Odna Devin

1889 - 1892  (2 years)

• Name	Odna Devin
  Born	07 Dec 1889	Bolivar, Polk County, Missouri, U.S.A.
  Gender	Female
  Died	15 Jun 1892	Flora, Wallowa, Oregon U.S.A.   [1]
  Buried	17 Jun 1892	Flora Cemetery, Flora, Wallowa, Oregon U.S.A.   [1]
  Notes	Odna was born in Missouri U.S.A. When she was nine months old, her parents moved the family to northern Wallawa County, Oregon, to start a homestead. They left Missouri in a boxcar on 15 September 1890. They left the train in La Grande, Oregon and went by horse and wagon to their homestead. The trip took nineteen days and was very hard on the baby girl. -- From "The Flora Country" by Ira Holmes Devin. Odna was a "jolly, good-natured little tyke and was pretty much 'daddy's girl'." -- From "The Flora Country". She lived in her family's 14 by 14 foot log cabin on the homestead until her death in 1892. The following story about her accident and death is paraphrased from "The Flora Country: The Hardships and Struggles of the Matt Devin Family as Pioneers in Northern Wallowa County, Oregon" written by Ira Holmes Devin (Odna's younger brother) During the afternoon of 14 June 1892, Odna was sitting on a chair eating a piece of bread and jam when somehow she fell and bumped her head. It did not seem to hurt her much. She whimpered a little and went on with her playing. She played until quite late that night and she seemed all right when her mother put her to bed. At daybreak the next morning (15 June 1892), Odna's father, Matt Devin, was going to Walla Walla, Washington to find work in the harvest. He bid goodbye to his other children and started to wake Odna to wish her goodbye. Eliza (Odna's mother) told him to let her sleep, so he just kissed her and left with his wagon and team of horses. Eliza went to wake Odna about nine-thirty that morning. Odna seemed limp and listless, so Eliza gave her a sponge bath. Eliza worked with Odna, but Odna seemed to get worse in spite of everything Eliza tried. Eliza sent Gene and Bertha to the neighbors for help. The only doctor was at La Grande, Oregon; one hundred miles away. The neighbors came, but there was nothing they could do. Odna continued to get worse and had one or two convulsions. She went into a coma and passed away about three o'clock that afternoon. A rider was sent to overtake Matt. The rider found Matt at Elgin, Oregon, the next afternoon (16 June). Arrangements had been made for a relay of horses, so Matt could ride back. As soon as Matt heard the news, he jerked the harness off of the horses, and threw a saddle on his horse, Molly. He rode her back to Wallowa; reaching there about midnight. Matt changed horses three times between Wallowa and the homestead. He rode eighty miles in sixteen hours; returning on 17 June. He was tired and had taken an "awful beating" riding strange saddles that did not fit him. They buried Odna in the Flora cemetary. On the headstone are these words: "Odna, Born December 7, 1889; Died, June 15, 1892. Gone, But Not Forgotten." Odna's death was a terrible shock to Matt and Eliza. Eliza later said that they had endured many hardships, but losing Odna seemed like more than they could possibly bear. Matt said it was the hardest thing that he ever faced was leaving the family the day after to pick up his wagon, and go on to harvest, knowing he would never see little Odna again. On the morning of 18 June, Matt left for the harvest, again. He was so sore he could hardly ride, so he would ride awhile, then walk. He got back to Elgin, Oregon by mid-afternoon on 19 June and continued his trip to Walla Walla.
  Person ID	I0023	Devin Timber | William Devin Progeny
  Last Modified	15 Jun 2010

  
  

  Father	Nathaniel Madison Devin,   b. 08 Apr 1860, Bolivar, Polk County, Missouri, U.S.A. ,   d. 03 Apr 1933, Winchester, Lewis, Idaho U.S.A.  (Age 72 years)
  Mother	Eliza Jane Holmes,   b. 07 Aug 1863, Carroll County, Arkansas U.S.A. ,   d. 26 July 1922, Lewiston, Nez Perce, Idaho U.S.A.  (Age 58 years)
  Married	03 Jun 1880	Bolivar, Polk County, Missouri, U.S.A.
  Family ID	F0003	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos		Devin, Odna Cropped from a photograph in the possession of Twila M.
  		Devin, Odna - circa 1890 Taken at E.C. Grant studios of Lamar, Missouri. One of two known photographs of Odna.

  
  

• Sources

  [S67455] The Flora Country: The Hardships and Struggles of the Matt Devin Family as Pioneers in Northern Wallowa County, Oregon, Devin, Ira H., (Longview, Washington; Lower Columbia College; October 1971).