| Ephraim Osborne Sr. resided in the Southern Colonies in North America before 1776. Join: US Southern Colonies Project Discuss: southern_colonies |
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Ephraim's birth place and date are uncertain. What we do know, through DNA evidence, is that the Ephraim who lived in the Yadkin Valley, NC, in 1753 and fathered Jonathan Osborne-1310 is descended through at least two currently unknown generations from Thomas Osborne- and Mary Goatley who were founders in the 1640s of New Haven, CT. (Jeanie Bond [Doran-) Ephraim may have been a brother of Caleb Osborne.
Ephraim was a fur trader. (This would make sense because his fresh-from-England-Ancestors operated the animal slaughtering business in New Haven, CT. Those who moved from CT to the Hamptons area of New York operated a butchery and tannery. Those who moved from NY to Elizabethtown, where we think Ephraim was born, also operated a meat butchery and tannery. The man came from three generations of hide specialists. The long hunters in NC, would require skinners and tanners, as well.) [1]
He settled North of the Yadkin in 1749. (Researchers have cited his son's Rev. War Pension Application as proof that he was in the "Forks of the Yadkin" in 1753. It MAY have been earlier, but we have no proof.)[2] Rootsweb link seen in January 2019, no longer available, and not archived on wayback machine either. I cannot find the pension # or his name on the Southern pension page either.
After 1768, he moved from Rowan County, NC to Grayson County, Va. This information comes from his son Jonathan's Rev. War. Pension. In 1766, Ephraim and his family were in Fincastle County, Virginia.(?)[3][4]
He and his son Jonathan were in the Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774, Black county, Virginia which is now Pt. Pleasant, West Virginia.[5]
On December 14, 1774, he obtained a Loyal Land Grant for 260 acres in Fincastle County. It was there that Osborn's fort was built. In later years, Ephriam was granted a license to operate an ordinary (Tavern). [6]
Ephraim took the Oath of Allegiance in 1777. (source?)
The "Annals of Southwest Va.", by Summers, showed "Ozburn, Ephraim paid at court for Montgomery Co., Nov. 3, 1779 for 33 days for out of county levy". He was patrolling against Indians and Tories. [7][8] (page 24).
23 Apr 1794 Ephraim was given an exemption from the Montgomery County tax; such exemptions were commonly given to the aged and the infirm, but not the dead. His death date is AFTER 23 Apr 1794. [citation needed]
Ephraim married Elizabeth. Many trees and secondary sources identify her as Elizabeth Howard, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Gassaway) Howard; however, there is no reliable evidence of this.
[Grayson County, Virginia] While travelling among the neatly maintained farms overlooking the New River, I caught a glimpse of a brick monument directly across the road from a white barn. Making out the words "Osborne Fort," I sped past. But it only took me a second to realize that the place warranted a closer look. The marker identified this as "Osborne Fort Cemetery, 1812-1877." So, was this a military installation during the Civil War? Was this a strategic encampment during the Revolution? Or was it a blockhouse to protect the frontier settlers from disgruntled Cherokees? The answer was not obvious, as the gravestones were the only indication that this place had ever been anything other than a farm.
Something about the cemetery seemed odd. It wasn’t the fact that this cemetery was so carefully tended, but that the stones were arranged so precisely. I had never seen a graveyard arranged with such perfect symmetry. The markings on the stones were only partly legible. It helped that the monument next to the road bore the names of all the people buried in the cemetery: mostly members of the Cox, Osborne, Thompson and Ward families, several slaves and a few Native Americans.
Only later would I learn the story of the Osborne Fort Cemetery and the story of Osborne Fort itself. The cemetery extended to the fences visible in the photograph, but in the late 1950s the landowner removed all the stones. During the 1970s, the cemetery was threatened with flooding from a proposed dam on the New River, but plans for that project were eventually abandoned. The brick monument was constructed to mark the cemetery in 1982. After some of the original headstones and footstones were recovered from storage in 2004, they were placed on individual concrete pads in the cemetery, which explains the careful spacing of those markers.
(I visited there in 2010 and learned from the folks at Grayson County Genealogical Society that the stones have been removed from the field and 'stored' UNDER an adjacent barn. Between 1950 and the mid 1970s, with the stones removed, the field was plowed, planted and harvested annually just as it had been early American times.)[10]
Ephraim Osborne Sr. (About 1720 -after 1793) made a living as a fur collector working the Yadkin Valley with Daniel Boone’s colleague, Christopher Gist. Around 1761, Osborne and his family moved from Rowan County, NC to Grayson County, Virginia. Their new land, between Bridle Creek and Saddle Creek (tributaries of the New River) was a favorite hunting and fishing spot of the Cherokees, who were reluctant to forfeit the land without a fight. So, to protect themselves and nearby settlers, the Osbornes built a fort on their farm.
