Capt. Thomas Osborne of Coxendale

Family

Only unsourced internet trees to indicate a marriage to Thomas Osborne (1585-1642). The sourced site http://www.geneajourney.com/osbrne.html indicates his wife is unknown.

Capt. Thomas Osborne b abt 1585, England, d 1656 (?) Coxendale, Henrico, VA. The name of his wife is not known.

Children of Thomas Osborne were:

1. Thomas Osborne b abt 1609.
2. Edward Osborne b abt 1612.

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Date of birth has also been (erroneously?) reported to be 1580.

came to Virginia about 1611

From Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography: "Osborne, Captain Thomas, came to Virginia in November, 1616, and settled at Coxendale, in the present Chesterfield county, about 1625. He also patented land on Proctor's creek, Henrico county (now Chesterfield); was a commissioner (justice) for the 'upper parts' in 1631, and member of the house of burgesses, 1629, 1629-30, 1631-32, 1632-33."

From page 247 of Decisions of Virginia General Court: "Came to Virginia in November 1616 and settled at Coxendale in 1625. He also patented land on Proctor's creek, Henrico in 1637; was commissioner (justice) for "the upper parts" in 1631, and member of the House of Burgesses, 1629, 1629-1630, 1631-2, 1632-3."

From Osborne of Henrico, Virginia: "Lieutenant Thomas Osborne arrived in Jamestown aboard the Bona Nova late in 1619; no family members are known to have accompanied him at this time. Whether his wife had previously died in England is not known, but her name has never appeared in any of the extant colonial Virginia records. He was selected by the London Company in England to serve as the leader of the military contingent in the settlement of College Land, a large area of land near Henricus City. The latter was the second permanent settlement in Virginia, the first, of course, being Jamestown. He appears in the two early lists of inhabitants, dated February 1623/24, and January 1224/25, as a resident of "Colledge Land."

"After the March 1622 attack by the Indians, where roughly one-third of those settlers between Jamestown and Henricus City were killed, Lieut. Thomas Osborne lead a retaliatory attack; from this point onward, he appears in the records as Captain Thomas Osborne. From 1625-1633 he served in the House of Burgesses and, having been granted a large tract of land known as Coxendale, settled there around 1625. The first town in Coxendale, Gatesville, was later named Osbornes and became an important inspection, storage, and shipping center for tobacco well into the late 19th century. He lived his entire life in Coxendale (that part which is now Chesterfield County), and the succeeding four generations of his namesake also made Coxendale their home."

From http://www.osborne-origins.org/linkrecs/eaa.htm#Thomas-4135: "The first reference to Lt. Thomas Osborne is his arrival in Virginia in November 1619 on the ship Bona Nova. He was 35, making his birth year about 1584 in England. He is probably the first Osborne to arrive in America and is probably of the Sir Edward Osborne family of London, but no proof yet exists. He came to Virginia as part of a group sent by the London Company to set up a College at Henrico for the purpose of educating the Indians and others. After leading a counterattack on the Indians after the 1622 raid, he was promoted to Captain and is mostly known as Captain Thomas Osborne of Henrico, VA. He patented land on the James River just north of Henricus, VA, which became known as Coxendale, where his family lived for five generations before beginning their migration south into NC and SC. There is still a Coxendale Road in Chester, VA which leads to the general vicinity of the old Coxendale plantation. There are many known living descendants of Captain Thomas Osborne, identified by both documented records and dna tests."

Date of death has also been (erroneously?) reported to be 1637 and circa 1656.

Place of death has also been (erroneously?) reported to be Henrico, Henrico County, Virginia.

links

• http://home.triad.rr.com/wesleyhudson/gp2295.htm#head3
• FamilySearch AFNs: 9LQ1-WL, KWPX-DJ, 1CLG-NFP

Entered by Marvin Loyd Welborn, 10th Great-Grandson: Source: THE OSBORNES and related families - JONES, WORSHAM, FOWLKES, ROBERTSON & GAYLE by Elizabeth J. "Betty" Harrell 1983

Chapter 1 THOMAS OSBORNE (ca. 1580s?-1638/42)

Thomas Osborne arrived at Jamestown in the Colony of Virginia on November 4, 1619. He was then probably in his late 30s and had apparently left behind his wife and children. The 3-month voyage on board the Bona Nova had taken him via the West Indies, and per the records of the London Company, all passengers arrived lusty and in good health.[l] Thomas succeeded in his new home, and by 1625 was the lieutenant in charge of the College Lands and the representative from his area to the House of Burgesses in Jamestown. Later, he was promoted to the rank of captain and was granted the large Coxendale plantation, which was to be the home of the Osbornes for at least the next five generations. He died sometime prior to 1642, probably in his early 60s.

