David Osborn was born on 31 March 1807, in Greenbrier County, (West) Virginia. He was baptized in Black Creek, on 13 July 1835, in Bloomfiled, Greene County, Indiana. David and Cynthia Buter married on 10 April 1828. Cynthia was born on 19 December 1811, in Gallia Co., Ohio. She was baptized 30 July 1835, with her husband.
David and Cynthia Joined the Mormon Church in 1835, while living in Greene County, Indiana David and Cynthia sold out an moved to Missouri. The first settled in Clay County, then moved to Davies County. When trouble broke out between the Mormons and Missouri neighbors, David felt the full force
of their wrath when they captured him just south of Goose Creek, as they were preparing to storm the city of Far West. He escaped and went to his farm, where he found that his family had already fled 12 miles further north to Diahman. Cynthia and the children were camping in the snow. Church members were forced to leave Davies County in 10 days. David moved to Caldwell County and built a temporary log house. From there David crept back to
nights to his farm to glean some of his crops. Everything in their house was stolen. The Osborns left Missouri in the Spring of 1839 with the Saints and found refuge in Illinois. After the Nauvoo Period, the family moved west.
Cynthia died 2 July 1852, two weeks after giving birth to a stillborn child while camped along the Platte River, 250 miles west of the Missouri River. [Cynthia Butler Osborn]
David Osborn's Experiences in Missouri
When we arrived [in Missouri], the Church was leaving Clay and settling in Caldwell and Daviess counties so we followed and stopped during the winter in Caldwell near Knobtown.
We enjoyed ourselves pretty well through the winter, though I had my grain to haul 60 miles after I built a house to live in. The gentiles were very friendly to us at this time. I had but little money, having left my sale- notes with Brother William to collect and send me by mail. But I bought pork on credit and borrowed a hundred dollars on credit to enter my land but I received my money by mail and paid my debts with interest. I bought land and commenced a farm in Daviess County, 12 miles north of Far West, cleared, fenced and put into corn eight acres. Also built a good white-oak log cabin the first season. Also dug a well some 35 feet deep, but got no water in the fall. I took a tour in company with Elisha H. Groves and Francis Case on Grand River some 60 miles north, bee hunting. We were from home six weeks and got about five barrels of beautiful honey. Though it rained about one week while we were out, the richest tree we found contained 11 1/4 gallons, though I heard of 20 gallons being taken from one tree.
Next spring, I commenced making rails, and fencing another field in the prairie. I enclosed, broke and planted in corn, potatoes, pumpkins, etc., 10 acres more. This proved to be a good season for crops. I raised 400 or 500 bushels of corn and vegetables in abundance on the 19th of April this year, which was 1838. We had another son added to our family and as I was afraid this would be my last son I called him after my own name. The health of my family was good except little William who was still afflicted, being entirely helpless. He was a great burden to his mother.
I got to Diahman and by virtue of my pass got through the guards there, and found my family camped out in the snow and frost by the side of a big log. My wife seemed considerably cast down in spirits, our child was quite sick having been so much exposed to cold. Hundreds of brethren were here camped out in the cold which was truly a melancholy sight. They kept us guarded in here near a week before we could get out to go home. Finally our case was decided; we must all go into Caldwell County within 10 to 12 days, stay there during the winter and then leave the state. We all received a pass to that effect. We returned home, got things together a little and went across the prairie into Caldwell to look out a place to camp through the winter; the snow was six or eight inches deep. We found a little grove of timber in a low place, a small stream of water running through it about four miles southwest. There, seven families of our neighborhood pitched their tents for the winter. Judge Smith and two or three other men came round and told us to be gone against the next Tuesday or our houses would be pulled down and we drove by force.
Our little William died November 12, two or three days before the time set for us to go. We had sat up and watched him night after night alone, and he died in my arms when we were all alone.
