Odin, Illinois Explained

Odin, Illinois
Settlement Type:Village
Mapsize:260px
Pushpin Map:USA
Pushpin Label Position:left
Pushpin Label:Odin
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the United States
Coordinates:38.6164°N -89.0539°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Illinois
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Marion
Subdivision Type3:Township
Subdivision Name3:Odin
Established Title:Founded
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Title1:Village president
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:2.60
Area Total Sq Mi:1.00
Area Land Km2:2.60
Area Land Sq Mi:1.00
Area Water Km2:0.00
Area Water Sq Mi:0.00
Elevation Ft:525
Population As Of:2020
Population Footnotes:[2]
Population Total:935
Population Density Km2:359.85
Population Density Sq Mi:932.20
Timezone1:CST
Utc Offset1:-6
Timezone1 Dst:CDT
Utc Offset1 Dst:-5
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:62870
Area Code:618
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:17-55210
Blank1 Name:GNIS ID
Blank1 Info:2399560
Blank2 Name Sec2:Wikimedia Commons
Blank2 Info Sec2:Odin, Illinois
Blank3 Name:Public Transit
Blank3 Info:South Central Transit

Odin is a village in Marion County, Illinois, United States. The population was 935 at the 2020 census,[2] down from 1,076 in 2010.

History

Odin originally was settled chiefly by Scandinavians.[3] The village was named after Odin, a god in Germanic mythology.[4] [5]

The Territory of Illinois was separated from that of Indiana in 1809. The newly appointed governor for this territory was Ninian Edwards, and the seat of government established at Kaskaskia. By an act of Congress in April 1818, Illinois was admitted to the Union as the twenty-second state, with Shadrach Bond the first governor.

Marion County was organized on January 24, 1823, and named for General Francis Marion, a hero of the Revolutionary War.Odin Township originally had the villages of Odin and Sandoval within its boundaries. However, in 1896 it was divided into Odin and Sandoval townships.

The hundredth anniversary of the village dates from the time the Illinois Central Railroad secured land grants in order to build the railroad from Chicago to Cairo. The land not needed for the railroad bed was later sold to interested farmers for eight to twelve dollars per acre. Payments could be made over a period of several years.

Thomas Deadmond, a Virginian, was Odin Township's first settler. He arrived in the timber in the southern part in 1827. The season was well advanced. He erected a shed-home with the roof slanted toward the north and the south wall left open. A log fire afforded warmth and a cooking area. Mr. Deadmond entered eighty acres in section 28 in January 1837.

Silas Barr came to the township in 1829. Two years later he entered the first tract of land in section 27. Soon his brother James N. Barr came from Tennessee. This was the father of Oliver Barr and grandfather of Hobart Barr. Samuel McClelland settled in 1830 near Silas Barr. Three brothers by the name of Wilburn settled here at an early date. James Adams, Thomas Pigg and John Hill were early settlers and were respected for their honesty.

All the farms in this locality were for many years confined to the timber but Bluford Deadmond ventured out into the prairie and selected a farm site near the center of the township.

Early settlers in the northern part of the township were G. L. Chitwood, John Davidson, John Puleston, John Vaugh and Silas Hurd.

The village is sixty-five miles from St. Louis, 244 miles from Chicago and situated at the crossing of the two railroads; Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad and Illinois Central Railroad. It was incorporated as a town in 1865 and was placed under village organization in 1874. Its liveliest times were during the civil war when it possessed a record for robbers, gamblers, blacklegs and people of which could not be excelled. Since the civil war these people faded away and the town filled with a better class of people.

In 1960, Odin had 1,000 inhabitants, five churches and one or more soon to be built. A well graded public school, a public library association. She had a brick and tile factory and was democratic by a small majority as is also Marion County. Several clubs were in town; Odin Lodge no 503, Odin Women's Relief Corps, American Legion Auxiliary, Old Maids Convention, Odin Fancy Work Club, Odin Dramatic Club, Odin Junior Women's Club, Odin PTA, Odin Woman's Garden Club, The Odin Fire Department.

Early business establishments included A. M Woodward General Store; J. M. Dace Confectionery; S. D. Phillips Drug Store; Hurd and Harroun Implement Shop; E. E. Hudson Paint Store; Eccles Brothers Bakery, E. A. Parks Jewelry Story; C. F. Krodell General Store; Scott Davidson Livery and Grains; C. O. Stanford Clothier; Wilson Dace Jeweler; Lewis Print Shop and Odin Newspaper; Barber Shops of Walter Turner and Charles Arrowsmith; Odin Bank with W. H. Farthing cashier; Tot's Hat Shop; T. H. McClelland Real Estate and Insurance; the Virginia, Moddy and Kellar Hotels. The blacksmith shop operated by Henry Soulon. B. C. Holsapple opened a blacksmith shop in 1909; C E Sloan open the lumber yard. Post office was established in 1861.

Schools

The first regular school house built of logs stood near the McClelland graveyard. Odin School was held in the Smith Hall at one time for extra room, another time in the Schumaker Building, then later about 1898 or 1899 extra rooms were in the Presbyterian Church which stood a block west of the main school, still later in the wooden frame building across the street to the west. The average wage paid to teachers was $12.00 per month. In 1880 the average wage paid to male teachers was $37.15 and female teachers was $26.32 per month.

