V. A. Osburn, an extensive real estate dealer of El Dorado, is a native of Illinois. He was born at Tallula, Menard county, that State, July 3, 1863, and is a son of Alfred M. and Amanda J. (Arnold) Osburn, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Kentucky. They located in Menard county, Ill. at an early day and came to Butler county, Kansas, in 1884, locating in Augusta, where the father was successfully engaged in farming and stock raising during the remainder of his active career. He died in March, 1915, aged eighty-eight years, and the mother died in March, 1913, aged eighty-six. They both died in Wichita, where they had resided since 1910, the time of the father's retirement from active business.

Alfred M. Osburn was a real pioneer of the West. In 1849 he made the trip overland to California, with a party of about 150, from

Springfield, Ill., and the noted Indian scout, Kit Carson, was the guide of the expedition. They went by way of the southern route. Mr. Osburn remained in California about two years when he returned to Illinois and was married. In 1864, with his wife and family, in company with two or three other families, when V. A., of this review, was nine months old, he started on his second trip to the Pacific coast, this time over the northern trail, through Nebraska and over the mountains. They remained on the coast, however, but a short time when they returned by way of the Isthmus of Panama and New York City. Shortly after that they came to Butler county, as above stated.

V. A. Osburn was one of a family of five children, three of whom are living. Mr. Osburn received a good common school education in the public schools of Illinois and upon coming to Butler county engaged in the stock business, and later was engaged in the mercantile business at Augusta for six years. In 1905, he engaged in the insurance and land business at El Dorado and has built up a profitable and extensive agency in both these lines. He makes a specialty of handling large stock ranches and has handled some of the most extensive deals of that character that have taken place in the county since he has been in business. He is also extensively engaged in handling oil properties.

Mr. Osburn was married June 12, 1889, to Miss Hattie Safford, of Augusta, and six children have been born to this union, as follows: Spencer, manager of a lumber yard, Clayton, New Mexico; Ruth, married Earl Brandon, El Dorado; Clara, a graduate of the El Dorado High School, class of 1914, resides at home; and Frank, Harriett and Robert, all residing at home and attending school. The wife and mother departed this life September 21, 1904.

Mr. Osburn is a Democrat and has been a conspicious[sic] figure in Butler county politics for a number of years. He served two terms as clerk of the district court. He was chairman of the Democratic central committee for ten years. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge and is a Knight Templar. He also belongs to the Knights of Pythias; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a member of the Christian church, and is one of Butler county's most substantial citizens.

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