Descriptive Summary

Oden Papers, 1755-1836

MS 178

Maryland Historical Society

Baltimore MD 21201-4674

Microfilm: Antebellum Southern Plantations,

Reel 7 and 8.

Oden Family Papers, 1755-1827, Prince Georges County, Maryland,

MS. 178

Benjamin Oden (1762-1836) began operations in Prince Georges County as a business agent for Stephen West, Jr. (1727-1790), eventually marrying two of West's daughters and acquiring substantial lands in his own right. The home plantation and a store Oden owned were in Upper Marlborough, Prince Georges County. Earliest papers show the conditions of Anglo-American trade, and subsequent materials concern land sales and acquisitions; tobacco sales and cultivation; slaves and slave management; banking; and family matters. This collection is divided into subseries A-F and is arranged chronologically within each subseries. Other principals in these papers are Robert W. Bowie, Washington Bowie, Maria West Jackson, and Benjamin Oden Mulliken.

0514 Introductory Materials.

2pp.

0516 Notes on the Oden Family and Others Mentioned in the Oden Papers, MS. 178. Compiled by E.M. Daniels, October 1974.

5pp.

Section A—Business Papers of Stephen West

0521 1755.

3pp.

0524 1759.

6pp.

0530 1763.

3pp.

0533 1764.

3pp.

0536 1769.

3pp.

0539 1770.

3pp.

0542 1772.

7pp.

0549 1772.

24pp.

0573 1775.

54pp.

0627 1784.

4pp.

0631 1785.

11pp.

0642 1788.

2pp.

0644 1789.

6pp.

0647 N.D.

7pp.

Section A—Miscellaneous Plats and Accounts

0654 N.D.

21pp.

0675 1760.

5pp.

0680 1794.

5pp.

0685 1804.

5pp.

Section B—Land Documents of Stephen West, Benjamin Oden, and Others

0690 1755.

5pp.

0695 1779.

5pp.

0700 1783.

5pp.

0705 1784.

8pp.

0713 1788.

3pp.

0716 1794.

5pp.

0721 1795.

7pp.

0728 1814.

5pp.

0733 1815.

2pp.

0735 1818-1828.

33pp.

0768 N.D.

14pp.

Section C—General and Business Correspondence of Benjamin Oden

0782 1788-1789.

8pp.

1790 1790 (Luther Martin to Benjamin Oden, 3 Letters, 1790 and 1816).

9pp.

0799 1791-1796.

18pp.

0817 1803-1809.

11pp.

0828 1805-1806 (Samuel Chase, Jr. to Benjamin Oden, 3 letters).

7pp.

0835 1810-1814.

13pp.

0848 1815-1819.

19pp.

0867 1820-1823.

29pp.

0896 1825-1827.

41pp.

0937 1828-1829.

36pp.

0973 1830 (Reverdy Johnson to Benjamin Oden).

3pp.

0976 1830-1832.

37pp.

Reel 8

0001 1833-1834.

28pp.

0029 1835.

37pp.

0066 1836.

25pp.

0091 N.D.

24pp.

Section D—Bonds, Accounts, and Other Business Documents of Benjamin Oden

0115 1791.

8pp.

0123 1792.

10pp.

0133 1793.

3pp.

0136 1800.

3pp.

0139 1801.

3pp.

0142 1817.

3pp.

0145 1821.

3pp.

0148 1826.

2pp.

Section E—Oden Family Letters

0150 1806-1807.

9pp.

0159 1821-1827.

24pp.

0183 1828.

7pp.

0190 1829-1834.

42pp.

0232 1835.

24pp.

0256 1835.

29pp.

0285 N.D.

23pp.

Section F—Material relating to Robert Bowie, Washington Bowie, and Others

0308 1764.

6pp.

0314 1771.

3pp.

0317 1793.

5pp.

0322 1799.

2pp.

0324 1802.

3pp.

0327 1807.

8pp.

0335 1815.

5pp.

0340 1821.

3pp.

0343 1824.

2pp.

0345 1829.

5pp.

0350 N.D.

15pp.