James Odiorne's Biography(Photos)

James Odiorne, son of Ebenezer and Sarah Barrett Cunningham,
was born in Malden, Massachusetts on Dec 26, 1816. he was

Odiorne and a negro woman who lived with them. After the
war, he resumed his Blanco County practice, living in

brought up in the stationary and book business in Boston,
Massachusetts but relinquished it and studied medicine.

Blanco.

Because of his familiy's financial position, he was enabled
to have the best of professional education

Dr. Odiorne was appointed to the office of Chief
Justice of Blanco County August 28, 1865 (this office now

known as County Judge) by Andrew J. Hamilton, Provisional
Governor of the State of Texas. He received his Commission

County, Virginia. The ceremony was performed in Hawesville,
Kentucky on Nov. 11, 1844. dr. Odiorne settled in Illinois,

and took oath of office on August 28, 1865 and served until
elections could be held in 1866. In the seventies, he

and was engaged there several years in the practice of his
profession. Later, he moved to Kentucky, and continued to

removed to his McCall Creek home and had ranching interestes
in sheep, cattle and horses but continued his practice in

practice medicine. While he lived in Bewleyville,
Kentucky, he was elected Bishop of Royal Arch Masons. In

the Blanco area or anywhere he was called. No call for
assistance, whether for alms or professional assistance, was

1857, Dr. Odiorne and his family moved to Texas and settled
at Moulton in Lavaca County. One year later, they moved to

ever refused by Dr. Odiorne.

Hopkinsville in Gonzales County where they lived two years.

In 1881 he moved to Johnson City and established a
practice with office and drug store adjoining the general

Moving to Blanco County in 1860, he brought with him a
large flock of registered sheep which he had moved from

store of W.D. thompson. Within a short time he acquired a
printing press and located it on the east side of the square

Kentucky. In partnership with Mr. Thomas Morgan, he owned
about seven thousand acres of land on Miller Creek and owned

near the site of the present printing press. The paper
published was "The Mountain Echo" and the editor was A.T.

a home on McCall Creek. The next year, 1861, he was elected
County Commissioner for the central portion of Blanco

Maupin. Believe it or not, the subscription rte in 1887 was
$1.50 per year.

County. he lived there until his wife's death, February 25,
1863. Soon afterward, he moved to Blanco, where he set up

On the night of Monday, July 4, 1887, his drugstore and

practice and owned a drug store in conjunction with J.D.
Rust. In December 1863, he was elected Worshipful Master of

its contents were consumed by fire which was caused by an
explosion of alcohol while Dr. Odiorne was compounding

Blanco Lodge 216, a.f. & a.m. of Blanco, Texas.

medicine by the light of a kerosene lamp which had no
chimney. He suffered untold agonies for more than

While serving as a surgeon in the Civil War at Ft.
Mason, Texas, his children were in the care of the two older

twenty-four hours before death's release the following
night, July 5. He was buried with Masonic Honors in the