We have been told that Reuben Osborn was our 4th great grandfather. He was born about 1770, according to census records. Researchers agree that Reuben married Martha Elizabeth Dunn about 1798, in North Carolina.
Reuben appears on the 1830 and 1840 Warren County, Kentucky census with his family. Reuben had several children including Jeremiah Osborn and Jonathan Osborn, who also appear on the 1830 and 1840 Warren County census.
The 1830 Warren County, Kentucky census, page 72, shows Reuben Osburn, male 60-69 (b. 1761-1770); one male 20-29 (b. 1801-1810); one male 15-19 (b. 1811-1815); one male 10-14 (b. 1816-1820); two males males 5-9 (b. 1821-1825); one female 40-49 (b. 1781-1790); one female 15-19 (b. 1811-1815) and one female 10-14 (b. 1816-1820).
Listed nearby on page 72 of the census was Jeremiah Osburn, male 30-39 (b. 1791-1800); one male 5-9 (b. 1821-1825; one male under 5 (b. 1826-1830); one female 20-29 (b. 1801-1810); one female 5-9 (b. 1821-1825) and one female under 5 (b. 1826-1830).
Listed on page 76 of the 1830 Warren County census was Jonathan Osburn. The cenus shows two males 20-29 (b. 1801-1810); one male under 5 (b. 1826-1830) and one female 20-29 (b. 1801-1810). It appears one of Jonathan's brothers was living with him at the time. Jonathan was another son of Reuben and a brother to Jeremiah.
Listed beside Jonathan on page 76 was Jeremiah Osburn. The census shows one male 30-39 (b. 1791-1800); one male 5-9 (b. 1821-1825; one male under 5 (b. 1826-1830); one female 20-29 (b. 1801-1810); one female 5-9 (b. 1821-1825) and one female under 5 (b. 1826-1830). If you compare it to the Jeremiah listed on page 72, they are identical. We believe it is the same person. We believe Jeremiah moved from one site to the other between the time the census taker was in the different areas. No other Osborn families were listed in Warren County in 1830.
The 1840 Warren County census shows five Osborn families (spelled Osbourn); Reuben, Jerry (Jeremiah), Jonathan, Jno. and Douglas. (Note: Some researchers say Reuben had sons named Jonathan, Josiah and Douglas. We are unsure if the Jno. listed in 1840 was Josiah.) We believe Reuben's family was still the only Osborn family in Warren County.
The 1840 Warren County, Kentucky census shows Jerry Osbourn, male 30-39 (b.1801-1810); one male 15-19 (b. 1821-1825); two males 5-9 (b. 1831-1835); one male under 5 (b. 1836-1840); one female 30-39 (b. 1801-1810); one female 10-14 (b. 1826-1830); one female 5-9 (b. 1831-1835) and one female under 5 (b. 1836-1840).
Our 3rd great grandfather, Jeremiah Osborn, born about 1799, in North Carolina, was the eldest son of Reuben Osborn and Martha Elizabeth Dunn.
Jeremiah married our 3rd great grandmother, Anna Wilson on April 24, 1821, in Allen County, Kentucky. Jeremiah and Anna had several children including Easom Osborn.
Our great-great grandfather, Easom Osborn, was born about 1823, in Kentucky, according to census records.
Easom appears as a 5-9 year old male on the 1830 Warren County census and a 15-19 year old male on the 1840 Warren County census with his father Jeremiah Osborn.
Easom married our great-great grandmother, Sarah Ann (last name unknown), on June 14, 1841, in Warren County. Sarah Ann was born about 1824, in Kentucky, according to census. We have been told she was Sarah Supinger, daughter of Abraham Supinger, born about 1795, in Kentucky, son of Christopher Supinger, born about 1756, in Pennsylvania.
The 1850 Greene County, Missouri census shows Eason Osburn, 28, a farmer, born in Kentucky; Sarah A., 26, born in Kentucky; John W., 8; James A., 5; Josiah, 3 and Eveline, 3 months old. The children were all born in Missouri according to the census. Living with the family was Louisa A. Whiteside, 22, born in Illinois. She may have been related to the family. The census was dated August 14, 1850.
