18 | Meet Henry, John’s (Johann) Oldest Son

Henry Odaffer, my great great grandfather and Johann Odoerfer’s oldest son, was born in 1789.  On May 2, 1817, he married Elizabeth Hammond in the St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church, near Clear Spring, Maryland.

It is interesting to note that the actual copy of the marriage license listed Henry as Henry O. Darfer.  Reverend Kurtz, the minister, must have just sounded it out!

Henry and Elizabeth also lived in Washington County Maryland, near Clear Springs between Licking Creek and the Conocheaque river, perhaps near where John lived.

In all probability, Henry worked with his father, John,  at the John Mason Farms Mill and gained experience which he used later in running a New Tarleton, Ohio, mill.

In 1823, Henry and Elizabeth moved west, to Circleville, Ohio, where he began farming in Pickaway county, Salt Creek Township.

Between 1840 and 1850, Henry and Elizabeth moved to Fairfield County, Clear Creek township.  During that time, he ran a mill in New Tarleton, Ohio.  The following chart shows their children.

Everyone who currently uses the names Odaffer or O’Daffer are very probably direct descendants of Henry and one of his children.  At the time of Henry, most Odaffers had migrated to Ohio, but as we shall see, Henry’s children began to move on to other states.