'S SHELTERED MANY STRONG WOMEN.  ONE COMES TO MIND, AMNER MILLARD ODELL, WIFE OF ANDREW ODELL.  HE LEFT HIS WIFE AND SIX CHILDREN TO FIGHT IN THE CIVIL WAR AND WAS LAST HEARD OF AS A PRISONER OF WAR AT CAMP DELAWARE."