Jamestown, the capital of the colony, had been founded by the London Company in 1607, under a charter granted by King James I of England. During the first twelve years the small colony had suffered many hardships but by 1619 the future looked promising. That summer the first elected delegates to the new House of Burgesses had met at Jamestown. Also that year, 8 ships had arrived bringing a total of 1261 people, which almost doubled the population of the colony.

Among the new comers were 90 marriageable maidens, 100 boys and girls to serve as apprentices, tradesmen from European countries, indentured servants, and the first Negroes. With Thomas on the Bona Nova and possibly in his charge were 50 men who had been sent by the London Company to be tenants at the new College Lands.[2]

The College Lands were located about 40 miles up the James River from Jamestown at Henrico (or Henricus) City. The town, named for Prince Henry, had been founded by Deputy Governor Thomas Dale eight years earlier as an alternative capital. It was located at the neck of a peninsula called Henrico (now Farras) Island formed by one of the many curves of the James River. [Map 2] Immediately upstream lay another neck of land called Coxendale, where Dale grazed the livestock and fenced off 100 acres for the glebe (church) land. The town never prospered; settlement instead concentrated in the Bermuda Hundred area founded a few years later by Dale a short distance down the river near the mouth of the Appomattox River. In 1618 Henrico City was designated by the London Company to be the site for a college for the education of the Indians. Ten thousand acres on the northeast side of the river were allocated for the use of the college and the Coxendale area on the south side of the river was set aside to be worked by tenants brought over by the company. The tenants were to receive one-half of the products of their labor; the other half was to go toward the support of the tutors and scholars and the buildings of the college.[3]

For several years Thomas1Osborne worked at the College Lands, slowly becoming accustomed to the hot, humid summers, cold winters and dense forests of his new home. He was learning the ways of the apparently peaceful natives when suddenly at 8:00 a.m. on Good Friday morning March 22, 1621/22* the Indians attacked simultaneously throughout the colony. One third of the colonists were massacred. At least seventeen died at the College Lands. At the plantations northwest of the college, thirteen died at Thomas Sheffield's plantation, including Sheffield and his wife, and twenty-one died at Capt. Berkeley's plantation at Falling Creek where ironworks had recently been established. Mrs. Proctor, * For an explanation of combined dates, see page x. whose land was just north of Coxendale and whose husband was in London, was able successfully to hold off the Indians.[4]

The governor ordered all survivors to move into the Jamestown area for protection. Some protested, notably Mrs.Proctor. On April 20, 1622, Captain Roger Smith, who a week earlier had evacuated the neighboring Charles City area, was given, as stated in the court records, "absolute power over Henricus Island and Coxendale and (ordered) to use all vigilance for the safe bringing away of the people, cattle and goods and to charge and command upon point of death to obey him. "[5] Thomas 1-Osborne and the other survivers of the College Lands obeyed and took up temporary residence at Mr. Evan's plantation near Jamestown on the south side of the river. [6]

In 1624, King James I dissolved the London Company and made Virginia a crown colony. He died soon afterwards and was succeeded by his son Charles I; eldest son Henry, for whom Henrico was named, had predeceased him.

Thomas Osborne returned to the College Lands and in 1625, as seen in the muster taken on January 23, 1624/25, was the lieutenant in charge. This muster also showed that at that time he had three servants: Daniel Sherley, age 30, who had arrived on the Bona Nova with Thomas; Peter Jorden, age 22, who had arrived in 1620 on the London Merchant; and Richard Davis, age 16, who had arrived in 1620 on the Jonathan.[7]

After the massacre, the attitude of the English toward the Indians changed, and the plans for the college were dropped (the name, however, was used to describe the area for several more years). Retaliation raids were made, one of which was led by Lieutenant Thomas^Osborne in 1627. As recorded in the minutes of the court at Jamestown on July 4, 1627: [8]

It was "thought fitt that we should draw out partyes from all our plantations and goe uppon the Indians and cutt downe their corne, and further that we should sett uppon them all in one day, viz: the first of August next. The plantations of the neck of land and the Colledge to goe uppon the Tanx Powhattans....Commanders appointed for these services are these, viz: For Tanx Powhattans, Left. Thos. Osborne in chief, Thomas Harris second."