Easom moved his family to Montgomery County, Illinois in 1852 or 1853, where he purchased 40 acres of land in 1853.
Sarah Ann died about 1858, in Illinois. Census records show that Easom and Sarah Ann had at least six children.
Easom married Sarah Watson on December 9, 1858, in Fayette County, Illinois. Sarah was the widow of Dillard Watson, born about 1810, in Kentucky. Daniel and Sarah Watson had at least eight children. (Note: Daniel, Sarah and their children were listed as Watson on the 1850 Montgomery County, Illinois census. Four of the children were listed on the 1860 census with Sarah and Easom. They were listed as Watkins on the census.) Sarah (maiden name unknown) was born about 1819 in Kentucky, according to census.
The 1860 Montgomery County, Illinois census shows Esom Osborn, 36, a farm tenant, $550 personal property; Sarah, 43; James, 15, farm laborer; Josiah, 13; Evaline, 11; Anne, 9; Eliza, 7; Ezekiel Watkins, 15, farm laborer; Elijah Watkins, 12; Easton Watkins, 9 and May Watkins, 22. Living next door to Easom and Sarah was May Watkins, 60, a farmer, $1200 real property, $150 personal property, born in Kentucky; Benjamin A. Harris, 22, farm tenant; Eliza Harris, 20; May J. Harris, 3; and Sarah A. Harris, 8 months. All the Harris family was born in Illinois. Eliza Harris was probably May Watkins daughter. We believe May was the mother of Dillard Watson and Sarah's former mother-in-law.
Sarah died prior to 1863. She and Easom had one child.
Easom married Mrs. Elizabeth Garland on On August 9, 1863, in Montgomery County, Illinois. The 1870 census shows Easom's wife named Frances. We are unsure if Elizabeth and Frances were the same person or if Easom married again after his marriage to Elizabeth Garland.
It appears Easom's family was in Missouri about 1868. He moved his family to Colbert County, Alabama about 1868 or 1869.
The 1870 Colbert County census shows Esau Ausburn, 43, a wood chopper, $100 real property; Francis, 35, born in Alabama; Evaline, 19; Eliza, 15; Eliene, 12; Ruhanna, 2, born in Missouri and Mary 4 months old, born February 1870, in Alabama. (Note: We don't know if wives Frances and Elizabeth were the same person. Easom's daughters Ruhanna Osborn (b. 1868) and Mary Osborn (b. Feb 1870) were probably by the wife identified as Frances on the 1870 census.) Easom's family was living very near Jeremiah Branham and his wife Anna, who we believe was Easom's daughter.
We have been unable to locate Easom or his family after the 1870 census.
Oral family history relates that Eliza Jane Osborn was part Cherokee Indian. We have been unable to document this, however.
Children of Easom Osborn and Sarah Ann
1. John William Osborn, b. abt 1843, MO; d. Aug 10, 1908, IL; m. Matilda Jane Roe on May 2, 1865, Fayette Co, IL. The family lived in Illinois. Children included: (1) Jeremiah Osborn, b. 1866; (2) Hiram Biff Osborn, b. 1868; (3) Sarah Ann Osborn, b. 1869; (4) James A. Osborn, b. 1871; (5) George W. Osborn, b. 1878; (6) Burnette J. Osborn, b. Mar 1880; (7) Rosa Osborn, b. Nov 1882; (8) Hannah Elizabeth Osborn, b. Sept 1885; (9) John H. Osborn, b. Jan 1888 and (10) Sylvester Osborn, b. May 1891
2. James A. Osborn, b. abt 1845, MO
3. Josiah Osborn, b. abt 1847, MO
4. Evaline Osborn, b. abt May 1850, MO
5. Anne Osborn, b. abt 1852, MO or IL; m. Jeremiah Branham
6. Eliza Jane Osborn, b. Jan 1855, IL; m. James Lacey Branham (our line)
Child of Easom Osborn and Sarah Watson
7. Eliene Osborn, b. abt 1861, IL (She does not appear on the 1860 census, but is listed as 12 on the 1870 census.)
Children of Easom Osborn and Frances
8. Ruhanna Osborn, b. abt 1868, MO
9. Mary Osborn, b. Feb 1870, AL
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