Alexander C. Osborn (1827 - 1862)

Born 25 Jun 1827 in Grayson, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Thomas) Osborn — married 1855 in Ashe, North Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died 16 Dec 1862 at age 35 in Three Top Road, Ashe Co. North Carolina

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jeanie Bond [send private message]

Biography

Alexander was born in Grayson County, VA, near where his father was born. As early as 1830, the family was in Ashe County, North Carolina. The 1930 Census record shows George, age 20 to 30, the children are accounted for, and they are living with a man age 70 to 80. This older man is almost certainly George's father, Jonathan (Osborn-1310)^[1]

In 1840, they were living not far from his Uncle Stephen (Osborne-1176) in North Fork Township. Sutherland was probably the nearest village. ^[2]

There is some speculation that Alexander went to California and the gold rush, but I've not found documentary evidence.

In 1855, Alexander married the widow of his cousin Alvin (Osborn-1175). Looking at the estate he left, he did well by her and her young son and daughter.^[3]

Rev. William Albert Pinkney Wilson was a child when his father was killed, but he listened to the stories and he wrote them down. In his narrative of the events surrounding the killing of his father, Lt. Isaac Wilson, in June of 1864 he says, on page 82: "In the autumn of 1864, soon after my father's death, a crime was committed in our immediate community. Alex Osborn, in the early sixties, went to Texas to escape the war but found the war spirit there and decided to come back to North Carolina and join the Confederate army. He had left a wife and eight children behind, hoping sometime to come back for them. When he came home he found his stepson Franklin (Osborne-2121) had already entered the army. Not realizing how strong the sentiment for the "Union" had become he made it known that he would join the Confederates at once. A few miles down the New River is a small stream called the Round-a-Bout. A highway following this streams leads to Shouns Cross Roads through Forge Creek. The people of this Round-a-Bout community held Union views and a man by the name of Tom Osborne - not closely realated to Alex Osborn -- ambushed and killed Alex Osborn while he was getting ready to leave for the army. Nelson Gurley of the Home Guard was a friend of [Alex] Osborn and once set out to arrest the murderer. When it was established that Tom Osborn had committed the murder, Gurley, with two or three others, hurried Tom Osborn up Brushy Fork and on to Baldwin's Gap where there were many large apple trees and hanged him to a branch and left him dead and so exposed. It was said his body was taken down by Tim Roark and his son Zach. The Osborn family and our own even then were intimate but the similarity of the tragedies that had visited our homes bound us more closely." ^[4]

Alexander's estate was probated in 18 March 1863. His wife, Sarah Osborne and her brother Alfred Thomas were administrators. (Note that Sarah signed with a mark and the record has her last name as "OsbornE", Alexander's name is spelled without the E throughout the document.) Sarah was sole beneficiary, inheriting 18 head of cattle, 3 horses, 24 hogs, 10 sheep, "household and kitchen furniture and various other things." A sale was held on April 7th 1863 in which Alfred Thomas bought 5 heifers and 2 calves for $44.20 total and Mary Greer bought 2 cows, 10 sheep, one heifer, one mare, two work steer (oxen) and one "tote" of hogs for a total of $182.50. Richard Osborne bought 1 horse, 1 heifer, and 2 hogs; Mrs. Maxwell bought 1 Colt for $58. And there was $20 cash on hand. On June 13th A Dr. Stephen Thomas purchased horse tack, household items, furniture, cheese, butter, and bacon for a total of $83.25. Payments from the estate included $3.25 to Dr. David Worth, MD. ^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ 1830 US Federal Census, Ashe County, NC
2. ↑ 1840 US Federal Census, page 34 of Ashe County, NC
3. ↑ North Carolina, U.S.,Marriage Records,1741-2011
4. ↑ Page 82 of "Neighbor to Neighbor" based on the writings of Rev. William A. P. Wilson, published by Center for Appalachian Studies, 2007, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, 28608
5. ↑ North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Record, 1665-1998

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Jeanie Bond for creating WikiTree profile Osborn-1190 through the import of TEST TREE.ged on Nov 18, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Jeanie and others.