Joseph Osburn

Joseph Osburn, parentage unknown, was born about 1775, and died about 1845 in Harrison or Barbour County, Virginia. He  might have married (1) Unknown. He married (2) Rhoda Romine September 22, 1796 in Frederick County, Virginia (Source: Frederick County Marriages 1738-1850, Page 200 and Page 448, By John Vogt & T. William Kethley, Jr. Iberian Publishing Co., Athens, Georgia. 929.3; F852v, West Virginia Archives and History, Charleston W.Va.). Rhoda was born about 1775, and died about 1842 in Harrison or Lewis County, Virginia. Joseph married (3) Mary "Polly" Grimm Bright August 20, 1842 in Gnatty Creek, Barbour County, (West) Virginia, daughter of John Grimm and Elizabeth Hart. She was born 1793, and died 1850.

Records in Frederick County, Virginia hint that Joseph might have had brothers named Aquilla and James. The name Aquilla is carried down through his line, also suggesting a family relationship and could possibly be the name of Joseph's father or grandfather.

Alexander Balmain, a minister of the Frederick Parish from 1785 to sometine after 1815, performed the marriage ceremony for Rhoda and Joseph. We don't know anything about their first ten years of marriage. Later census records indicate they probably lived in Loudon County, Virginia for a while.

Phillip Osburn might be a son of Joseph, but his birth appears, acording to various records, to be a couple of years before Joseph's marriage to Rhoda. I have listed him under "wife unknown". Although Phillip is often found living nearby, Phillip is not listed as one of Joseph's heirs, so it is possible he is a nephew or Joseph helped him financially when Phillip was younger.

An 1805 Harrison County land record indicates that Joseph and Rhoda settled near Jacob and Nancy Romine at Romine's Mills in Harrison County. It is possible that Jacob was Rhoda's brother. (Also, Harrison County Deed Book 12, Page 395 refers to "Joseph Osburn of Philadelphia, a house carpenter" purchasing land on the Hughes River. It is unknown if this is "our" Joseph, but we don't believe there is any relationship.)

Joseph is listed in the 1810 Harrison County (West) Virginia census as being 26-45, wife 16-26, four sons under 16 and one daughter 10-16. In 1820, he is listed in Harrison County 26-45, wife 26-45, three sons under 16, one daughter under 10. In 1830 and 1840, there are two Joseph Osburns listed.

Joseph and Rhoda bought 61 3/4 acres on the right-hand fork of Gnatty Creek in today's Barbour County on April 22, 1822.

Rhoda and Joseph are named on a deed dated in November 1841.

Polly, his second (or third) wife, had been abandoned with nine children in 1830 by her first husband, Jacob C. Bright. Jacob ran off with Susannah Trimble about that time.

A will for Joseph Osbern, Sr., recorded June 8, 1845 in Harrison County (Will Book 6, Page 38), leaves everything to "my wife, Mary Osbern....but if she marries, it will descend to my stepson, Amos Bright." Amos would have been about 10 years old when the nearly 70-year-old Joseph married Mary. Amos died at age 22 in 1852.

A deed written October 2, 1846 in Barbour County (Deed Book 2, Page 147) shows Joseph's heirs as widow Mary (Grimm Bright), Jacob Osburn, Archibald Osburn, Aquilla Osburn, Joseph Osburn, Wilson Osburn, John Ward and his wife Nancy nee Osburn. The deed is for 61 3/4 acres being sold by Joseph's heirs to Abram White. It states that the tract of land, conveyed to Joseph on April 22, 1822, was on the right-hand fork of Gnatty Creek.

Another Barbour County deed, dated October 2, 1846, shows Joseph's heirs selling 8 acres and 82 1/2 rods on the right-hand fork of Gnatty Creek to Moses Arnold.

In the 1850 Lewis County census these Osburns are named: Phillip born ca 1793, Archibald born ca 1798, Joseph born ca 1804 and his son, Joseph born ca 1827. In Gilmer County, 1850-1880, Jacob Osburn is listed, with varying ages. He would have been born 1812-1816, accordingly.

The 1850 Barbour County census shows a Thomas Osburn family. He does not appear to be connected to our Joseph Osburn.

Rhoda's parentage is unknown. Other Romine names in the Frederick County marriage records include John Romine, bondsman for William Anderson and Esther Romine, August 14, 1805 and Abraham Romine and Hannah Romine, December 31, 1799; and Reuben Romine, bondsmand for John Romine and Marla Romine. Romine marriages include Andrew, Christopher, Cornellus, Elijah, Hiram, Isaac, Joseph, Peter, and William. There is also a Thomas Roman marriage. Women with the surname Romine whose marriages were recorded in Frederick County include Eleanor, Elizabeth, Emaline, Emily Jane, Ester (2), Henrietta, Lydia, and Rebecca.

