Mathew Ozbun I and Mary
Mathew (OZBUN) OSBORN (1661-1738)
The first record of this particular branch of the Osborn family
in America and the new world is the coming of MATHEW (OZBUN) OSBORN
I from England to Sussex County, Delaware, in the latter part
of the 17th century, in the year 1682.
He is reported to have been a descendant of the William
Fitzosborn afore mentioned. Quite well-founded tradition says
that somewhere in England, as was custom of the time, MATHEW I
was bound out to a gardener to learn that trade. In some way,
whether willfully or not, he forgot to cover vegetables to prevent
frost and fearing the consequences hid himself on a ship about
to sail for America. He was not found for two or three days when
it was too late to put him ashore. He got safely across but was
promptly bound out again by the ship's captain to pay for his
passage.
The following excerpts taken from the Court Records of Sussex
County, Delaware, substantiate, to considerable degree, some of
the early events of his life.
Sussex County Court, Georgetown, Delaware, June l3 - l4, l682:
"This Court do grant unto Mathew Osborne 300 acres; warrant
24 inst."
"Mathew Osborn - man servant - assigned by this court to
serve Norton Claypool for three years - by agreement - that Claypool
do save his land the said Mathew have a grant from this Court
for. That said Mathew be allowed the time he be employed toward
seating the land. Custom for servants judged in Court to serve
until they attain the age of 24 years."
Thus we see that in the year of Mathew's arrival in America (1682)
he was bound out by the Court for a period of three years and
he did secure a land grant of 300 acres of land. Whether this
Court judgment was the result of the action brought by the ship's
captain is not known, but being for three years and his period
of servitude being until he became twenty-four years of age would
fix his age at the time as 21 years. This being true in 1682 would
therefore establish the year of his birth as 1661.
Later Court Records also make the following
references to MATHEW:-
Marriage in the home of Norton Claypool 9-15-1687
Isaac Bowd of Philadelphia and Jane Mawd
Mathew M. Osborne--One of the witnesses
Norton Claypool, Dep. Reg.
Marriage 11-28-1689 Joseph Booth and Frances Spencer
Mathew M. Osborne-One of the witnesses
Not much else is known of MATHEW I or his family. We do know that:-
1. He apparently spent most of his adult life in Sussex County,
Delaware.
2. He married Mary ? and reared a family of five children.
3. He became owner of a relatively large acreage of land.
4. He is next seen as an old man writing his will
in 1733, a certified copy of which follows.
5. His relationship to the Religious Society of Friends is not
well known. One traditional writing says that he was present when
William Penn made the treaty with the Indians. Penn told them
that they were all of the same human family and lived under the
same God. Reportedly MATHEW was so impressed with Penn's doctrine
that he became a Quaker and joined the Quakers of Pennsylvania.
Records on the family of MATHEW OSBORN I are
not complete. Their home Meeting was Cold Spring Neck, about which
there seems to be little knowledge of record. By piecing bits
of information together, this record seems to be accurate in so
far as it goes.
Adapted from "Mathew Osborn and His Family" by Frederic Verne Osborn, 1970