Some school rules: No swearing on school grounds, no whispering and mind the teacher in all things.

Odin Coal Company

A mass convention of the citizens was called for the purpose of considering the propriety and manner of organizing a coal and mining company. The capital stock was placed at $25,000 and after four months of steady work and united efforts the entire amount of stock was taken without the assistance of outside capital. The mine commission consisted of W. H. Phillips, J. G. Vaughn, L. Somerville, F. D. Secor, W. H. Cole, W. E. Smith, N. B. Morrison, A. M. Woodard and E. Sharp; all prominent and influential citizens.

The company was incorporated under the laws of the state, and the contract for sinking the shaft was awarded to Messrs. Earls & Paul, mine contractors of Sandoval, Illinois. N. B. Morrison was president. Officially recorded as ISGS Index #87, Odin Coal Company, 1 Shaft, Method = Modified Room and Pillar (MRP), 1887–1939, Seam Mined = Herrin Twp 2N, Rge 1E, Sec 13.

Coal was expected at a depth of 600 feet and was not found until 669 feet in 1886. At that time the whistle at the shaft announced that coal had been found, bringing excitement to the town. A grand barbecue and picnic in honor of the event was held with Hon. William D. Farthing the committee chairman. 5000 people attended the celebration and had speeches from Gov. Oglesby, US Attorney G. Van Hoorbeke and others.

Odin Coal Co. pays machine men $2.00 per day, shooters the same, loaders 10 cents per day; 50 cents for screened coal and 35 cents for gross-weight coal. One of the customers of Odin CC was University of Illinois. In 1899, UofI board took the following action though.

The action of the committee was confirmed. Mr. Bullard offered the following resolution, which was adopted : WHEREAS, The Board through its Committee on Buildings and Grounds did invite proposals for coal for the university for the year beginning with September 1899; and WHEREAS, On the 16th day of August last bids were opened and the contract for furnishing fuel for the year was awarded to the Odin Coal Company on their proposal of $1.00 per ton for pea coal delivered f. o. b. cars in Champaign or Urbana—the lowest bid which was received—and WHEREAS, The said Odin Coal Company has failed repeatedly to furnish coal of the quantity and quality as stipulated; and WHEREAS, There is no forfeiture or penalty attached for failure to furnish coal by the said Odin Coal Company; therefore, be it Resolved, That the Committee on Buildings and Grounds is hereby instructed to make an additional contract for furnishing coal to the university for said year in such quantity and at such rates as it best can for the interests of the university, so that the university may not be compelled at any time to go into the market and buy coal at local market prices. Mr. Bullard read a proposition from the Sangamon Coal Company offering to furnish the university pea coal, two or three cars a week until April 1, at $1.20 per ton, f. o. b . cars Urbana or Champaign, and on his motion the proposition was accepted. The Secretary was instructed to notify the company of the acceptance of its proposition.

Dangers of the Mine: The mine worked for nine years before they had a fatal accident.

From 1907 to 1936 the mine had a national safety record working without a fatal accident. James Bradley was killed in 1936 with a fall of coal and rock. The mine had two bad mule barn fires. The first killing 18 of the 21 mules in 1906. The 1910 mule barn fire did not have any mules die.

The Odin Mine was fully developed by 1902 with a tonnage of 1000 tons per eight hour day employing 200 men. The mine worked above average until 1924 when the old tipple burned. A modern tipple was built in 1925 but the tonnage dropped to 800 tons. By 1930 the depression was on. The coal business was so bad the company could not compete with the mines who had larger shafts and the mine went into receivership in 1936. The mine officially shut down in 1938.

Geography

Odin is located in western Marion County U.S. Route 50 runs through the northern part of the village as Poplar Street, leading east 6miles to Salem, the county seat, and west 3miles to Sandoval.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Odin has a total area of 1sqmi, all land.[1] The village is drained to the southwest by tributaries of Turkey Creek, which continues southwest to Crooked Creek, a west-flowing tributary of the Kaskaskia River.

Demographics

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 1,122 people, 440 households, and 293 families residing in the village. The population density was 1110.8sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 485 housing units at an average density of 480.2sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the village was 98.48% White, 0.62% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.09% from other races, and 0.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.

There were 440 households, out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $32,019, and the median income for a family was $38,400. Males had a median income of $30,147 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income for the village was $14,814. About 8.6% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Illinois . United States Census Bureau . February 27, 2023.
  2. Web site: P1. Race – Odin village, Illinois: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171). U.S. Census Bureau. February 27, 2023.
  3. Book: Illinois Central Magazine. 1922. Illinois Central Railroad Company. 46.
  4. Book: Chicago and North Western Railway Company. A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways. 1908. 109.
  5. News: Place Names Have Colorful History . The Southeast Missourian . January 11, 1963 . April 27, 2015 . Allen, John W. . 6.
  6. Web site: U.S. Census website . . January 31, 2008 .
  7. http://www.odinishome.com/funfacts.html Village of Odin