Whiteside County IL Archives Biographies.....Osborne, Andrew J 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 January 31, 2008, 2:32 am

Author: Portrait/Bio Album, Whiteside County IL 1885

Andrew J. Osborne, contractor and bridge builder, resident at Erie, is a son 
of James and Rebecca (Glass) Osborne, and was born in Ashfield, Franklin Co., 
Mass., Dec. 17, 1828. His father was a miller by vocation, and died when 
Andrew was four years of age. His mother died when he was eight years old, and 
Andrew and his brother James, who constituted the issue of his parents' union, 
were left orphans. Andrew J. Osborne, after the death of his parents, went to 
live with an uncle, with whom he remained until he attained the age of 12 
years. He then left his uncle's house and went to Livingston Co., Mich, where 
he worked on farms summers and attended school about six months during 
winters, and also improved his leisure time in study at home. In 1844 Mr. 
Osborne left Michigan and came to this State, where he remained four years, 
and then went to New York. He was in the latter State one year, and then came 
to Rock Island County, this State. Here, when 57 years of age, he taught 
school for a time in Canoe Creek Township. In the fall of 1850 he came to this 
county and taught an arithmetical school evenings in Erie Township. He taught 
what was then known as the Prussian System of Calculation. He continued 
teaching during the winters of 1851-2-3 in Portland Township, and met with 
success in his profession. Mr. Osborne was united in marriage in Erie 
Township, March 24, 1853, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin H. and Mary 
J. Smith. She was born in Aurora, Ill., April 12, 1833, and bore him 11 
children, namely: Charles F., Ella C., Henry A., Barnett A., Jesse E., Grant 
S., Rachel M. (deceased), Elizabeth C., Rebecca M., Lucy E. and Andrew J. 
After his marriage Mr. Osborne purchased 160 acres of land in Canoe Creek 
Township, Rock Island County, which he cultivated for one year and then sold. 
He next came to Erie, this county, and erected a saw-mill there, which he ran 
for a year and then failed. His next move was to Cass Co., Iowa, where he was 
engaged in farming and milling for five years, when he returned to Genesee, 
Henry Co., this State. He remained at the latter place two years, and then 
came to Erie Township, this county, and moved on a farm his wife had received 
from her father, on section 15. He worked hard and industriously, and soon 
succeeded in paying all the debts he had contracted prior to his failure, and 
also purchased 160 acres of land on section 16, same township. He resided on 
the latter place for several years, and then moved to Erie. In 1882 he ran on 
the Greenback ticket for State Representative; and, although his popularity 
placed him several hundred votes ahead of his ticket, he was not successful. 
After moving to Erie he engaged in contracting to build bridges for wagon 
roads, and has continued in the business for a number of years. He has made a 
number of improvements in bracing bridges for wagon roads, and has continued 
in the business for a number of years. He has made a number of improvements in 
bracing bridges and so constructing the bridge as to prevent the timber from 
rotting. He has built a number of bridges in this and adjoining counties. Mr. 
Osborne still owns the 160 acres on the section which he rents. He is an 
original thinker of some merit, and has written numerous articles on finance, 
which have been published in the papers, and has also lectured on this 
subject; he has also written a pamphlet on finance entitled "New Treatise on 
Money," and has also written an article, now in process of compilation, on 
formation of coal and rocks, which promises to show a new departure in the 
science of geology.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Whiteside County, Illinois, Containing Full-
page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens of the County. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1885.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/whiteside/bios/osborne2271nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/

File size: 4.5 Kb