Odom/Odam Slave Research Notes - Georgia

Submitted by: Vera Moore

March 2006

My Great-Great-Great-Great Grandmother was Caroline ODOM who was born into slavery about 1813 in Georgia.  On the 1870 Census of Putnam County, Georgia, she was age 57 living with my Great-Great-Great Grandparents Ebin (Edwin on census) and Jeanette BURNEY. A woman by the name Nancy BROWN, age 70, born Georgia was also in the same household. I  suspect Ebin BURNEY born 1834 was Caroline’s son and was likely last owned by one of the 6 Burney slave owners in next-door Jasper County. It is still unknown who Nancy BROWN was.  Eben and Jeanette had the following children by 1870:

1. Silory (a girl) b. 1856 (Silvie/Silvey), corrected on 19 Aug. 2004. Source Peggy Billerman.)

2. Ella (my Great-Great Grandmother, married Silas MOORE) b. 1859

3. Jefferson , b. 1861

4. William, b. 1867

5. Carrie (twin), b. 1869

6. Addie (twin), b. 1869

There is evidence, though not verified that Ebin had brother or cousin Charles BURNEY in Jasper County, and a possible brother of Caroline named William BURNEY , both lived in Jasper County in 1870  Gooslby District and were neighbors.  Eben, Charles and William all named a daughter Carrie/Caroline and Addie/Adaline. .  In 1870 Jasper County there was a Ridda BURNEY living with William; she was 105 years of age born in VA.  By 1880 Charles BURNEY is back in Putnam County with his wife Georgia Ann and children. 

Between 1870 and 1880 Ebin and Jeanette moved to  Jasper County, and there they were  enumerated in the 1880 Census.  They lived two doors from there son-in-law and daughter Silas and Ella (BURNEY) MOORE. Silas and Ella had 12 children and 2 children died before 1880.  Eben and Jeanette’s last child was born in 1873, he was named James.  Ella’s Grandmother Caroline ODOM was living with them; she was age 66.  Caroline died before 1900, probably before 1890. 

Boykin Bennett ODOM is the last slave owner of Caroline ODOM.  He was born 1818 in Georgia and died 17 Dec. 1886 in Putnam County..  His parents were Winborne ODOM and Mary BENNETT both of North Carolina.  They moved to Putnam County, Georgia in 1817.  B.B. ODOM was a slave owner in Putnam County from 1840 through emancipation.  He was listed as the only ODOM (or variant) slave owner on the 1850 and 1860 Georgia Slave Schedule in Putnam County.  In the 1840 Census, he shows having 31 slaves.  Boykin’s father Winborne ODOM was listed on the 1820 Census of Putnam County, with wife, a son and daughter under age 10, and 27 slaves.  Caroline was  one of his slaves, and  when Winborne died in 1826 she among other slaves were inherited through his estate .  The widowed Mary BENNETT ODOM married again on the 14 May, 1827 to Isham W. SHERLING/SHIRLING in Putnam County.