We picked up what we could and went over to Bush Creek, made a half faced camp at first and afterwards made a log shanty. My horses stood out in the cold all winter, when I had a good stable at home. There was a committee of 10 or 12 men appointed and privileged to come and go through the county at pleasure in behalf of the Church to gather up lost stock, dispose of corn, etc. They were to tie a bunch of white ribbon on the side of their hats so that they might be known (which they always wore when in Daviess) but no other man was permitted to be seen in Daviess, only at his own risk. I gathered most of what corn I did get by moonlight, got some of my hogs, but lost the greater part of my property. Living on the road the brethren used all the corn they wanted and indeed hauled away two or three loads of stock corn. We enjoyed ourselves through the winter better than many would suppose. We had some good meetings, but some did not approve of it, fearing the mob would take notice of it and cautioned us not to sing too loud.
I sold my farm at a very low price, got Brother James Whitaker to fill my old wagon, make out a team of three horses, lent Brother Holt a yoke of oxen and selling Old Willhight what corn I had on hand at 50 cents per barrel and took it in calico at 37 1/2 cents per yard. I also let him have a fine sow and pigs for a few yards of calico. I was almost naked, having left my knapsack of clothing at home as I passed by going to Diahman. When we returned all was gone (I expecting to come back the next day) but Cynthia cut up a blanket and made me some pants.
Finally we got ready and started early in February 1839. Father Hoops' family with several other families, Brother Stoddard also. We had a cold, wet time on the road but went on and stopped in Pike City, Illinois five miles east of Pittsfield.[Extracts from David Osborn, Autobiography (1807-1853), BYU, HBLL Special Collections, Provo, Utah].
David Osborn, et al., Petition
To the Honl The Senate and the Honls The House of Representatives in Congress assembled at the city of Washington in the district of Columbia on the first monday of December A D. 1839 -
A petition of certan individual residing in the cty [sic] of Pike Illinois. We would represent to your honorable body that a few years ago we
[page 301] emigrated to the state of Missouri and located confiding in the protection of said State and the general government, but contrary to the Constitution and laws of the United States, and the just expectations of your petitioners, were during the winter and spring past, forst [sic] to leave our houses and homes by the exterminating order of Governor Boggs of Missouri and under these precarious circumstances had to flee to our present places of abode for refuge - our names with the amount of damages each person has sustained we have written below and we believe that said injuries were inflicted upon us virtually because we dared to worship God according to the dictates of our own consciences
Therefore your humble petitioners ask your honorable body to grant us a quantity of land either in this State or in the Ioway Territory equal to our losses as hereafter named - or take such other measures to remedy said injuries received by your petitioners as you in your wisdom shall deem expedient and as in duty bound you will ever pray -
Names of your Petitioner
David Osborn, for land, corn, &c, $400.00
Levi Gifford for house, & damages, 500.00
Daniel Howe, for improvements, &c 400.00
Andrew Whitlock for property & 16 days false imprisonment, 500.00
Silas Smith for property, 1,200.00
Noah Rogers for land, and other property, 1,960.00
Chandler Rogers for property & expenses, 1,250.00
Warner Hoopes for property & expence [sic], 250.00
Jonathan Hoopes for land and houses and other property, 1,115.00
John Sweat for property, expences [sic] &c, 200.00
Henry Stevenson for property, expences &c, 340.00
James Allred for land and property, 2,000.00
Hugh Snively for property & expences, 430.00
Joseph S Carrelton, 150.00
M B Welton property & expens, 350.00
Martin C. Allred for land and property 200.00
James [Brown] for Property &c, 250.00
Henry A Cleaveland for land, expences &c also for 3 months time lost in consequence of being wounded, 2,000.00
Orren Rockwell for Land property &c, 3,000.00
O. P. Rockwell for loss of property time and expences, 2,000.00
[Clark V. Johnson, ed., Mormon Redress Petitions: Documents of the 1833-1838 Missouri Conflict (Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1992), 300-301.]
Autobiography of David Osborn See also: Progressive Men of Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Fremont, and Oneida
Counties, Idaho (Chicago, A. W. Bowen and Co., 1904), 335.
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