Odom, Nona Margaret

Biography

Nona Margaret Odom was born on 4 March 1907 in Loranger, Louisiana, to Ida Bertha Bahm and Timothy Tyra Odom.[1] Multiple United States censuses listed all three members of the family as “white.”[2] However, one Church membership record, likely created in the 1930s, included a note that indicated that both Ida and Nona had “negro blood.”[3] Nona and Ida passed as white during their lifetime, but the 1860 US Census classifies Nona’s great-grandfather Alexander Bahm as “Mulatto.”[4] Thus, sometime before Alexander, Nona and Ida had an African American ancestor. Additional research indicates that slavery and mixed racial marriages were a part of Nona’s ancestry as well.[5]

Surviving sources leave no clue as to what prompted a Latter-day Saint clerk to indicate suspicion over Nona’s racial heritage. In addition, there is no evidence as to what Nona understood about her own heritage. Her mother Ida faced a challenge when she applied for temple admission in 1939 but was ultimately not denied entry. Although Nona did not attend a Latter-day Saint temple until 1987, well after the June 1978 revelation lifted the Church’s racial restrictions, there is no indication that Nona’s racial heritage factored into the timing of her temple rituals.

In 1917, at nine years old, Nona was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[6] Nona’s mother and grandparents preceded her in baptism. Nona’s grandfather, Orin Bahm, farmed in Loranger, Louisiana, with his wife, Margaret.[7] Although they passed as white, some in the community suspected the family had a mixed-racial heritage. In fact, in 1917, several children severely beat Ione Bahm—Orin and Margaret’s daughter, and Nona’s aunt—as she walked to school. The newspaper report of the event held that the attack likely stemmed from recent debates about school integration and stated that the local school board “refused to take any action” in response to the hate crime.[8]

In 1920, Nona and Ida Odom moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and, in 1925, Nona matriculated at Louisiana State University.[9] She would later earn a BA from Southwestern Louisiana Institute and an MA in education, likely from Columbia University.[10]

Nona became a well-known actress, singer, and dancer who performed in Louisiana and Texas. In 1926, Nona enjoyed a particularly prolific year of performances. In May of that year, she participated in a dance competition as part of her folk dancing class at Southwestern Louisiana Institute. Nona performed in the character of a Scottish clan’s champion dancer and faced off against a competing clan’s representative, headed by a Miss Virginia Dunham.[11] Two days after the Scottish dance festival, Dunham and Odom reprised their roles and danced the “Highland Fling” together at a meeting of two local parent-teacher organizations.[12] The Daily Advertiser reported that the two “were heartily encored for their graceful execution of the dance.” Just a few months later, in September, Nona sang and performed a dance number at a cooperative marketing meeting for farmers in Lafayette, Louisiana.[13] The next month, Nona performed again, this time at a Halloween dance.[14] In 1927 she was featured in the Beaumont Enterprise, which described her as a “mean singer of blues” and a “red-hot blues singer.” The newspaper announced that she was booked to sing for the next seven weeks at a local hotel.[15]

Around 1930, Nona moved with her mother Ida to Port Arthur, Texas, where she worked as a physical education teacher for Port Arthur Public Schools and began a long career in education.[16] It was also in Texas that Nona first wed. On 4 October 1933, Nona married Dr. Floyd Winfield Etchison in Houston. Etchison had previously received his degree from Texas Dental College and, at the time of their marriage, practiced dentistry in the Houston area.[17] By 1935, Nona had moved to Kerrville, Texas and possibly separated from Etchison.[18] The couple was divorced by 1940.[19]

In August 1947, Nona became the registrar at Kerrville Commercial College. At the time of her hiring she had spent more than ten years teaching at high schools and universities. As registrar, Nona played a key role in managing the commercial college’s class offerings, which included courses in housekeeping, shorthand, typewriting, and general secretarial practice.[20] She also led Kerrville Commercial College’s efforts to become affiliated with the Texas Association of Commercial Colleges.[21]

In March 1968, Nona married for the second time. She wed Richard Martin Matthews in Harris County, Texas, but this marriage did not last either.[22] In December of the same year, the couple divorced.[23] While living in Harris County, Nona worked as a vice principal in the Houston Independent School District.[24]

On 14 November 1987, at the age of 80, Nona received her endowment in the Dallas, Texas Temple. The following year, she was sealed to her parents.[25] Twelve years later, Nona Margaret Odom died in Houston, Texas at the age of 92.[26] She was buried in the Forest Park Cemetery in Houston.[27]

Nona was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints her entire life with no indication that the note on her membership record from the 1930s regarding “negro blood” had any enduring impact on her faith journey. Her obituary stated that “her daily activities were governed by her deep faith.” In lieu of flowers, the obituary requested contributions towards the construction of the Houston Texas Latter-day Saint Temple.[28]

By Zach Stevenson with research assistance from Karen Duersch

[1] "Etchinson," Presiding Bishopric stake and mission census, 1914-1935, CR 4 311, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.

