By Jared L. Olar
June 2019
Our Osborn ancestors were Quakers (that is, members of the Society of Friends) from Long Island, New York, who moved to Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, in the early 1700s. The Osborn family were an English colonial family, but at this time it is unknown when they emigrated from England and where in England they'd come from. The surname of "Osborn" (or "Osborne") signifies a family who is descended from a man name Osborn. The name itself is Old Norse -- Asbjorn -- "Divine Bear." The name "Osborn" was also found in Normandy in France, having been brought there from Scandinavia by the Normans, who also brought it to England after the Norman Conquest in A.D. 1066. Even before then, the Danes had brought the name to England through their vikings raids and invasions. Yet even apart from that, the name Osbeorn was not unknown among the Anglo-Saxon themselves, who were originally peoples of Scandinavia. In the absence of further information on the ancestry of our Osborns, it is impossible to say whether they were of Anglo-Norman, Anglo-Danish, or Anglo-Saxon origin.
Since we cannot say anything else regarding the origin of our Osborn ancestors, we turn now to an account of our Osborn genealogy:
1. RICHARD OSBORN SR., parentage and ancestry unknown, born circa 1674 on Long Island, date of death unknown, buried in the Society of Friends Burial Ground, Little Egg Harbor (today called Tuckerton), New Jersey. Richard's wife was JEAN BETTS ("Jane"), born circa 1676 on Long Island, date of death unknown, buried in the Society of Friends Burial Ground, Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey. Richard and Jean had one son and four daughters. The names "Richard Osborn Sr., and Jean, his wife" appear in a partial listing of burials in the Friends Burial Ground of Little Egg Harbor, transcribed from Leah Blackman's History of Little Egg Harbor (1880), pages 206-208.
Information on the family and descendants of Richard Osborn Sr. may be found in the essay "The Osborn Family," published in Proceedings, Constitution, By-laws, List of Members, &c., of the Surveyors Association of West New Jersey, 1880, pages 281-285, which provides the following informaton about Richard Sr. and his brother Roger:
The Osborns came from Long Island to Little Egg Harbor. Richard Osborn, Sr., and his brother, Roger Osborn, were living in Egg Harbor before the year 1715, and it is
probable they were here at a much earlier date. Richard Osborn, Sr., purchased Osborn's Island (then called by the Indians, Monhunk Island) of Henry Jacobs Falkinburg, Sr.
There he cleared a farm on which he ended his days, and at his death left the place to his only son, Richard Osborn, Jr., and here he resided during his life, leaving the farm
to his only surviving son, Thomas Osborn, after whose death his daughter, Rhoda Lamb became the proprietor. This farm has never been out of the Osborn family [i.e. as of 1880]
since it first came into it. This island is noted for its fishery, and also for its pleasant situation, its southern border being washed by the waters of Little Egg Harbor
Bay. . . .
In the year 1715, when the first Monthly Meeting of Friends was established at Little Egg Harbor, Richard Osborn, Sr., and Jean, his wife, were among the Elders of the Meetings.
Richard Osborn, Sr.'s children were Richard, Mary, Hannah, Abigail and Jean. . . .
. . . Mary, daughter of Richard Osborn, Sr., in the year 1723 married William Satterthwaite, of Chesterfield, N. J. When Satterthwaite and his wife went to his home in Chesterfield,
Jean Osborn, Jr., went with them to reside in Chesterfield, where it is likely she married and spent the residue of her life.
. . . Hannah, daughter of Richard Osborn, Sr., in the year 1739 married Joseph Parker, Sr., being his second wife, and it is said she had no children and died soon after her marriage.
. . . There is no account of the marriage or death of Abigail, daughter of Richard Osborn, Sr.
The children of Richard and Jean Osborn were:
2. RICHARD OSBORN JR.
-- MARY OSBORN, married William Satterthwaite.
-- HANNAH OSBORN, born 8 Oct. 1706 in Burlington, Burlington County, New Jersey, died 1744 in Burlington, Burlington County, New Jersey, married Joseph Parker Sr., died without issue soon after her marriage.
