- JAMES OSBORN, a retired farmer at Evansville, Rock County,
is one of the most venerable
- characters to be found in that city. His great age commands
the respect of the public, and his personal habits and kindly
disposition have won him a warm place in the hearts of his community.
- Mr. OSBORN was born in Prince Edward County, Canada, Oct.
23, 1815, a son of James and
- Catherine (TRUMPO) OSBORN, both natives of New York. They
were the parents of four sons and seven daughters, and three
of their sons are now living: James, of Evansville; John, of
Picton, Canada; and Paul Austin, of Prince Edward County, Canada.
The father, who was a farmer, emigrated to Canada with his parents
when he was twelve years old, grew to manhood in that country,
and was a lifelong agriculturist. He died when almost eighty-five
years old. His wife died in 1848, when she was fifty-two. They
were Methodists. He was drafted in the war of 1812, but being
lame and did not serve long. His father bore the name of James
OSBORN, and was born in the Mohawk River Valley, of Welsh stock.
After the Revolution he moved into Canada, and settled on Prince
Edward Island, where he died at the age of eighty-five. He had
five sons and four daughters. John TRUMPO, the father of Catherine,
mentioned above, was born in New York, of Dutch descent, and
followed farming.
- James OSBORN was reared in Canada, on the farm, "at
the butt end of an ox-handle." When he
- was two years old his father moved into the dense woods,
two miles from the nearest neighbor, and when James was older
grown he helped to clear the farm. After attaining maturity he
worked on shares for many years. In 1864 Mr. OSBORN made his
way to Wisconsin, and made a settlement in Porter township, Rock
County, where he bought forty acres, which is still in his possession.
- Mr. OSBORN and Miss Louisa BALLARD were married Sept. 25,
1838, and this union has
- proved a singularly fortunate and happy one. They are the
parents of seven children, two sons and five daughters. Catherine
died in infancy. James is the wife of E. D. BARNARD, of Evansville.
Martha became the wife of Thomas HUTSON, and both she and her
husband are now dead. William died in infancy. James is now living
in Minneapolis, and travels for the A. S. Baker Co.; he married
Miss Clara WEST, and is the father of three children, Iva, May
and Byrle. Elizabeth is the wife of Oscar MABIE, of Janesville.
Louisa died when sixteen years of age. Mr. and Mrs. OSBORN are
members of the Methodist Church, of which he was steward and
class-leader for many years. He is a Republican, but never aspired
to office.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c) 1901, pp. 61-62.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|