The Osbornes did experience a deadly encounter with the Cherokees in 1764, while Ephraim Osborne’s sons were deer hunting in nearby Watauga County, NC. Enoch, Solomon and Ephraim Jr. got drenched by rain, so they set up camp and hung their wet clothes by the campfire. Sometime during the night, Cherokees shot into their camp and killed 21-year-old newlywed Solomon Osborne. After fleeing into the darkness, Ephraim crept back to retrieve his horse, while Enoch returned home without shoes and in his night clothes.
Enoch Osborne (1741-1818) raised his family on the farm at Osborne Fort. He was captain of a militia unit during the Revolution, a county magistrate and a Methodist leader. In March 1792, Bishop Francis Asbury stayed at Enoch Osborne’s during one of his many trips through the area. Upon his death, Enoch was buried at the Osborne Fort Cemetery.[11]
Died 1796[12] Grayson County, Virginia, United States of America.
Based on the information and comments I have read by various Wiki-Tree members, the parents of Ephraim Osborn are uncertain and unproven. Some say Jonathan Osborne and Greta Holman of Williamsburg VA, some say Jonathan Osborne and Edith Harris. Some researchers say that Thomas Osborne and Mary MNU or Martha Jones (some say Martha Griegg) to be the parents of Jonathan Osborne. Trying to prove these connections can become confusing and often futile.
There is a DNA connection through Ephraim Osborne and Thomas Osborne and Mary Goatley, founders of New Haven, CT, but there are basically two unknown generations of Osbornes.
See also:
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O > Osborne > Ephraim Osborne Sr.
Categories: Osborne Fort Cemetery, Bridle Creek, Virginia | Estimated Birth and Death Date | North Carolina Colonists | US Southern Colonies Project Needs Sources | US Southern Colonies Project Needs Relationship Review | Montgomery County Regiment, North Carolina Militia, American Revolution | Osborn Name Study
I am a Sizemore researcher.I believe that Ephraim Osborn-2384 is the son of John Osborne born about 1690 at Henrico Co, VA and who bought 400 acres at Amelia Co VA in 1738 along side the William Sizemore-380 family who also bought there in 1737.
http://www.directlinesoftware.com/Pool/nottoway.txt
This is just WEST of the city of Richmond, VA.
The Sizemore family left there in 1741 to settle at Wynne's Creek, Banister River, Bruswick Co VA, which became Lunenburg Co in 1746, and finally Halifax Co VA in 1752.
I believe the Osborne family also left Amelia Co VA and settled simiarliy with the Sizemore family, and furthermore, when members of the Sizemore family, such as George Sizemore-29 left Virginia to settle at Ashe Co VA, they were still with the same Osborn family.
Ephraim Osborne-2336 married Mary Brock-3920, d/o Susannah Sizemore-2528, d/o Henry Sizemore-691, s/o William Sizemore-380 who bought his land in Amelia Co VA long with John Osborne, as I previously described. Ephraim Osborne-2336, s/o Ephraim Osborne-2384
Sarah A. Sizemore, d/o George Sizemore-29, married Elias Osborne-3911, s/o Jonathan Osborne-1310, s/o Ephraim Osborne-2384
George Sizemore-29, s/o Edward Sizemore-38, s/o Henry Sizemore-691, s/o William Sizemore-380 and Margery Owen-4843
Best regards, Lilly Martin
edited by Lilly Martin
Spotsylvania Co., Orange Co. 1734, Augusta Co. 1738, Botetourt Co. 1770, Fincastle Co. 1772, Montgomery Co. 1776, Wythe Co. 1790, Grayson Co. 1793
Maybe this will help in clearing up some of the facts listed.
Thanks to everyone
edited by Anonymous (Osborne) Crane
Fincastle was indeed Virginia. (Text has a ?, presumably as to the location of Fincastle?) The county ceased to exist in 1776 when the counties of Kentucky, Montgomery, and Washington were formed from it. (Source: Virginia Formation Maps)
But... I've never heard of "Black County". The only "Bla..." county on listed on the Virginia Formation Maps page is Bland County, formed from Giles, Tazewell, and Wythe Counties in 1861, so that can't be it.