The results of the raid are not known; however, he was soon promoted to captain. [9]

Thomas Osborne gained the respect of his neighbors and in 1625 was elected to represent his area at the House of Burgesses in Jamestown. He also served from 1629 to 1633 and possibly longer (the 1634-1638 records are lost). The area he represented in 1633 included Henrico, Arrowhattocks, Neck of Land and Curies; the name College Lands dropped from use about 1632.[10]

Since his arrival, not only had Thomas^Osborne acquired title and position but also enough wealth to pay for the transportation of twenty people to the colonies, which enabled him in 1634 to be granted the 1000 acres (50 acres/person) of Coxendale. The land, which had probably been Thomas' home for a number of years and which he called "Fearing", was officially patented to him on February 6,1637, and was described as being bounded on the north by Proctor Creek, east by the James River, west by the woods and south by Henrico Island. On April 26, 1638, the land was (re)surveyed and found to actually contain only 800 acres . [11] (In 1692, however, it was still described as 1000 acres.[12]%29 Henrico County (whose records prior to 1677 are lost), was the westernmost county and in 1634 included land on both sides of the James River. It was separated from Charles City County by Turkey Island Creek on the north side of the river and by the Appomattox River on the south side. The county seat, where Thomas transacted business and attended the parish church, was at Varina, a few miles down the river from Coxendale. (Acentury later, in 1749, the area of Henrico County south of the James River became Chesterfield County.) At some point, probably in the early 1630s, Captain Thomas-'-Osborne's son Thomas Osborne Jr. and presumed son Edward Osborne arrived in the colony and patented land nearby. Son Thomas Osborne Jr. in 1637 received 500 acres adjoining Coxendale [13] and presumed son Edward Osborne in 1636 was granted 400 acres across the river north of Coxendale.[14]. Thomas's wife,whose name is not known, apparently died in England. Her name does not appear in the few surviving colonial records nor is she included in the list of headrights submitted by Captain Thomas or his sons to patent land.

The last known record of Thomas Osborne was on July 4, 1637, when, as Captain Thomas Osborne, he and Captain William Perry, both serving as over- seers of the will of John Smith, were ordered by the court to sell Smith's land in James City County.

[15] Thomas had died by 1642 when a patent shows his land Fearing in possession of Mr. Thomas Osborne, undoubtedly his son Thomas2Osborne, since the title captain was not used.[16] He may have died as early as 1638, if the (re)survey of his land that year was needed to settle his estate.

Children of Thomas Osborne: THOMAS2OSBORNE (ca. 1610s?-1666) P- 7 Edward Osborne (ca. 1610s?- )(presumed) P- 5 Presumed Son EDWARD OSBORNE: Edward Osborne, if the son of Thomas Osborne, was born probably in the 1610s [17] in England, where he apparently spent his teenage years. By 1636 he had joined his presumed father in Virginia.[18] Edward Osborne acquired the capital needed to transport himself and seven other people to the Virginia Colony and on June 2, 1636, was patented 400 acres in Henrico County across the James River from the plantation of his presumed father. Per the patent, Edward's land was bordered on the southwest by the great swamp, on the west by the James River, on the north by the land toward the falls, and on the east by the woods. [19]

Nothing further is known about this Edward or his children, if he had any. He may have returned to England, or been killed in the massacre of 1644, or simply died without heirs. The only Osbornes of the next generation living in Henrico County were Thomas1Osborne, proved son of Thomas2Osborne, and Edward Osborne, who lived on land adjoining Thomas1Osborne, thus probably a brother.

THOMAS OSBORNE (ca.1610s-ca.1650s) of Coxendale (also called Fearing), was probably born in England around 1610.[3] By 1637, he had joined his father in Henrico (now Chesterfield) County, in the Colony of Virginia, where he prospered and increased the Osborne landholdings before his relatively early death, probably in the 1650s. As a young adult, Thomas Osborne acquired the needed capital to transport himself and nine other people to Virginia, which enabled him on June 16, 1637, to receive a patent for 500 acres. The tract, named "Batchelers bancke" on the patent, was described as being bounded on the west and south by Fearing, on the north by the woods, and on the east by the James River.[4] Thomas2Osborne married; however, the name of his wife is not known. The marriage most likely occurred after his arrival in Virginia, since no wife was named as a head-right. She was probably a daughter of one of the landowners in the area. At the death of his father, about 1636-42, Thomas2Osborne and his wife probably moved into the old home on Fearing. About 1641 son Thomas3Osborne was born, —2— Thomas Osborne may have been the Thomas Osborne who in 1623 was living "in the Maine" near Jamestown [1] and/or the 18-year-old Thomas Osborne who in 1624/1625 was one of the governor's men living in Pashehaighs. [2] The latter person would have been about the right age. Thomas Osborne , son of Captain Thomas Osborne followed five years later by son Edward Osborne. The names of the daughters, if any, are not known; however, one of them may have married a Turpin. In 1642 Thomas Osborne increased his landholding by patenting 400 acres. The land, as described on the patent, was at the head of Coxendale and bounded on the west-northwest by the land of Christopher Branch (Kingsland), north-northeast by Mr. Osborne's land called Fearing and south-southwest into the woods, being 200 poles in breadth from the head of Proctor Creek toward the land called Mount My Lady (Malady) and a full mile into the woods. He was entitled to the land for having transported eight more people to the colony. [5] Thomas2Osborne, who had undoubtedly heard his father talk of the Indian Massacre of 1622, witnessed the massacre on April 18, 1644, which resulted in the death of many colonists. Henrico County, being on the frontier, was especially vulnerable.

