Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 331 - 332

PHILIP OSMON. Prominent among the old pioneers of Lincoln Township mentioned in this work is the gentleman of whom this history is written. He is one of the leading and influential farmers and stock-raisers of this portion of the county. His home is situated on section 10, where he carries on his agricultural pursuits, and where he has one of the finest farms in the township. He was born in Davis County, Ind., March 5, 1832, and is the son of Jabez and Mary (Baker) Osmon, natives of Virginia and Ohio, respectively.

     The father of our subject came from the Old Dominion to Indiana at an early day, and was one of the first settlers in Davis County. He cleared up a farm and followed agriculture in that State until his death, which occurred in 1849. He was a mighty hunter in his day, following that sport to a great extent in the early days of the Hoosier State, and killed a great many bears and other animals which infested that region. The mother of our subject, who was the daughter of William and Mary Baker, survived her husband until 1860, when she departed to her rest at the age of eighty-three years.

     The subject of this biographical notice was reared upon his father's farm, educated in the district schools of his county, and there grew to man's estate. After attaining his majority, he commenced farming for himself in the vicinity of the old homestead. He was married in Davis County, Ind., in September, 1853, to Miss Sarilda Wright, who was born in Orange County, Ind., in 1837, and was the youngest of three children of Jonathan and Drusilla (Roberts) Wright, both natives of Kentucky. The paternal grandparents, Jonathan, Sr., and Mary Wright, were also natives of the Blue Grass State, and the former served as a soldier in the War of 1812. The maternal grandparents died many years ago.

     After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Osmon settled on the farm of our subject in Davis County, Ind., where he labored uninterruptedly until the outbreak of the Rebellion. In February, 1862, Mr. Osmon enlisted for three years, or during the war, in Company I, 60th Indiana Infantry, and was mustered into service at Indianapolis. In the army he was mostly engaged as a teamster, and was wounded in the battle at Arkansas Post, having his shin split open by catching on a lock hook. He continued in the army until in March, 1865, when he was mustered out at Ft. Gaines, and received his final discharge at Indianapolis.

     Upon returning home, Mr. Osmon resumed farming in Davis County, Ind., where he continued until the spring of 1866, then coming to this State, located first in Jefferson County. In the spring of 1871 he disposed of his interests in Jefferson County, and coming to Lincoln Township, homesteaded 160 acres, the improvements of which he carried on successfully, and was enabled to purchase eighty acres additional. Besides a creditable set of farm buildings, he has a good orchard, and his farm is stocked with blooded Norman and Morgan horses, and good grades of cattle. The third year of his residence here a prairie fire destroyed his hay and corn. When building his house and barns he was obliged to haul lumber from Cottonwood Falls, a distance of seventy-eight miles.

     Mr. Osmon, in the pursuance of his agricultural interests, has had very little time to give to politics, but at the general elections votes the straight Republican ticket. He assisted in the organization of the school districts of his township and has been Director for a number of years, also Road Supervisor. He and his excellent wife are members of the Protestant Methodist Church at Furley, and Mr. Osmon belongs to the G. A. R. Post, at Wichita. The ten children born to our subject and his wife are recorded as follows: Nancy Jane died in 1876, when an interesting young lady twenty-two years of age; James H. died in 1874, at the age of seventeen years; Jonathan died in 1866, when six years old; Sarah J., Mrs. Thomas Green, lives at Furley; Joshua is at home with his parents; Mary, the wife of Frank Bailey, lives near her father's homestead; Samuel continues with his parents; Andrew died when an infant of nine months, in 1870; Martha Ophelia is at home; Isaac died when eighteen months old, in the year 1876. William McCaull, the son of Mrs. Osmon, is married and the father of two children; he makes his home at Jefferson, and is in the employ of the Rock Island Railroad.

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