My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Franklin County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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John Osborn, a prominent citizen of Franklin County, Mo., was born in that county, August 5, 1829, and is the son of William and Rebecca (Richardson) Osborn, natives of Virginia. The father was born July 4, 1777, was a farmer all his life and a soldier in the War of 1812. He and family came to Franklin County in 1811, and were among its first settlers. The father died in August, 1865. The mother was born in 1796, and died in Franklin County, Mo., at the age of seventy-seven. She was the mother of eleven children, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. John was the youngest child born to his parents, five now living, three daughters and two sons. He received his education in the old time log schoolhouses, and, being a great reader and a close observer, is considered a well-informed man. He remained with his parents until 1854, when he married Miss Tabitha Wilkinson, a native of Virginia, born September 14, 1832, and a daughter of Samuel Wilkinson, an old settler of Franklin County. She died in Franklin County, Mo., July 10, 1863. To Mr. Osborn and wife were born five children, two now living, viz.: Martha and Sarah. Those deceased are Rebecca, born January 4, 1858, and the wife of Isaac Tovell, who died shortly after her marriage; William T., born July 7, 1860, and died when an infant; and Martha, who was the wife of John Johnson, a farmer of Crawford County, Mo. March 18, 1866, Mr. Osborn married Miss Caroline Triplett, a native of Franklin County, Mo., born in 1839, and the daughter of Burr and Eliza (Howard) Triplett, who came from Campbell County, Va., and settled in Franklin County in 1838. Six children were born to this union, five now living: Ellen M., Minnie C, Fannie L., John J., George B. and Eliza H. George B. was born September 4, 1875, and died when in his third year. After marriage our subject farmed for one year with his father, then began for himself. He now owns 228 acres of good land. Mr. Osborn is a Democrat in politics, and he and wife are worthy members of the Baptist Church.

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This family biography is one of 305 biographies included in The History of Franklin County, Missouri published in 1888.  For the complete description, click here: Franklin County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Franklin County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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