Child of Joseph Osburn and Unknown are:

i. Phillip Osburn, born 1793 in Loudon County, Virginia probably; died before 1870 in Lewis County Virginia. He married Ruth Ware June 15, 1823, daughter of Richard Ware and Mary Wilson. She was born 1808. We have found no proof that Phillip Osburn of Lewis County is a son of Joseph and Rhoda. Phillip had nine children. We have no death date. He is not listed in the 1870 Lewis County Census.

Children of Joseph Osburn and Rhoda Romine are:

ii. Margaret Osburn, born January 29, 1797; died May 3, 1876 in Lebanon Twp., Meigs County, Ohio. She married (1) Unknown Simms about 1813 in Wood County, Virginia. He died before 1817. She married (2) William German, Jr. March 2, 1817 in Athens County, Ohio, son of William and Mary Ferguson German.

iii. Archibald Osborn, born July 4, 1797 in Loudon or Marshall County, Virginia; died January 4, 1858 in Lewis County, (West) Virginia of scarlet fever. He married Elizabeth Means October 22, 1824 in Lewis County, (West) Virginia, daughter of Robert Means and Mary Henry. She was born about 1801, and died January 30, 1885 in Doddridge County, West Virginia.

iv. Nancy Osborn, born about July 28, 1799 in Loudon County, Virginia; died September 2, 1856 in Barbour County, Virginia of liver cancer. Buried at Ward Church Cemetery, between Century and north of Century No. 2, Barbour County, Virginia. She married John Ward November 12, 1819 in Harrison County, Virginia, son of Job(e) Ward and Tabitha Cummins. He was born 1797 in Loudon County, Virginia, and died January 11, 1868 in Sugar Fork, Upshur County, West Virginia. Her death record gives her agee as 57 y 1 m 5 d; it aso gives her father's name as Johnathon Osbern. (We can only guess that the recorder mixed up and put her husband's name on the report.) John Ward was the constable of Upshur County in 1851.

vi. Joseph Osburn (II), born between 1802 and 1804 in Prob Virginia; died February 11, 1890 in Lewis County, West Virginia. Buried at Bethel Cemetery on Walnut Fork.  He married Mariah "Mamie" Means February 11, 1826 in Lewis County, (West) Virginia, daughter of Robert Means and Mary Henry. She was born between 1809 and 1811 in Virginia, and died October 11, 1895 in Lewis County, West Virginia. Buried at Bethel Cemetery on Walnut Fork. (Her obitiuary called her Mamie.)

vi. Aquilla Osborn, born February 2, 1807 in Upshur County, West Virginia; died March 23, 1883 in Upshur County, West Virginia, age 76. Buried at Mount Union Cemetery, Kedron, Upshur County.

vii. Wilson Osburn, born October 30, 1809; died November 30, 1867. He married Susanna(h) Starcher October 23, 1834 in Lewis County, (West) Virginia, daughter of John Starcher and Jane Radcliff. She was born about 1819, and died July 27, 1882. Wilson and his brother, Aquilla, bought land in 1845 about half way between Kedron and Queens, one on each side of the Middle Fork River. This area is now in Washington District, Upshur County. Wilson lived on Osburn's Run. (See Randolph County Deed Book 17, Page 1.)

Wilson wrote his will April 13, 1866; it was probated December 10, 1867 in Upshur County. All personal and real items to wife, Sussanah except for "a certain boundary thereof" that was bequeathed to son Marcellus. At Sussannah's death, real estate to son, Edward if he remained at home. Personal items to be divided equally among children: Alvin, Acquilla, Elmore, Marcellus and Amanda. To the children of daughter Julia Ann: $5 to be divided. Marcellus was to receive a tract of land adjoining Jeremiah Lanham. Cemeteries related to these families are Fairview near Ellamoore and Mount Union on the hill overlooking Kedron. Both are north of the town of Queens.

viii. Jacob Osborn, born May 26, 1815 in Harrison County, (West) Virginia; died June 12, 1892 in Gilmer County, West Virginia. Buried at Farnsworth Family Cemetery on state road 47 between Troy and Linn, Gilmer County. He married (1) Rachel Eliza Farnsworth, daughter of James Farnsworth and Abigail Wilcox. She was born 1816 in New Jersey, and died February 26, 1860 in Probably Barbour County, (West) Virginia. He married (2) Elizabeth M. Slaven May 1, 1860 in Wirt County, West Virginia, daughter of William Slaven and Mary Woddell. She was born 1820, and died 1889. Jacob farmed near Troy, Gilmer County. He and Rachel owned property on Gnatty Creek in Barbour County in 1847.