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RICHARD OSBORNE

THE STORY AS I KNOW IT

Richard Osborn(e) was born about 1612 in London. It is not known who his parents were.

Richard arrived in New England in 1635. His first residence was in Hingham Mass, (just south of Boston on the coast). from The Great Migration Begins Immigrants to New England 1620-1633. GM2:5:pages 314-317.

Richard Osborn is part of the names of first proprietors in Hingham. They drew their house lots on Sept. 18, 1635. He was #20 of 29, and his lot was from the cove on the north side of the road to Fort Hill” History of Hingham, Vol 1, page 202. It is a bit hard to tell with today's map. My guess is it would have been on Beal St. to South St. The History was taken from Rev. Peter Hobarts Journal, who also arrived in 1635. and was from recorded in the new England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol2, page 250, July 1848 in an article “First Settlers of Hingham Community” by Andrew H. Ward Esq

A Richard Osborn sailed from London in "Hopewell", Captain Thomas Wood, on Feb 17, 1634/35 bound for Barbardos. Ships, Captains and Passengers by John Camden Hotten Colham pg 124-125 also has Richard on that ship and adds his age as 22. Hence the birth year above. What we need to know is, was that one way that young Englishmen went from London to New England by way of Barbados. I have read accounts of the Ark and the Dove who went London, Barbardos, and then St. Mary's Maryland. So I can accept the idea he left London bound for Barbardos and arrived in New England later that year.

By 1639 Richard Osborn was a resident of New Haven Connecticut. He was present at the Battle of Mistick Fort in 1637 as Captain Osborn, and later was referred to as "the hero of the Pequot War." For this service he received two land grants. There seems to be a record in the Westchester County NY Appeals Court Records dated June 12, 1677. I need to confirm that record and see if it gives details on the land granted to Capt Osborn. It is noted in Genealogy and History of the state of Connecticut, Vol. 3, page 1375.

A helpful librarian at the Whitney Library in New Haven, gave me a map “New Haven in 1641. The present day downtown streets are already in place, along with the green in the center. Just to the west of George St, there was a stream called West Creek. Just south of State Street was a stream called East Creek. The two creeks met at the south west corner of the town. Through out the map, the names of residents are placed where their lots or house was located. On the west bank of West Creek was a block divided in to lots. Richard Osborn had one of the 14 lots listed.

From a Rootsweb file by Brooke family re Richard Osborn, He was one of the original free planters of New Haven. He signed the fundamental agreement at the church on June 4, 1639., shared in the division of land in 1643 and took the oath of fidelity before Gov. Eaton on July 1, 1644. He held pew #4 in the church from Records of the Colony and Plantation of New-Haven, from 1638-1649 by Charles Jeremy Hoadly. In fact Richard Osborne was mentioned a number of times in the old records. In 1643 he is listed as one of the Planters with having received 8 acres in the first land division, and later another 8 acres. He also head 2 acres of meadow. He paid 5 shillings 2 pence tax. page 92

on Page 326, he purchased another 8 acres of West Meadow from Mr. Evance. I don't have the date, but it would have been around 1646/7. and on page 449 "Matthew Moethrop passeth over to Richard Osborne his house, home lott and barne, Jan 27, 1648." I'm not sure what passeth over meant - sold or exchanged or willed?

During these years, the court was the center of the community. All interactions seemed to go through the local court. Richard Osborne appears many times in the court records: being in attendance, directed to help find a cow, making a charge that the watchman was asleep on the job – but he coulnd't prove it.

According to The Families of Old Fairfield (Conn), page 455 Richard Osborn sold his property in New Haven in April and May of 1652 and moved to or had already moved to Fairfield by that time. Fairfield Ct, Conn is on the Long Island Sound just west of Bridgeport

Richard Osborn's first wife is sadly unknown. All his known children were of this first wife. I believe he married about 1640, probably in New Haven, but I can find no documentation online. Maybe on site something could be found. Their children are included in deed in wrote Oct. 27, 1682 and in his will dated Dec. 19, 1684.. Both are noted in History and Genealogy The Families of Old Fairfield, page 455. The children are listed below, the order is not known. The deed and will are quoted further down. There could also have been children who died before 1682.

