Odlum's elder brother David served under the name "Charles Rogers" in the 8th Missouri Volunteer Infantry of the Union Army in the American Civil War, and disappeared after the Battle of Shiloh; it was never known whether he had been killed, captured or had deserted.

In search of David Odlum, who had joined the Union Army, they traveled northward to Cairo, Illinois and Paducah, Kentucky, moving to Memphis, Tennessee in 1862.

On April 4, 1864, the Odlums' house in Memphis was torn down by Union troops to clear an artillery firing path.

In 1880, on the Wednesday before the Potomac River rowing race between Ned Hanlan and Charles E. Courtney, Odlum swam the entire course.

According to the biography later written by Odlum's mother, on July 13, 1881, he "challenged any man in the United States to swim him for from $250 to $500 a side", but no one would take up the bet.

[1] In June 1882, Odlum and aquatic adventurer Paul Boyton performed for an excursion party traveling from Washington to Marshall Hall, Maryland.

[1] After the Natatorium failed financially and was closed, Odlum was employed as professor of swimming and lifeguard at the Hygeia Hotel at Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia.

On August 10, 1882, Odlum swam 18 miles (29 km) from Old Point Comfort to Ocean View and back, swimming against the tide in Hampton Roads for the last half-hour.

[1][8] Odlum was a friend of Matthew Webb, who died in 1883 in an attempt to swim through the Whirlpool Rapids below Niagara Falls.

[9] On the morning of May 19, Odlum entertained a party of acquaintances at Paul Boyton's "Ship", including boxer Paddy Ryan, wrestler William Muldoon, and actor Henry E.

[10] Paul Boyton later claimed to have learned that Odlum had visited the Church of the Redemptorist Fathers that morning and had gone to confession and received communion.

A tugboat containing spectators for the jump sailed to within a hundred yards of the bridge, with a rescue swimmer hired by Odlum on board.

An undertaker's wagon carried Odlum's body to the rooms of William H. Kennedy, the Coroner of New York City.

[11] The Roman Catholic burial service was performed by Father Ahern of St. Matthew's, whose homily paid tribute to Odlum's life-saving efforts.

She wrote a biography of her son, The Life and Adventures of Prof. Robert Emmet Odlum, Containing an Account of his Splendid Natatorium at the National Capital..., published in 1885.