68253.Philander W. Osborn. Born on 25 Jun 1828 in Portage County, Ohio. Philander W. died in Bannister, Gratiot County, Michigan, on 28 Sep 1892; he was 64. Buried in Ford Cemetery, Elba, Gratiot County.
From the Portrait and Biographical Album of Clinton and Shiawassee Counties,, Mich., Chicago, Chapman Bros., 1891. Page 235. [Found at Google Books.]
PHILANDER W. OSBORN. It is undoubtedly a great satisfaction to a man or woman who has reached years when they can look back over a long life spent in hardships and a struggle to give one's family every advantage possible as well as to do one's duty by one's fellowmen, to have the efforts recognized by loving children and kind friends with the assurance that one has made the most of life and that the world is better for their having lived in it.
The gentleman whose name heads this sketch and who lives on section 4, Fairfield Township, Shiawassee County, is a general farmer here and was born in what was originally Portage County, but is now known as Summit County, Ohio. He is the son of Elias and Jerusha (Adams) Osborn, the father a native of Osbornville, Conn. Our subject's grandfather, Isaac Osborn, removed to Northampton Township, Summit County, Ohio, while his son was a boy. He built the first flouring mill erected on Mud Brook in Northampton Township. The walls were of niggerhead stone and the work was done in the main by himself. He was one of the first settlers there and did a business both as a millwright and miller and was also engaged in distilling.
Our subject is the eldest in a family of four, only one of whom beside himself is still living, this being a half-brother who resides in Summit County, Ohio, and whose name is Henry Monroe. Philander received a limited education, having less than a year's schooling, but he early acquired a love for reading and study and utilized the uncertain light given out the by the hickory fire that blazed on the broad hearthstone to become acquainted with the popular authors as well as such sciences as physiology, geology, philosophy, mineralogy and astronomy. He thus gained a fair education by his own efforts.
Mr. Osborn grew to manhood in Northampton, His father having died while he was yet young he was thrown on his own resources and obliged to look to himself for his living. When sixteen years of age he took a trip South, traveling through all the Southern States to New Orleans. November 2, 1849, he was married to Merilla Antels, a daughter of John and Agnes (Swerenger) Antels. The lady was born in Akron, Ohio, but her father was a native of Wayne County, same State.
The gentleman of whom we write came to Michigan July 5, 1873, and purchased eighty acres of land. He has since given forty acres of this to his son. He is the father of three children: the eldest child and son is Oliver O. who is a physician and druggist and lives in Fenwick, Montcalm County; he has two children. The second child is Nancy who married Francis Emmert, whose sketch appears on another page in this Album. The third child is Jessie M. who lives at Battle Creek, this State, and is unmarried.
Our subject votes the Republican ticket and has been a popular man in the county; he is not an office-seeker and has ever refused to be a nominee. He has served on the Board of Review. He, with his wife, is a member of the United Brethren Church, in which they have been for over forty years. Mr. Osborn’s maternal grandfather, Philander Adams, was a commissioned officer in both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. He was a business man of unusual ability and acquired a very comfortable fortune. A native of New York State, he settled in Randolph Township, Portage County, Ohio, where for many years he was the proprietor of a large farm. 1850 Federal Census. Northampton, Summit County, Ohio Roll 732, page 303
Philander W. Osborn, 22, farmer
Merilla Osborn, 17
Henry Munroe, 18, farmer All were born in Ohio. 1870 Federal Census. Northampton, Summit County, Ohio Roll 1270, page 302B Post Office Cuyahoga Falls
Philander W. Osborn, 43, farmer, $1500 real estate, $450 personal estate
Merilla Osborn, 37, keeping house
Oliver Osborn, 18, works on farm
Nancy Osborn, 13, attending school
Jessie M. Osborn, 3, at home All were born in Ohio.
On 2 Nov 1849 when Philander W. was 21, he married Merilla Antels, daughter of John Antels & Agnes Swerenger, in Summit County, Ohio. Born on 3 Apr 1833 in Summit County, Ohio.