DAVID OSBORN

OSBORN

Posted By: Jake Tornholm (email)
Date: 4/20/2020 at 19:56:24

DAVID OSBORN, a worthy citizen and a prosperous farmer, residing in section 36, Washington township, Adams county, Iowa (Mt. Etna postoffice), was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, May 11, 1832. His parents were Lewis and Mary a. (Covey) Osborn, both natives of New York. The father was a cabinet- maker by trade, and was one of the early settlers of that locality. He owned a farm, and carried on farming also. He died many years ago and his wife passed away in 1872, aged seventy-three years. She was a devout member of the Baptist Church. They had twelve children, our subject being the eleventh-born. Of this family ten are still living.

Young Osborn began life for himself at the age of nineteen years, at which time he started to California in company with fifteen others from Guernsey county, Ohio. They made the journey via Nicaragua and arrived at their destination March 5, thirty-one days after they left New York. He remained in California two years and a half, successfully engaged in mining. July 5, 1856, he turned his face homeward, and made the return voyage via the Panama route, arriving in safety after a journey of twenty-two days. He at once engaged in farming in Ohio, and was thus employed when the war came on.

In January, 1864, Mr. Osborn enlisted in Company D, Sixtieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was in a number of important engagements, and on the 17th of June, 1864, while charging the breastworks in front of Petersburg, was wounded in the hand, losing the second finger and the use of the others. He was sent to the hospital, afterward to Washington city, and still later to Little York, Pennsylvania, remaining in the hospital at the latter place until his discharge in July, 1865.

After returning home and recovering, he moved with his family to Story county, Iowa, where he lived two years and a half. He then moved to his present location on the half section road which leads through Mt. Etna, and here he owns 120 acres of land, a comfortable cottage home, orchard, etc., and is well fixed to enjoy life.

Mr. Osborn was married September 23, 1858, to Miss Christiana A. McPeak, daughter of Daniel and Lydia McPeak, of Guernsey county, Ohio. Following is the issue from their union: Lydia A., wife of James Homan, a farmer of Adams county; Mary A., wife of Alpheus Madison, who is engaged in the lumber business in Corning; Lizzie A., who has been a successful teacher for ten years and is now engaged as Principal of the Mt. Etna graded school; Carlie A., a farmer; Wesley E. and Rosella E.

Mr. Osborn is a deacon in the Baptist Church, of which his wife was also a devoted member. The latter's death occurred July 4, 1879, at the age of fifty-two years. In her life she was the truest and purest type of Christian wife and mother combined, and her death was a source of much bereavement to her family and many friends.