-- ABIGAIL OSBORN.
-- JEAN OSBORN, lived in Chesterfield, New Jersey.
2. RICHARD OSBORN JR., born circa 1719 in Little Egg Harbor, Burlington County (today Tuckerton, Ocean County), New Jersey, died Jan. 1794 in Little Egg Harbor, Burlington County, New Jersey, buried in the Society of Friends Burial Ground, Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey. Richard's wife was PHEBE PEARSALL, born circa 1725, date of death unknown, buried in the Society of Friends Burial Ground, Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey. Richard and Phebe had one son and five daughters. The names "Richard Osborn, Jr., and Phebe, his wife" appear in a partial listing of burials in the Friends Burial Ground of Little Egg Harbor, transcribed from Leah Blackman's History of Little Egg Harbor (1880), pages 206-208.
Information on the family of Richard Osborn Jr. may be found in the essay "The Osborn Family," published in Proceedings, Constitution, By-laws, List of Members, &c., of the Surveyors Association of West New Jersey, 1880, pages 281-285. The account of Richard Osborn Jr. and his children begins on page 282, and includes an account of a British attack during the Revolutionary War that proved to be a harrowing experience for Richard and his son Thomas, who were accused by the American revolutionaries of being Loyalists:
It was on [Osborn Island] that on the night of the 14th of October, 1778, the British landed with the intention of making war on Little Egg Harbor -- laying waste and
burning all before them. The British force consisted of two hundred and fifty men, commanded by Captain Ferguson. Immediately after landing from their barges, they marched to the
dwelling house of Richard Osborn, Jr., and demanded a pilot to lead them over to the main land. Some one of the British officers presented a sword to the breast of Thomas Osborn,
(the son of Richard Osborn) and ordered him to pilot them to the house where Count Pulaski had stationed a guard, and young Osborn was compelled to accede to their demand. On his
way across the salt marsh young Osborn begged of the captain to spare the lives of his neighbors. When the British commenced the attack on Pulaski's men, Thomas Osborn, the British
pilot, ran and hid himself in the adjacent swamp, where his ears were pained with the heart-rending shrieks and dying groans of the bayoneted soldiers. When Pulaski returned from
following the British to their barges, Thomas Osborn came out from his hiding place, and gave himself up to Pulaski's band, telling them how he had been forced to pilot the British;
but they did not credit his statement, suspecting him of being a Tory, and therefore a willing guide. They seized him and tied him to a tree that stood on the battle ground, and the
enraged soldiers struck him many times and attempted to bayonet him, but were prevented by their officers. They then took him and his father, (an aged man, and both of them members of
the Society of Friends,) whom they suspected of assisting and giving the British information of the whereabouts of the American troops, and put them in prison at Trenton. They were
kept in confinement for some time, part of the time in a dungeon, but as no charges could be made to stand against them, they were honorably discharged and furnished with the
following pass:
"Permit the bearers, Richard and Thomas Osborn, to pass to their homes at Egg Harbor; they being examined before the Judges at Trenton, and not found guilty, are therefore discharged
and at liberty.
"By order of GEN. PULASKI.
"Le Bruce De Balquoer, Aid-de-Camp. William Clayton, Justice of the Peace. Hugh Rossel, Jailer.
"Trenton, Oct, 30th, 1778."
Another account of these events, focusing on its military aspects, may be found at "Massacre at Osborn Island."
The children of Richard and Phebe Osborn were:
-- THOMAS OSBORN, died circa 1827, married Rhoda (Silver) Dunn.
-- HANNAH OSBORN, married Isaac Pedrick.
-- ANN OSBORN, married Jacob Somers.
-- MARY OSBORN, born circa 1740 in Egg Harbor Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey, died 17 Dec. 1797 in Egg Harbor Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey, married William Leeds.
-- PHEBE OSBORN, married Henry Willits.