[2] United States, 1910 Census, Louisiana, Tangipahoa County, Police Jury Ward 5; United States, 1920 Census, Louisiana, East Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge Ward 1; United States, 1930 and 1940 Census, Texas, Jefferson County, Port Arthur.

[3] Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Record of Members Collection, Texas, Terrace Branch-Thatcher Ward, CR 375 8, Part 3, Segment 3, Church History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

[4] United States, 1860 Census, Louisiana, St. Tammany Parish.

[5] United States, 1860 Census, Louisiana, St. Tammy; United States, 1870 Census, Louisiana, Tangipahoa Parish; “Rene Baham (1766-1842), WikiTree, accessed Dec 2021; Rene Baham, sale of property and slaves to James P. Guinault, September 4, 1820; Sale of property and slaves by René and Emancipation of two slaves, Act of Emancipation, September 7, 1820. See also, Marshaleigh Orr Bahan, "Jean Baptiste Bahan and Francoise Guillory," New Orleans Genesis, Vol. XLII, No. 165; United States, 1850 Census, Louisiana, St. Tammany.

[6] Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Record of Members Collection, Texas, Terrace Branch-Thatcher Ward, CR 375 8, Part 3, Segment 3, Church History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

[7] United States, 1900 Census, Louisiana, Tangipahoa County, Police Jury Ward 5.

[8] “School Girl, 15, Beaten by Boys and Sister,” The Town Talk (Alexandria, Louisiana), 5 April. 1917, 4.

[9] "LSU. Coed is Star in Amateur Plays in Texas," State Times Advocate (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), 14 September.1925, 13.

[10] “Interesting Wedding,” Beaumont Enterprise (Beaumont, Texas), 8 October 1933, 18.

“Matthews,” Houston Chronicle (Huston, TX), 23 November 1999, 20.

[11] “Dancing Classes to Present Fetes in Month of May,” The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, Louisiana), 22 April 1926, 5. 

[12] “Social Meeting of Parent-Teachers and Northside League Marked By Notable Program, Big Attendance,” The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, Louisiana), 13 May 1926, 5. 

[13] “Farm Meeting Was Held on Friday,” The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, Louisiana), 4 September, 1926, 7.

[14] “Pretty Dance,” Teche News (St. Martinsville, Louisiana), 30 October 1926, 1.

[15] “Red-Hot Blues Singer Appears Wednesday at Hotel Beaumont,” Beaumont Enterprise (Beaumont, Texas), 19 July 1927, 6.

[16] United States, 1930 and 1940 Census, Texas, Jefferson County, Port Arthur.

“Interesting Wedding,” Beaumont Enterprise (Beaumont, Texas), 8 October 1933, 18.

[17] “Interesting Wedding,” Beaumont Enterprise (Beaumont, Texas), 8 October 1933, 18.

[18] “Etchison,” Presiding Bishopric stake and mission census, 1914-1935, CR 4 311, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.

[19] United States, 1940 Census, Texas, Jefferson County, Port Arthur.

[20] "Business College to Open 8 September, In Lehmann Building," Kerrville Mountain Sun (Kerrville, Texas), 4 August 1947, 12.

[21] “Commercial College is Affiliated with Texas Association,” Kerrville Mountain Sun (Kerrville, Texas), 30 October 1947, 7. 

[22] "Nona Margaret Odom and Richard Martin Mathews," Texas, US, Marriage Index, 1824-2017, Harris County, Texas, Case Number 601631968022316.

[23] Texas, Harris County, Divorce Index, 1968-2015, Nona Mathews and Richard M. Mathews, Case Number 028832,Texas Department of State Health Services. Austin, Texas.

[24] “Matthews,” Houston Chronicle (Houston, TX), 23 November 1999, 20

[25] Nona Margaret Odom (KW8D-776), ordinance records on FamilySearch.org

[26] Texas, Harris County, Texas Death Indexes, 1903-2000, Nona Margaret Mathews, Texas Department of Health, State Vital Statistics Unit, Austin, Texas.

[27] Nona Margaret Odom Mathews, Findagrave.com.

[28] “Matthews,” Houston Chronicle (Houston, TX), 23 November 1999, 20.

Documents

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