Mesa County CO Archives Biographies.....Osborn, William Carl November 11, 1874 - ?
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Judy Crook jlcrook@rof.net March 23, 2006, 7:01 pm

Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado

     The power to organize great mercantile or industrial enterprises is

inherent in some men, and they move to the accomplishment of the purpose for

which nature intended them with a confidence and success which would be

surprising if not done with so much apparent ease and smoothness.  One such

example is furnished by the career of William Carl Osborn, the general manager

of the Fruita Mercantile Company, and one of its organizers and leading

officials and stockholders, who, although as yet a young man, has won

distinction in mercantile circles by his unusual business capacity and genius

for large undertakings.  He was born in Towns county, Georgia, on November 11,

1874, and is the son of Jesse W. and Z. Helena (Maudlin) Osborn, also natives of

Georgia, where the father was prosperously engaged in the milling business.  In

1878 the family moved to Colorado and engaged in farming until 1886, when they

changed their residence to Mesa county, in the valley of the Grand, and followed

the stock business.  In 1892 the father started a mercantile business with his

son William as a partner.  This they conducted until 1896, and then, selling

out, the father engaged in the grocery trade at Pueblo.  Two years later he

moved to Grand Junction, where he is still in business.  The son was reared in

Colorado from the age of four, and received a good education in the primary and

high schools of this state, being graduated from the Grand Junction high school

in 1894.  After quitting the grocery business at Pueblo in 1898, he was on the

road two years as the representative of a Denver house in the sale of pickles,

vinegar and kindred commodities. On May 27, 1901, he helped to organize the

Fruita Mercantile Company, with a capital stock of twenty thousand dollars, and

R.L. Adams as president, John McAndrews as vice-president and W.C. Osborn,

secretary-treasurer and manager.  The company conducts a general merchandising

business which is one of the most extensive in the lower valley and has a

reputation second to none in this part of the sate for the magnitude of its

operations, the extent and variety of its stock and the elevated tone on which

its business is conducted.  Two branch stores have recently been established. 

Much of the credit for the success of the enterprise and its high standing in

public favor is due to Mr. Osborn, who has given it his undivided attention and

has displayed in its management executive and business ability of a very high

order.  On June 14, 1899, he was united in marriage with Miss Gertrude Masser, a

native of Kansas and daughter of Dr. Charles B. Masser, of Fruita, a sketch of

whom will be found on another page of this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Osborne have two

sons, Otto Oswald and an infant. In politics Mr. Osborn is an independent

Democrat, and at present is a member of the board of aldermen of Fruita. 

Fraternally he is connected with the Order of Washington and the Woodmen of the

World.  

Additional Comments:
From Progressive Men of Western Colorado.  Chicago:  A.W. Bowen & Co., 1905

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