Odds Community

The Odds Community, a dispersed agricultural settlement, was founded upon the arrival of the David Barron family circa 1854. Additional settlers soon arrived in the area, including the John Wilford Erskine family, R.A. McAllister and the William Criswell family. Although the settlement was originally known as “Buffalo Mott,” the name was changed to Odds upon the request of the post office department when a post office was established in 1899.

It is unclear how the name “Odds” was chosen, although there are several theories explaining its origin. Frank R. Adair was appointed as Odds’ first postmaster, but mail service to the community ran only until 1906, when the post office was closed and mail was routed to Thornton. the first cotton gin in Odds was constructed circa 1899, but it burned soon after and was replaced.

The gin served as the economic center of the community and the surrounding area, stretching into both Limestone and Falls counties. The Locust Grove school district was formed in 1899 to serve the children of Odds and the surrounding area and operated for over fifty years, until it was consolidated with the Groesbeck Independent School District in 1949.

The Odds Methodist Church (c. 1903) and the Locust Grove Baptist Church (c. 1912) both served the community of Odds. For several years the churches maintained separate buildings and part time pastors, but a declining population led to a joint Sunday school, held in the Methodist Church building. This formal union lasted for several years and was a point of pride for the residents of odds.

Today, the community of Odds remains as a scattered group of homes, and as a reminder of the pioneer settlers of the area. (2009)