mary elizabeth odell farnsworth

  • Born: 3 February 1836 | Carroll County, Indiana
  • Died: 14 April 1895 | Yamhill County, Oregon
  • Parents: John and Sarah Odell
  • Spouse: James Haven Farnsworth
  • Arrived in Oregon: September 1851
  • Children:
    • Sarah Blandena Farnsworth (1859 – 1863)
    • Eri Dempster Farnsworth (1863–1936)
    • Levi Albert Farnsworth (1867–1958)
    • Mary Belle Farnsworth Clarkson (1872-1951)
    • Eva E. Farnsworth Haines (1873–1971)

Mary Elizabeth Odell was born on February 3, 1836, in Carroll County, Indiana, to John and Sarah Odell.  In 1851, at the age of 15, Mary emigrated to Oregon with her parents and siblings via the overland route. She shared with her daughter, Eva Farnsworth, the memory of traveling in a wagon while her mother, Sarah Odell, rode a horse named “Old Fly” the entire way from Indiana to Oregon (Genealogical Forum of Oregon, n.d., p. 40).

Two years after arriving in Oregon, Mary married Morgan L. Rockhill, a fellow pioneer who likely traveled in the same wagon train with the Odell family. Tragically, Morgan passed away less than two months after their wedding. He is also buried in the Odell Pioneer Cemetery.

In 1858, Mary married James Haven Farnsworth, a pioneer from 1852. Together, they had five children, four of whom survived into adulthood. Their first child, Sarah Blandena, tragically passed away at the age of four. The Farnsworth family lived in various locations throughout Oregon and Washington, including the Webfoot area, Portland, and Castle Rock.

James passed away in 1888, and Mary followed him in 1895. Both are buried at the Odell Pioneer Cemetery, along with their daughter Sarah Blandena. All three graves are unmarked, and it is believed that the headstones were lost or stolen over time.

 

Farnsworth, Mrs. Mary O’Dell. (n.d.).Biographical and other index card file (Surname range: No – Ol). In Oregon, biographical and other index card file, 1700s-1900s [Database on-line]. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Retrieved March 23, 2025, from https://www.ancestry.com

Odell, Mary Elizabeth. (n.d.).Biographical and other index card file (Surname range: No – Ol). In Oregon, biographical and other index card file, 1700s-1900s [Database on-line]. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Retrieved March 23, 2025, from https://www.ancestry.com

Odell, Mary Elizabeth. Early Oregonians Database Index. Oregon State Archives. Retrieved from https://secure.sos.state.or.us/prs/profile.do?ancRecordNumber=46031

Find A Grave. Mary Elizabeth Odell Farnsworth. Findagrave.com. Retrieved from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11919473/mary_elizabeth-farnsworth

Genealogical Forum of Oregon. (n.d.). Odell Cemetery biographies (p. 40).

U.S. Census Bureau. (1850). 1850 United States Federal Census. Jackson Township, Indiana, p. 364A, John Odell household. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm publication M432, Roll 137. Retrieved April 3, 2025 from Ancestry.com.

U.S. Census Bureau. (1860). 1860 United States Federal Census. Dayton, Oregon, p. 664, James Farnsworth household. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm publication M653, Roll 1056. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from Ancestry.com.

U.S. Census Bureau. (1870). 1870 United States Federal Census. Multnomah, Oregon, p. 164B, F Farnsworth household. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm publication M593, Roll 1287. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from Ancestry.com.

U.S. Census Bureau. (1880). 1880 United States Federal Census. Grant Precinct, Portland, Oregon, E.D. 90, p. 184B, James Farnsworth household. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm publication T9, Roll 1082. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from Ancestry.com.

Washington State Archives. (n.d.). Washington Territorial Census Rolls, 1857-1892 (Cowlitz County). In Washington, U.S., State and Territorial Censuses, 1857-1892 [Database on-line]. Ancestry.com Operations Inc. Retrieved March 23, 2025, from https://www.ancestry.com