Oddenino Family History

Louise Cash Oddenino's maternal grandfather was Martin E. Armentrout who was married to Elizabeth Cook. Click here for more on the Cook family.

The history of the Armentrout Family in America is a classic tale of immigrants looking for, and finding, new opportunities in this great land. Louise Cash Oddenino's connection to this history comes from her mother Rosa Armentrout whose parents were Martin and Elizabeth:

Here is the marriage certificate of Martin Armentrout and Elizabeth Cook from January 28, 1897:

Martin Armentrout descends from the original Armentrout (Ermentraudt) family that came to America in 1739 and ultimately to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Thanks to the gracious permission provided by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society, I am able to share some excerpts on the history of the Armentrout family from the highly recommended book Armentrout Family History 1739-1978 by Russell S. Armentrout. The book is a superb source for anyone interested in the history of the Shenandoah Valley as it contains much more than just Armentrout history. Now let's look at the Armentrout story as told by Russell S. Armentrout:

Louise Cash Oddenino's maternal grandfather, Martin Armentrout, was originally from Rockingham County, Virginia but lived much of his adult life in Madison County, Virginia. He ran a sawmill, did carpentry work and built houses. Family stories recall him as a very hard worker who was missing a finger or two as a result of his work in the sawmill. Martin was a member of the Lutheran Church and his farm adjoined the Cash farm at Twyman's Mill. He was ill before his death and was at University Hospital in Charlottesville before being brought home where he died.

Rosa Armentrout was only five years old when he died.

Martin Armentrout's first wife was Annie Dowell who predeceased him. Martin later married Elizabeth Cook, mother of Rosa Armentrout. Martin's older children by Annie Dowell assumed much of the responsibility for raising Alice, Rosa, John and Ethel Armentrout after Martin's death as Elizabeth's health deteriorated. Rosa had a close relationship with her brother John who tragically died at age 19 from a flu epidemic. Ethel was adopted by Payton Armentrout, her half-brother, while Alice, Rosa and John stayed in the family home being raised by other siblings.

Louise Cash Oddenino's great-grandfather was Patrick Henry Armentrout, father of Martin Armentrout. Thus, I am a direct descendant of "Patrick Henry" :^) Russell S. Armentrout's work allows us to learn more about Patrick Henry Armentrout:

Since we know that Martin Armentrout, son of Patrick Henry Armentrout, resided in and died in Madison County, Virginia, it is quite possible that Patrick Henry Armentrout left Rockingham County for Madison County but more research is needed to confirm this.

Patrick Henry Armentrout's father was Emanuel Armentrout and again, Russell S. Armentrout's work allows us to learn more about Emanuel Armentrout:

Emanuel Armentrout's father was Augustine Armentrout and again, Russell S. Armentrout's work allows us to learn more about Augustine Armentrout:

Augustine Armentrout's father was Johan Friederich Armentrout who arrived in America in 1739 with his siblings and widowed mother as more particularly described above. Again, Russell S. Armentrout's work allows us to learn more about Johan Friederich Armentrout:

Below is a map showing Rockingham County in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia:

Bringing this history closer to the present, we can share that Louise Cash Oddenino's childhood memories of her grandmother Elizabeth Cook Armentrout, wife of Martin Armentrout, recall her as a very small lady, short and petite. She remembers her being very ill, living with Aunt Alice (Alice Armentrout who was married to John Blankenbaker) at Ruth, Virginia where Elizabeth died.
Here is the obituary of Elizabeth Cook Armentrout:

Here is the death certificate Elizabeth Cook Armentrout:

Here is a pedigree chart of the Armentrout family line:

From the book Mountain Valley People by Mary Marie Koontz Arrington we find confirmation of the origins of the Armentrouts in Virginia:

The ancestors of this family arrived in America at Philadelphia, Pa. from Germany on the ship "Samuel" 27 Aug. 1739. The family consisted of Anna Elizabeth ERMENTRAUDT, a widow, and her seven children: JOHANNAS 22, ANNA ELIZABETH 21, JOHAN PHILIP 19, JOHAN FRIEDERICK 16, CHRISTOPLE 15, JOHAN HEINRICH 13, HOHAN GEORG 10. . . . The first person bur. in the Mtn. Val. Ch. Cem. was an Armentrout child. A large percentage of the families in the area carry Armentrout blood in their veins. The descendants of JOHAN PHILIP, JOHANNES, and JOHAN FRIEDERICK are especially concentrated along the western slope of the Massanutten Mountain. The family moved from Lancaster Co., Pa. to R'ham n 1752. Id. p. 23.