Oscar O. Osborn

OSCAR O. OSBORN was admitted to the Kansas bar a quarter of a century ago, and for nearly twenty years has been a highly successful attorney at Stockton. While he has made a creditable record in different offices, his time and energies have been chiefly devoted to general private practice, and is that field his efforts have been well directed.

Mr. Osborn was born in Story County, Iowa, February 22, 1871, and he has lived in Kansas since his earliest recollection. This branch of the Osborn family came out of England and were colonial settlers in New England, later removing to New York. Oscar O. Osborn's father, R. S. Osborn, one of the notable names in Kansas politics twenty-five years ago, was born in New York in 1833, grew up there, went to Ohio when a young man, married in that state, and, after a few years, came to Story County, Iowa, where he was in the nursery business. In 1872 he arrived at what is now Alton, Kansas, and was one of the earliest homesteaders in that vicinity. He lived on his homestead until he was elected Secretary of State in 1892. In politics he was originally a republican, but became a prominent leader in the people's party during its existence. The first populist state administration came in in 1893, and R. S. Osborn became Secretary of State and held that office for two years. He finally retired to Stockton and died there in 1912. He was a minister of the Congregational Church, and as assistant superintendent organized many churches of that denomination throughout Western Kansas. He was also a member of the Masonic fraternity and had a brave and honorable record as a soldier and officer in the Union army. In 1861 he was made a captain in an Illinois regiment of infantry, and saw hard and active service, and was in the siege of Vicksburg, the battles of Shiloh, Cold Harbor and in many other engagements.

Captain Osborn married Letitia McKinley, a cousin of President William McKinley. She was born in Ohio in 1834 and died at Topeka, Kansas, in 1898. They had a family of eight children: Nettie, who died at Woodston, Kansas, in 1903, wife of A. S. Avery, a farmer there; Ella, wife of S. C. Seigle, a farmer at Lost Springs, Kansas; N. E. Osborn, who lives on the old home farm; Catherine, who died at the age of twenty-one years; O. O. Osborn; R. C. Osborn, an attorney at Streator, Illinois; C. W. Osborn, employed in a bank at Pittsburg, Kansas; and Miss Letta, a business woman of Kansas City, Missouri.

O. O. Osborn grew up in Osborne County, attended the rural schools there, graduated from an academy at Stockton in 1890, and was later a student in Washburn College at Topeka. He read law under Senator John Martin and was admitted to the bar in Topeka in 1893. For five years he carried on a good practice at Topeka in partnership with A. M. Harvey. In 1901 he came to Stockton, and has since been busied with the civil and criminal practice in the local courts. His offices are in the National State Bank Building. He served two terms as county attorney of his county and is a member of the County, State and American Bar associations.

In politics Mr. Osborn is a republican, is a member of the Congregational Church, and is affiliated with Newahcuba Lodge No. 189, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Solomon Valley Chapter No. 81, Royal Arch Masons, of which he is past high priest, Phillipsburg Commandery of Knights Templar and Isis Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Salina. He has two farms, comprising 240 acres, in Rooks County, devoted to grain and stock raising. He owns his residence which was built in 1909, with the modern improvements and conveniences. In 1909, in Marion County, Kansas, Mr. Osborn married Miss Amy Shaner, daughter of Jacob and Mary Shaner. Mr. and Mrs. Osborn have one son, Robert, born January 2, 1911.

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