Alexander Osborn (abt. 1776 - 1838)

Born about 1776 in Massachusetts

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 4 Mar 1838 at about age 62 in Ohio

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Biography

"In the latter part of the same winter [1811/12] in which Mr. [Gamaliel H.] Kent settled in Bainbridge, Alexander Osborn, sr., arrived, having previously traded land which he owned in the state of New York, to Benjamin Gorham, for three hundred and twenty acres in lot eleven, tract three, in the south part of the town. Mr. Osborn emigrated from Blandford, Massachusetts, where he left his family, consisting of wife and six children (Russell, Maria, Alexander, Jr., Sally, David C., and Melissa), and came to prepare a home, to which he purposed the moving them the next fall; that during his absence his wife and youngest daughter died. The remaining children were placed with relatives, where they remained until their father returned to the old home, in the winter of 1813-14. He came back to Bainbridge in the latter part of the same winter, bringing his oldest son [Russell], who was about fourteen years old, with him. The younger ones remained with their friends being too young to endure the fatigue of so long a journey and the privations of pioneer life, without the patient, loving care of a mother. Mr. Osborn started on his return with a span of horses and sleigh, with which he traveled three days, when the snow went off, and he was obliged to trade his sleigh for a wagon and, with which he pursued his journey for a week, when he found it necessary to exchange his wagon for a sleigh, with which he nearly completed the journey; stopping a few miles north of Warren, where he was delayed three days by a heavy rain storm, which made the streams impassible. They came even on the road running from Warren to Cleveland, by the way of Hudson, which, after the snow went off, was extremely bad, and scarcely passable. After several accidents and delays the father and son reached their lonely cabin, where they lived alone till Alexander, jr., came, some three years later; Russell having visited Massachusetts for the purpose of accompanying him back.

"In the fall of 1817, Russell made a second trip to Massachusetts, and on his return in the following winter, his eldest sister, Maria, came with him. Soon after her arrival, their cabin, with all its contents, was burned. Among other articles of value was a fine new rifle, and a quantity of books, which were particularly prized, as new ones could scarcely be obtained at any price. A new cabin was soon erected, in which the family commenced housekeeping with a scant supply a furniture, mostly of their own manufacture. The younger son, David, came later with Jonathan Osborn, an uncle, who settled in Ashtabula County. ..."^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Pioneer and General History... (1880), pp. 130-1

• Osborne Origins, "Alexander OSBORN-11006" (accessed 2017-11-5)
• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 29 November 2018), memorial page for Alexander Osborn (unknown–Mar 1838), Find A Grave: Memorial #15725391, citing Fowler Cemetery, Bainbridge, Geauga County, Ohio, USA ; Maintained by IrishDan (contributor 46810933). [NB- age given in text appears to reverse order of actual age of death carved on gravestone: 62]
• Pioneer and General History of Geauga County (The Historical Society of Geauga County, 1880) Pages 130-131 (Also accessible as Bio. of Alexander Osborn-11006 via Osborn-origins.org)