Elijah Odell

ODELL

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 3/1/2009 at 06:25:27

Clayton County Centennial Edition, July, 1936.

Elijah Odell

During the winter of 1871, the writer read law and did clerical work in the office of Elijah Odell, a brusque, stalwart man, who had brought his vernacular and address with him from Indiana. Unlike his Hoosier brethren, George Ade and James Whitcomb Riley, he relied more on his orthodox faith, than his sense of humor and not frequently admonished his brethren of the bar that the dignity of the profession should stop salacious suggestions in their cross examinations.

Previous to the Civil War, he owned and operated a farm in Highland township. He was the first member of the early bar to cross the “Divide” and sleeps in the little cemetery in Highland, where life opened its responsibilities and where his children had their birth.

We want to mention that the office of Noble and Hatch was across the hallway from that of Mr. Odell and the atmosphere of that office we found companionship and absorbed more law than we took from the text books.