Wikipedia (article) says Point Pleasant, WV is the seat of Mason County. Mason County's history in Virginia is a bit confusing - it was formed in 1788 from Bourbon County, which had been formed from Fayette County in 1785 (Fayette was one of the three counties that were created from Kentucky County in 1780, which ceased to exist). Those three counties (Fayette, Jefferson, and Lincoln), along with 6 others, including Bourbon and Mason Counties, became the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1792.
In 1804, a new Mason County, Virginia was created from Kanawha County (source still Virginia Formation Maps).
Space: Virginia Counties and Parishes notes that "there are not two separate Virginia categories for the "pre-KY" & "pre-WV" counties of Fayette, Jefferson, or Mason."
From Category: Mason County, Virginia:
From Category: Mason County, West Virginia:
No mention of a Black County (for Virginia or Category: West Virginia).
edited by Anonymous (Osborne) Crane
This woman was never married to Thomas Wells of Maryland. and her parents are unknown. Thomas outlived the Elizabeth Howard that he married and she is buried in Maryland. Can this please be removed?
Could someone please remove Elizabeth Osborne(?) who supposedly married William Ball as a daughter of Ephraim Osborne. They is absolutely no evidence of this.
By contrast there IS DNA evidence that she was instead Elizabeth Debord.
Steve Freeman
I took a look at the Wiki-Tree 'Reliable Sources' page and then took the initiative to move all the listed unreliable sources to a new category in the profile "See Also".
Before making any changes, I also read most of the comments, the change log (whew!), the sources listed, Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, Google, various web sites, G2G, etc.
I am not confident that what I did was a 100% correct and welcome any scrutiny to ensure we get this right. I am just trying to get a handle on this challenging profile.
So if you see a 'Reliable Source' under the 'See Also' heading feel free to move it and vice versa. This profile organization is taking days and I welcome help.
Please re read the Pre-1700 Self Certification guidelines and the Reliable Sources (which includes a list of unreliable sources) before moving it will literally help all of us be on the same page (pun intended).
I also want to say that all of the work each of you has contributed is value added. I am optimistic that Wiki-Tree is working as designed, i.e. one profile with many contributors, to get it right. It will take time. Maybe more time than our lifespans, but I'm confident in time we will achieve an accurate profile for Ephraim Osborne (Osburn, Osborn, etc.) for our descendants.
Off the soap box.
Just found a great Wiki-Tree source page for us: Space:US_Southern_Colonies_Project_Reliable_Sources
edited by Kim (Kroesing) Marcus M.S.
County tax; such exemptions were commonly given to the aged and the infirm, but not the dead. His death date is AFTER 23 Apr 1794."
Shouldn't this be here in the comments instead of the body of the profile? It doesn't add to his profile and detracts from a smooth reading of what we do know. With so many managers wouldn't be helpful to come up with a few basic rules about what to post in the actual profile and use these notes to discuss things that may be unproven but of interest.
Just suggestions...I worked on "best documentation practices" at Chrysler before retiring. It's spilling over, LoL.
Kim
It looks like you have a significant investment in Ephraim. Is there any record that supports him dyeing after 1796? I am wading through all the text in an effort to validate his death date. There is a DAR record, which records 1779 as his death date.
Are we still saying his Mother is not Greta Hollman?
So, do you know where the date in the record below came from?
"U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications", 1889-1970; Volume: 280: Ephriam Osborne Birth Date 21 Aug 1723: Birth Place Williamsburg, Virginia, USA: Death Date 1779: SAR Membership 55891: Role Ancestor :Application Date 23 May 1944: Spouse Elizabeth Howard: Children Elender Osborne.
Have these profiles Osborne-2384 and Osborne-4429 been merged now? It looks like it. I can see in the change notes that someone adds or suggests something and you continually refute or undo a change. I certainly don't want to step on toes of an expert.
Jeanie, how would you feel about moving all the DAR information in his profile to the bottom and use the heading =Research Notes= to make the profile more readable?
It's a fun mystery. How are all the manager working together? Do you all agree on the details in this profile.
Very interested.
Another Kin...
Kim
This link is not readable...may it be removed or moved to another location....it is a blog post that is private. I believe the actual story has been uploaded to the profile. We could let people reference that and remove the dead link.
edited by Kim (Kroesing) Marcus M.S.
I found several sources that I added and will try to find a few more to support the bio area of this profile. I also re-arranged it a bit for the important to me flow of reading. Such a fascinating man with so much history. I love the narrative you wrote. You should add yourself as a source and then add a citation there. First hand narratives are great. I know you will undo what ever you don't like so I went for it. Not done yet.