3. ABIGAIL OSBORN, born 8 Feb. 1747 in Egg Harbor Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey.
3. ABIGAIL OSBORN, daughter of Richard and Phebe Osborn, born 8 Feb. 1747 in Egg Harbor Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey, buried in the Society of Friends Burial Ground (i.e. Quaker Cemetery, Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey. Abigail's husband was named JOHN SOOY, born 15 Aug. 1742 in Lower Bank, Burlington, New Jersey, died 26 Aug. 1792 in Lower Bank, Burlington, New Jersey, buried in Quaker Cemetery, Tuckerton, New Jersey, son of Joost and Elizabeth Sooy. Abigail came from a family of Quakers, and her husband John also joined the Society of Friends. John and Abigail had five sons and four daughters. The "Sooy Book" of BassRiverHistory.org presents the following outline of John and Abigail Sooy and their family:
10. John Sooy b. 15 Aug 1742, Lower Bank, N.J., m. Abigail Osborne, b. 8 Feb 1747, (daughter of Richmond [sic] Osborne) buried: Quaker Cemetery, Tuckerton, N.J. John died 1792.
Children:
22. i Richard Sooy b. 28 Apr 1771.
ii Sarah Sooy b. 28 Feb 1773, m. Curtis Wilson.
iii Phoebe Sooy b. 16 Jul 1775.
iv Elizabeth Sooy b. 21 Mar 1780, m. (1) John Bartlett, m. (2) 1829, James Arnold, b. 18 Apr 1772, (son of John Arnold and Rachel Cramer) d. 1817.
v John Sooy m. Mary Straughn. John may be a twin to Elizabeth.
23. vi Charles Sooy b. 5 Jul 1782.
vii Osborne Sooy. Osborne never married.
viii Thomas Sooy m. Elma Penn Irwin. Elma was a descendant of William Penn, founder of Philadelphia, Pa.
ix Abigail Sooy. There is a tradition in this branch of the family that this Abigail Sooy married into the famous family of Count de Rochambeau of France.
Besides the account of this family in the "Sooy Book," information on this family may also be found in the essay "The Osborn Family," published in Proceedings, Constitution, By-laws, List of Members, &c., of the Surveyors Association of West New Jersey, 1880, pages 281-285. Specifically, on page 285 it says:
Abigail, daughter of Richard Osborn, Jr., married John Sooy, and among their children were Thomas, Obsorn, Sarah and Elizabeth.
Thomas Sooy married in Salem county.
Osborn Sooy was blind and died unmarried.
Sarah Sooy married Curtis Wilson.
Elizabeth Sooy married first John Bartlett, and second James Arnold.
Thus, the children of John and Abigail Sooy were:
-- RICHARD SOOY, born 28 April 1771 in Tuckerton, Burlington County, New Jersey.
-- SARAH SOOY, born 28 Feb. 1773 in New Jersey, married Curtis Wilson.
-- PHEBE SOOY, born 16 July 1775.
-- ELIZABETH SOOY, born 21 March 1780 in New Jersey, married first John Bartlett, married second James Arnold.
-- JOHN SOOY, perhaps twin of Elizabeth, married Mary Straughn.
-- CHARLES SOOY, born 5 July 1783 in New Jersey.
-- OSBORN SOOY, blind, died unmarried.
-- THOMAS SOOY, married Elma Penn Irwin.
-- ABIGAIL SOOY, traditionally married a member of the family of the French Counts of Rochambeau.
Osborn Genealogy Resources:
The Sooy Book", at BassRiverHistory.org Richard Osborn Sr. Find-A-Grave memorial, with links to Richard's wife Jean and children Hannah and Richard Jr. Richard Osborn Jr. Find-A-Grave memorial, with links to Richard's wife Phebe and daughter Mary. Friends Cemetery - Tuckerton, N.J. - A Partial Listing "The Osborn Family," essay in "Proceedings, Constitution, By-laws, List of Members, &c., of the Surveyors Association of West New Jersey," 1880, pages 281-285.