Whiteside County IL Archives Biographies.....Van Osdol, William A 
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Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 January 31, 2008, 12:19 am

Author: Portrait/Bio Album, Whiteside County IL 1885

William A. Van Osdol, one of the most extensive farmers in Whiteside County, 
residing upon section 7, Hopkins Township, is a son of John and Nancy (Gibson) 
Van Osdol, natives of Pennsylvania. They married in Ohio Co., Ind., but 
finally settled in Dearborn County. Mr. Van Osdol died in February, 1870, in 
Ohio Co., Ind., where all of William's grandparents settled about 1820, coming 
from Pennsylvania. His wife, and the mother of William A., still survives and 
resides in that county. They had a family of 11 children, of whom William A. 
was the eldest. He was born in Ohio Co., Ind., Aug, 17, 1827. He passed his 
boyhood days and grew to manhood in that county and continued to reside there 
till 1856.   He received a good common-school education, and for a time was 
engaged in mercantile pursuits at Aberdeen, Ind. In May, 1856, Mr. Van Osdol 
came to Whiteside County and located in Hopkins Township, where he has since 
lived, closely and largely identified with the interests and welfare of the 
community. He is the owner of 520 acres of land in this township, 500 acres of 
which is in a tillable condition. He also owns 440 acres of land in Ida Co., 
Iowa, all under cultivation and managed by his eldest son. This vast estate 
has been accumulated by Mr. Van Osdol in a very brief time, be it said to his 
credit. When 22 years of age he possessed only $37.50 of property, which was 
in a note given to him by his father. The secret of his splendid success, 
besides possessing good business ability, is industry and frugality. Young men 
about to enter upon an active business career might read the record of his 
life with no little profit. Mr. Van Osdol was united in marriage in Dearborn 
Co., Ind., Nov. 20, 1850, with Rebecca Turner. She was a native of 
Pennsylvania, born of Irish parentage, and the seventh of a family of nine 
children. Her parents were Robert and Martha (Woods) Turner. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Van Osdol have been born six children; John M., Sarah E., William S., Ida M., 
Robert R. and Frank A. John M. and Sarah E. are deceased. While never aspiring 
to public position, Mr. Van Osdol has held many of the minor offices of his 
township. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in political 
views is identified with the Democratic party. As a truly representative 
agriculturist and a worthy citizen of Whiteside County, we place Mr. Van 
Osdol's portrait in this volume in connection with this sketch. It is engraved 
from a photograph taken about 1878.

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.

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