Waldo County

Waldo County, Maine Gen Web Site

JOHN ODELL HANNAN

ca 1794-1797 ~ ca 1875

By © Isabel Morse Maresh

John Odell1 Hannan [called John O.D. Hannan] was born circa 1794/7, probably in Ireland. The 1927 Brief History of Liberty, Maine makes the statement, "John Odell came to Liberty and changed his name to Hannan and settled on the upper County Road". It has always been thought that he was of Irish descent. In the Liberty record of John Colby's Hannan's death, [a son of John Odell Hannan] gives the birthplace of his father as Ireland.

The 1927 History also gives a short history of the Jacob Lehmann family: "Jacob Lehmann, [1786-1845], born in Metz, Germany, came to Liberty about 1814-1816. He had been impressed by the British as a sailor, but managed to escape with others at Castine or Islesboro and came to the mainland in a small boat." To be "impressed into service" was a crude method of being drafted. Often, the men were kidnapped from a tavern or wherever they were found to be, bound, and taken to an outgoing ship to fight for the English. The story which was told to me by Susan Leeman was that Jacob Lehmann and John Odell came ashore, and were hidden by local people in Belfast, Me. They stayed in a cellar, where they hid under barrels when the British soldiers came looking for them. When they determined that it was safe to leave, they journeyed inland, over the road leading from Belfast to Augusta, Me., away from the coast where the soldiers were more likely to be. They believed that they were far enough away when they reached the small village of Liberty, then called Davistown. There they changed the spelling of their names. Jacob Lehman became Leeman. The tale that has come down through the family was that the ship on which the sailors were on, sank somewhere in Penobscot Bay. One story was that they sank off Bucksport. The story goes on much the same as the Leeman story, that they hid until they reached Liberty, Maine, feeling safe that they were far enough inland as to not be found.

There is no actual proof of any of these stories, but the tale has been passed down from generation to generation. It is also recorded in the '1927 Brief History of Liberty, Maine': "James Marshall of Irish birth is reported to have come here with John Odell Hannan." James Marshall and John Odell Hannan may have left the old country together. James settled on the shore which has borne his name to the present day, Marshall Shore, on the St. Georges Lake in Liberty, Me. The further tale of James Marshall is interesting, though it has no connection with John Odell Hannan. It was written: "By his own request he [James Marshall] was buried on the mountain side so that he might overlook his property. The grave is unmarked. ...... It is said that James Marshall determined to find a place that just suited him in which to locate. He went with his team, carrying his money hidden under a false bottom in his wagon, from Maine to Ohio, and back again, still unsatisfied until he finally arrived at Mashall Shore. This to him was the most beautiful spot in one-half of America."

It was thought by some that John Odell was of French or German descent, and that the spelling was 'Audell'. It is more probable that he was Irish, impressed by the British Army to fight in their navy during the War of 1812, and a shipmate of Jacob Lehmann. The Census records of John O. D. Hannan, and some of his offspring gives his birthplace as Ireland. The descendants have long claimed to be Irish. It was said that one descendant had traced the lineage in Ireland, and had kinship to the Kennedy family. This relatived died, and the story was told that her husband destroyed the research. It could be true, but more than likely, a claim to have ties to a famous family. Later descendants, a couple of whom have traveled to Ireland, did not find any answers to the questions. It is not known if the name to be researched is Hannan or Odell. [Jacob Lehmann has many descendants in the Waldo County area by the name of Leeman.] Jacob Leeman first settled in Liberty, Maine, where he built a sawmill in town on a brook, which was powered by water power.

Another version of the story about John Odell Hannan was that the British ship that he was on was shipwrecked off the coast of Castine, Islesboro or Prospect, and that he escaped after he made his way to shore, hiding in the woods.

John Odell Hannan was a farmer in Liberty, Waldo Cty., Me. He lived in what is now known as South Liberty. His wife was Sarah Cram, whose nickname was 'Sally'. John Odell Hannan was aged 53 in the 1850 Census; 65 in the 1860 Census, and 86 in the 1870 Census, in the household of George B. Robinson. The 1860 Census gives his age as 65, with his birthplace as Ireland. Sarah was 64 in 1860. Sarah died before 1870. John apparently died before 1880, as he does not show up in the Census of 1880.

It is said that they are buried on the home farm in South Liberty, which is also quite probable. At the time that they died, they may have had a wooden cross marker for the grave, or perhaps just a fieldstone or two, but no one at this time knows where they are buried. Many have claimed to know, but descendants who have lived, walked and hunted the old farmland for many years, have never come upon, or recall hearing where the grave site is.