The McDonald Interviews: Interviewees ODELL, Pierre Pierre Odell was the son of interviewee Jackson Odell and the grandson of Westchester Guide John Odell. His tombstone in the Old Dutch Burying Ground in Sleepy Hollow, New York, indicates that he died on July 30, 1885. His obituary appeared in the Yonkers Statesman, Yonkers, N.Y., on August 3, 1885. ODELL, Rebecca Rebecca Tompkins Odell was a daughter of Nathaniel Tompkins and Susan Underhill, and was the wife of interviewee Joseph Odell. She is listed as a 78-year-old resident of the Town of Greenburgh, New York, in the 1850 United States Census. Her tombstone in Saint John's Cemetery in Yonkers, New York, indicates that she died on November 1, 1863, aged 91 years, 1 month, and 22 days (WCHS Book 86, p.107).
See Grenville Mackenzie, "Families of the Colonial Town of Philipsburgh," Typescript in WCHS Library, p.689. ORSER, Talman Orser's first name appears to have been Tolman, although some sources spell his first name as Talman or Tallman. He was a son of Jonas Orser and Elizabeth Pugsley. John Macdonald indicated that Orser was 82 years old at the time of his interview on October 17, 1850. He is listed as a 92-year-old resident of the Town of Ossining, New York, in the 1860 United States Census. His tombstone in Sparta Cemetery in Ossining indicates that he died on September 27, 1862, aged 93 years, 11 months, and 3 days (WCHS Book #71, p.20). See Grenville Mackenzie, "Families of the Colonial Town of Philipsburgh," Typescript in WCHS Library, p.20.
PALMER, _____ (Mrs.) John Macdonald did not provide the first name of Mrs. Palmer. She states that her husband served in the American forlorn hope at the Battle of Stony Point in 1779. She may have lived in Rye, which is where John Macdonald appears to have been conducting interviews on November 1, 1844.