1890 Buchanan and Delaware Counties ps. 318-319

G.H. ODELL, the present sheriff of Delaware county, is a native of Michigan, but has passed almost his entire life in this, Delaware county, and is as much an Iowan as if he were "to the manner born." He is the eldest of a family of seven children born to Job and Mary (Nichol) Odell, the father being a native of Hamilton county, Tenn., and the mother a native of Preble county, Ohio. His parents were among the early settlers of Delaware county, moving here in 1851, and settling in Elk township, where the mother died in March, 1889, and where the father yet lives. The elder Odell is now well advanced in years, but has always led an active, industrious and useful life and has been prominently identified with the growth, development and the local administration of the public affairs of his township. He built the first gristmill that was ever erected in Elk township, setting it up in 1852, and operating it till 1868, the mill being known far and wide as Odell's mill. He has been a farmer ever since he has been in the county, and a reasonably successful one. He was the first assessor of Elk township and has served that township as assessor and trustee many terms.  Mr. Odell's mother was a woman who possessed many of the best qualities of her sex, displaying these to good advantage as she stood side by side with her husband helping him to fight the battles of the pioneers. She was almost a life-long member of the Christian church and her daily life blossomed with the choicest fruits of the faith she professed. The seven children, of whom these were the parents, are all living, except one, these being-Gabriel Harrison, our subject, Abigail, William, Nancy, Corbly, Clayton, and John (deceased).

The subject of this notice, Gabriel Harrison  Odell,  was   born in Cass county, Mich., October 8, 1849.   His parents moving to this state and settling in Delaware county in 1851, his childhood and youth were passed on the old home-place in Elk township.    He grew  up on  his father's farm and received a good common-school education, being trained to the habits of industry and usefulness common to farm life.   He entered the State University at Iowa City in 1867, where he took a general literary and scientific course extending over three years.   He began teaching soon after and taught several terms in Delaware and Floyd counties, this state.
Returning to Delaware county, he taught for three years in the public schools of the county, at the end of which time he went to Dubuque, and, entering Bayless Commercial College, took a commercial course in order to perfect himself as a teacher and also to acquaint himself with some of the more practical branches. He taught for three years following this, being engaged most of the time in the public schools at Greeley. He was appointed justice of the peace for Elk township, in 1882, to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of H. G. Miller, and was elected and re-elected to the same position, holding it until he resigned to accept the sheriff's office. In November, 1889, he was elected sheriff of Delaware county, and is now holding under that election. Mr. Odell has met the expectations of his friends as a public official, having discharged his official duties with faithful exactitude and risen steadily in public favor. He is a capable and efficient officer, prompt to act, fearless and showing favors to none; and yet, withal discreet and not unmindful of the rights and privileges of all with whom he has dealings or with whom he comes in contact.

Mr. Odell has a family consisting of a wife and two children. He married in February, 1879, taking to share his fortunes a lady of this county, Miss Julia King, who, however, was born in Indiana. The issue of this union has been two sons-Merritt and Harry.In politics Mr. Odell is a republican. He is a strong believer in the principles and methods of his party, and he has given it the earnest support of a loyal nature at all times since reaching his majority. He was too young to enter the army at the opening of the war, being then only twelve years old; but he offered his services towards the close, enlisting in April, 1864, in Company F, Forty-sixth Iowa infantry, being hundred-day troops. He served out the term of his enlistment and was discharged as a private in the fall of that year.

Mr. Odell has taken much interest in the benevolent associations, being a zealous Mason, member of  Tadmor Lodge, No. 225, A.F. and A. M., and Meribah Chapter, No. 96, E. A. M., both at Greeley, this county. He belongs also to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; being a member of Greeley Lodge, No. 418. He belongs also to Elk Camp, No. 148, Modern Woodmen of America, at Greeley, and to the A. E. Hopson Post, No. 41, G. A. R, at Greeley.

 

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