Kim
2. The only record for Ephraim's death is quoted in Rita Kennedy-Sutton's "Early Osborns and Alleys, compiled from 1965 to 1973 and available from the Sutro Library through your local library." She says, "On April 23rd 1794, Ephraim Osborn senr. was exempted from paying the county levy. (Grayson Co. Va. Order Bk. 1—43) This is the last entry found in his name in the records of Montgomery or Grayson Co. Efforts to trace his children by land descent have failed completely." I've not seen this actual document, but Kennedy-Sutton has proved worthy of trust.
3. The DAR and SAR applications prior to 1985, when more stringent proofs were put in place, must be treated with great skepticism. If the applicant has actually attached records, okay, but if not, look elsewhere. As a first step to making my own DAR application I had to see if anyone else had proven my line. When DAR National sent me what they thought was my line, the 'evidence' was a vanity biography written, in 1935, by a man seeking election to a large city council in. The application contained absolutely no documentation other than the publisher's page of this bogus book.
4. Gretta Holman is a real person who had real children, one of whom was named Ephraim and he was born on August 21, 1723 in Williamsburg. 1723 Ephraim is not the one who owned an ordinary in Virginia. "From Ginger Ballard E-Mail dated: 10Feb2010: In the 1950s the tradition in Grayson was that the Osbornes had come from New Jersey. Some twenty-five years later when I first got interested in researching the family myself I almost immediately tripped over the claim that he was the son of Jonathan Osborne and Gretta Hollman of Williamsburg. However, I couldn't find anyone with actual evidence of this. I eventually mailed out sixty-some letters to folks who had made this claim in LDS records. Not one could substantiate the claim although one person responded that "everyone knew" this. I did manage to locate a known descendant of Jonathan and Gretta who denied that Ephraim was their son." She is referring to the 'evidence' obtained by a crooked researcher hired by Will Daniel, a VA attorney, in the mid 1940s.
5. See #3 and #4 above: Bogus research used by attorney Will Daniel in 1944 or 45
6. If you can help in this matter, step away! and toes be damned! Some people think that if a thing is said often enough, then it must be true. More than a million people in the world believe that the earth is flat. It is not! And Gretta is NOT Ephraim's mother no matter how many records it's found in. And the problem with merging profiles is that those merges bring along descendants who may not be such. What's another wife or two? He's got all these children, perhaps a few more won't be noticed and we can hang another ornament on the family tree. ARGH!!
7. I think moving the DAR stuff to the bottom of the page with a warning that anything prior to 1985 for the DAR and prior to 1995 for the SAR is suspect and requires actual supporting documents.
8. Obviously, we managers do not agree. Which manager, for instance add "Washington" to Ephraims's name?? Who added a photograph?? Washington was a nobody when Ephraim was born and photography was not invented until the 1840's. YIKES!!
9. A NOTE FOR ALL: With my documents (wills, land, census, pension), I was, in 1984 able to establish that Alvin Osborn was a descendant of Jonathan Osborn, thereby allowing about 1000 people to join the DAR using my member number and proving a familial relationship. BUT NOW, with DNA evidence, I know I'm descended from Ephraim's ancestor Thomas Osborne of New Haven. CT. But I'm not a PERFECT match to known descendants of Ephraim's son Jonathan (1753-1834), but I AM A PERFECT MATCH for the descendants of his Uncle Robert who also lived in the Yadkin Valley, but immigrated to TN/KY instead of VA.
10. NOTE This place has become no better than Rootsweb which is a documentary nightmare. The flat-earthers have taken over genealogy Kim, if you can fix this please do, if you can't, I give up!! Jeanie
edited by Jeanie (Doran) Bond
I hope my contributions are helping.
Kim
Thanks for all the effort you put into your response to my questions. Truly above and beyond.
I found Space:US_Southern_Colonies_Project_Reliable_Sources and asked a few questions. The responses echoed your #7. suggestion. I just wanted to let you know I will begin to put notes in place like you suggested. It may take me a few days...lots going on.
Thanks for all your help. Stay patient.
Kim
"In 1757 or 1761, he moved from Rowan County, NC to Grayson County, Va. This information comes from his son Jonathan's Rev. War. Pension. In 1766, Ephraim and his family were in Fincastle County, Virginia."
So I adjusted the statement to "after 1768..."
Also, found and added a marriage record to Elizabeth Howard date 1740.
Finally, I also added a SAR application record with the following details.
It may be you all have seen and rejected these. If so please let me know.
I removed the 'unsourced' flag too.