We know that in the 1643 tax assessment there were 3 in his family. The children we know of are
1. Hannah - not listed by name in the deed and not at all in the will. "eldest daughter". She married John Baldwin in 1663.
2. Perscilla, married Cornelius Seeley by 1674.
3. Sarah - she is listed in the will and in 1682 had 7 children. She married John Peat by 1662, and John Brooks 1685.
4. David listed in the will as was his son, Richard. He married Abigail Pinkney.
5. Mary listed in the will with 3 children. She married Thomas Bedient.
6. Elizabeth - there may have been 2 Elizabeths. According to Families of Fairfield, daughter Elizabeth was born in 1650 and died in 1651. But there was also
"daughter Elizabeth" in the deed.
7. John married Sarah Bennett about 1673.
The marriages and wedding dates are given in Families of Fairfield, but I don't know their source, but there are court records of Fairfield naming children.

On 26 May 1674 he gave land in Fairfield to his dau. Priscilla, wife of Cornelius Seeley;
On 27 October 1682, being of Westchester, he gave his Fairfield lands to his son John, who was to pay L1 apiece to the eldest daughter's five children, L2 apiece to dau. Priscilla's two sons and L1 apiece to her two daughters, L1 apiece to daughter Sarah's seven children, L1 apiece to daughter Mary's three children, and to dau. Elizabeth, L50. [Fairfield Deeds]
Richard settled in Westchester NY by 1682, and died there about 1685.

About 1675 his daughter Mary wed Thomas Bedient. Richard Osborn was widowed about this time and by 1677 he had wed Thomas's mother, Mary Barnard Bedient Townsend. She had been widowed twice, the last time in 1675. It was recorded that on Nov. 25, 1678 Thomas Bedient received a gift of land in Fairfield from his father-in-law, Capt. Richard Osborn .Interesting relationship, but father-in-law covers it pretty well.

It is believed that Mary Bedient Townsend Osburne died in 1684 resulting in a distribution of lands she had inherited from her first two husbands. There were two court documents by Richard Osburne in Westchester Co NY noted in Wills of Early Residents of Westchester Co. NY 1664-1784. On Dec. 4, 1684 numbered as 717, "Richard Osburne makes over all his lands, etc., to Thomas Bedient of Woodbury, Conn and Mordecay Bedient of Westchester. 'All said lands being formerly held and possessed by Mordecay Bedient, deceased, and Mary his wife, (afterwards called Mary Townsend) and Roger Townsend.' Excepting a certain piece of land and meadow on Dormonds Island. And he is 'to have a home and maintenance according to his Quality.' And they are to keep for him a good horse, saddle and bridle, and he is to have two barrels of cider, yearly, and the use of one acre of land. They are to pay 50 pounds to Abigail Bedient daughter of Thomas Bedient and furnish 2 good cows to Elizabeth Osburne, daughter of said Richard Osburne."

Richard Osborn died by April 22, 1685. Families of Old Fairfield gives a summary of Capt Richard Osborne's will dated Dec. 19, 1684 in Westchester NY: grandchild, Richard, son of David of Eastchester: children: property in Fairfield County: legacies to Bridget wife of neighbor Justice John Palmer and her dau. Bridget Palmer: Cap. John Pell of Westchester County and son John Osborn, of Fairfield, Exec'rs: Thomas Bedient a witness

"On April 22 1685, Mordecai Bedient conveyed to brother Thomas Bedient all rights to estate of Richard Osborn late deceased or Mary his wife. Thomas agreed to pay to his own daughter Abigail, 50 pounds and give cows to Osborn's daughter Elizabeth." On July 26, 1686, "John Bedient of Westchester conveyed to Thomas Bedient lands formerly possessed by Mordecai Bedient dec'd and by Mary his wife and Roger Townsend, lately in the tenure of Richard Osborn." From History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield Vol I, compiled by Donald Lines Jacobus.

From Wills of Early Residents of Westchester County New York 1664-1784 #726 we learn that Thomas Bedient sold land situated on Betts Neck in 1686 to Jasper Smith. Was this the land noted above? Betts Neck could not be located on the available Westchester maps.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS - lots

If you know the answer please CONTACT US

1. Where was Richard born and who were his parents.

2. Why did he leave England

3. What was his first wife's name?

4. Where is he buried

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Doc; gbosb020.html
Date created: 6/21/2009
Date edited 2/21/2016
Date edited 2/14/2018
Date edited 7/13/2018