Ahnentafel #618 - Samuel O'Dell

Samuel O'Dell or Odell

Born: 1663 Rye, Westchester Co., NY
Died: after 1720, no will found

Buried:  unknown

Married: Patience (--?--) ca. 1688

Biography: Samuel Odell, son of William, in 1684 had from his father William all his title and interest in the White Plains purchase.  He removed, like his brother [John] to the manor of Fordham, where with his wife Patience he was 'very well settled to their satisfaction,' when, about the year 1693, his uncle Jonathan Vowles, of Rye, 'happening at that time to be parted and living separate from his then wife Deborah, and being alone and having no children, persuaded him to leave his habitation and to go and live with him.' In compensation for his services, about nine years after, according to his own statement, Samuel received, by deed from Vowles, the southernmost part of Mounsting [Manussing] Island, containing about 150 acres.' Six or seven years after, says Samuel, Deborah, who was then living with her husband, came and borrowed the deed, and he has never seen it since. He returned to Fordham (about 1708, apparently), but persisted in his
claim against Roger Park who in 1707 bought from Vowles his father-in-law the land on Manussing Island. Samuel petitioned the governor in 1717 for a patent, and in 1720 remonstrated against the granting of a patent to the inhabitants of Rye without recognition of his claim. 

Records:
1684 - Rye, Westchester Co., NY - Samuel received land from his father William.

1693 - moved to Fordham, New York - a distance of about 19 miles on modern roads

1697 - Samuel & Patience sold their home lot and house to Daniel Brondage.

1700 - Samuel sold his right to his father's lands in the White Plains purchase to Abraham Smith.

1708 - ca. 1708 Samuel moved his family back to Fordham.

1717, June 21 - Samuel petitions the governor of New York or Connecticut for a patent. 

1720 - June 20 - In the year 1720, the inhabitants of Rye took steps to procure a patent for their lands from the British crown. It appears that they had delayed to seek such a benefit until then, though twenty years had now elapsed since their unwilling return to the province of New York [from Connecticut]. We might infer from this delay that the people were not yet wholly reconciled to their lot, or at least that some of them were indisposed to ask for a charter from the New York government, inasmuch as they already held one from Connecticut. However this may be, the formal action of the town was not taken until a few persons apparently without the general consent, undertook to write to the Governor and Council on the subject. 

'The Humble Petition of Daniell Purdy Son of John Purdy deceased Samuel Brown and Benjamin Brown Inhabitants of the Township of Rye in the County of West Chester in behalfe of themselves and diverse other Inhabitants of the said Township of Rye,' is dated June 20th, 1720. They ask for letters of patent for the tract of land lying between Blind Brook and the colony line, from the southern extremity of Peningo Neck to 'the Antient marked Trees of Limping Will's purchase.'

The Governor and the Council very properly referred this petition to the people of Rye at large; directing Joseph Budd, then supervisor, to 'call a town meeting of the inhabitants,' for the purpose of ascertaining their wishes on the subject. This meeting took place early in July, and Mr. Budd reports, 'New York ye 14th July 1720, to the Hon. Peter Schuyler,' etc., 'in Council,' that the inhabitants of Rye 'unanimously have noe objection against Granting the said Lands to the said Petitioners, but only that the same cannot be Granted to them by the Express Limitts and Boundaries as pticularly Described by the said Petition by reason it would Interfere with Lands already Granted to other persons.' They suggest a somewhat different description, e.g., 'beginning at a certaine Rock lyeing on a point of Land c'y [commonly] known by the name of Town Neck point' . . . 'together with a certaine Island Included known by the name of Monussing Island lyeing about Twenty Rodes from the maine Land."

No little stir was caused in Rye by these measures relative to the patent. An old controversy which had been slumbering for some years, regarding the ownership of the southern part of Manussing Island, was revived.  Samuel Odell, who claimed it, against Roger Park, remonstrated against the granting of a patent that should fail to secure him in his rights to that property. Depositions of various parties were taken on the subject before the Council. The Surveyor-general, Cadwallader Colden, surveyed the tract, exclusive of the island, and made his report August 11, 1720. And finally, July 28, the gentlemen of the Council to whom the petition of Rye had been referred, reported favorably upon it. 

Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Westchester for the years 1772 to 1787; published with the Proceedings of the Board for 1869.  

Land Papers, in the Office of the Secretary of State, Albany; Vol. VII, p. 171. 

1738 - Orange Co., NY - a Samuel Odel is listed as captain of a regiment of foot militia. If this is him, he was 75 years old.  Probably isn't him, most militia's excluded men after age 65.

Children:
Mary

Revised 9/7/2019