Kim DNA proven kin
edited by Kim (Kroesing) Marcus M.S.
We do know, however, that Ephraim is not descended from Jonathan Osborne-159 who is the son of James Osborne-55 and grandson of John Osborne-347, all of whom were born in England. The great grandfather of Osborne-2182, Thomas, came to America in the 1640’s bringing three of his sons with him and that the balance of his descendants were born in America NOT England. The father and grandfather of Ephraim Osborne-2384 was born in New England not Old England.
Service: VIRGINIA Rank(s): PATRIOTIC SERVICE, PRIVATE Birth: CIRCA 1720 Death: 1781 MONTGOMERY CO VIRGINIA Service Source: CRUSH, MONTGOMERY CO VA, THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS, PP 47, 48, 93 Service Description: 1) CAPT ENOCH OSBURN, MONTGOMERY CO MILITIA, 1781 2) SIGNED OATH OF ALLEGIANCE, 1777
I have an Old letter from a relative that she wrote many years ago on the Family Lineage. This is one reason that I will not share my precious information with everyone. I have Ephraim in my maternal line of Thomas & Mary Goatley, and Ephraim on my paternal line of Jonathan and Greta Holman. This particular Ephraim, his parents are Jonathan Osborne & Greta Holman according to Capt Enoch and other Children as listed. Ephraim Osborne B:21 Aug 1723 Williamsburg, York County, Virginia, USA
D:23 Apr 1794 Independence, Grayson, Virginia, USA
Ephraim Osborne Find A Grave Index Name: Ephraim Osborne Event Type: Burial Event Date: 1794 Event Place: Bridle Creek, Grayson, Virginia, United States of America Photograph Included: N Birth Date: 21 Aug 1723 Death Date: 23 Apr 1794 Affiliate Record Identifier: 57075563 Cemetery: Osborne Fort Cemetery
I will be glad to share either Osborn/Osborne line with you to straighten out this mess!
edited by Nancy Osborn
Maybe you have noticed me working a bit on Ephraim's profile. Like you, I see lots of opportunity for improvement. Please review some of the changes and suggestions I have made. I will keep working to add sources and clean up the profile. Let me know if there is a particular area you are an expert in, please. Lots of folks have made major contributions. However, the sources to support the material isn't easy to follow.
Thanks
Kim
for review. Thanks
https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2204/32596_242505-00230?pid=1188774&backurl=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db%3DSARMemberApps%26h%3D1188774%26indiv%3Dtry%26o_vc%3DRecord:OtherRecord%26rhSource%3D7836&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true#?imageId=32596_242505-00232 [edit/delete]
edited by Kim (Kroesing) Marcus M.S.
There is no actual evidence for ANY marriage to Ephraim. It was SUPPOSED by Kennedy-Sutton in Early Osborns and Alleys that such a marriage MIGHT have taken place.
Rebecca Howard. One would have to prove Aaron's wife was Am. Indian.
Please read this From James Quinn, researcher for New River Notes and Grayson County Virginia Historical Foundation has this to say in his "Obornes" or "William Herbert's Militia." "Ephraim's wife was named Betty (Elizabeth). Some oral histories (e.g. Osbornes of Harlan Co., KY) say she was a Howard. She is not Elizabeth WELLS Howard. The Elizabeth Howard who married a Wells and is mentioned in Joshua Howard's will is documented to have stayed married to Mr. Wells in Maryland having many children there and never went to North Carolina."
We do know, however, that Ephraim is not descended from Jonathan Osborne-159 who is the son of James Osborne-55 and grandson of John Osborne-347, all of whom were born in England. While the great grandfather of Osborne-2182, Thomas, came to America in the 1640’s bringing three of his sons with him and that the balance of his descendants were born in America NOT England.
There is NO EVIDENCE that Osborne-4429 was married. There is especially no evidence that he was married to Elizabeth Howard.
There is NO EVIDENCE that Osborne-4429 was married. There is especially no evidence that he was married to Elizabeth Howard.
--> "U.S. and International Marriage Records", 1560-1900; Source number: 1225.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Number of Pages: 1; Submitter Code: RSF.
I recently found and added it. It list both Ephraim Osborne and Elizabeth Howard married year 1740.
If not, then suggest we merge all these duplicates into one, and re-name it Unknown (with a comprehensive bio and all the alternate names as "other names" to prevent more duplicates)
What does everyone think of this idea?
"U.S. and International Marriage Records", 1560-1900; Source number: 1225.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Number of Pages: 1; Submitter Code: RSF.
I have added it the sources in his profile.