Edna Odell, Heroic Hartsdale Nurse

We are excited and proud to announce the publication of our first primary research article, Edna Odell, A Story of Perseverance. The article is based on just a small portion of the many letters, photographs and artifacts that were moved into the Westchester County Historical Society Archive last October. Over the winter, the authors spent time deciphering the letters, coordinating them with photographs and researching the story of nursing in America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Edna was the great granddaughter of Colonial John Odell and was born in Odell House in 1874. As you will learn, she followed the path of her family’s service to country and went to France during WWI as an American Red Cross nurse. But, her story is more than that. It is the story of women in the late 19th century, seeking their independence and a fulfilling life.

In honor of March, National Women’s History Month, here is Edna’s story.