The Motherland was also having troubles; in 1648 King Charles I was beheaded. For the next twelve years Cromwell and Parliament ran England. Many pro-king cavaliers fled to Virginia, which was the last British colony to submit. In 1660 the Virginians warmly welcomed King Charles II to the throne.

Thomas2Osborne undoubtedly prospered in the tobacco trade and kept in contact with relatives and friends in England; however, the few surviving records provide little information. He died in the late 1650s or early 1660s; at least by 1666, when land, which he had left to his son Thomas and which his son had subsequently sold, was sold again.[6] He apparently distributed his land between his sons Thomas and Edward (whose lands adjoined and were later described as being divided by Garden Creek and adjacent to Matthew Turpin) and may also have left land to a Mr. Turpin.

Children of Thomas Osborne: THOMAS3OSBORNE (ca.1641-1692) ml 1688 Mrs. Martha ( ) Branch 2 THOMAS OSBORNE ; m2 ; m2 ?(daughter) Osborne ( - ) m Mr. Turpin

Son EDWARD OSBORNE: Edward Osborne (ca.1646-1697) ml 1694 Mrs. Elizabeth (Shippy) Brown. Edward Osborne, son of Thomas2Osborne, was born about 1646. [7] Although the records provide no positive proof that he was a son, there is little doubt, since his land was adjoining that of proved-son Thomas3Osborne, implying an inheritance split. In 1679 he and Thomas30sborne, listed together, were the only Osbornes on the Henrico County tithes list. [8] Edward Osborne, as the younger son, did not receive the formal education that his brother Thomas--* Osborne received, for Edward signed his documents with his mark "EO", whereas his brother signed his full name.

Edward Osborne married twice. By his first wife, whose name is not known, he had three children: Tabitha, Martha and Edward Osborne.

Edward Osborne apparently was a kind, helpful man, aiding people in need. He handled the estate and funeral of a Mr. Whitman, who died at Edward's home in 1689, leaving no will nor relations.[9] He also cared for Gilbert Platt who in 1692 left Edward most of his estate in consideration of the trouble and care Edward had given him in his sickness. Gilbert Platt also left a bed to Tabitha Osborne, but only 10 shillings to his wife Mary Platt.[10] In 1688 with brother Thomas3Osborne, nephew Thomas^Osborne and John Goode, Edward witnessed the will of Matthew Turpin, a possible nephew [11], and in 1691 with brother Thomas3Osborne, Thomas Jefferson and Joseph Tanner, Edward was appointed by the court to appraise the estate of John Cole. [12]

Chapter 2(Continued) Son EDWARD OSBORNE: In 1694 Edward Osborne found a seaman floating in the James River and had to testify in court. By so doing, Edward's age has been preserved for posterity, for the clerk recorded with the deposition that Edward was then about age 48. Also testifying were Mr. Thomas Edwards, age about 25, and Mr. John Pattison, age about 58. [13] That same year, Edward Osborne married second Mrs. Elizabeth (Shippy) Brown; their marriage license was issued June 15, 1694.[14] Elizabeth was the daughter of Thomas and Martha Shippy (her mother later married Edward Stratton.)[15] Elizabeth's first husband, Jeremiah Brown, who had a plantation at Varina and was the keeper of the county ferry, had died in 1690.[16] Edward assumed his wife's problems and in 1695 tried to collect from John Higley E1200 of tobacco due her former husband for three years rent.[17]

In 1695 Edward Osborne's eldest daughter, Tabitha, married their neighbor Benjamin Branch, the 30-year-old bachelor of Kingsland immediately north of the Osbornes. Benjamin's grandfather Christopher Branch had settled in the area about the same time as Capt. Thomas Osborne.[18]

The following year, in June of 1696, Edward increased his landholdings by purchasing from his nephew Thomas^Osborne 200 acres of the Coxendale tract. Per the deed the boundary of the 200 acres ran from the mouth of Garden Creek up the creek on the east side to the bridge built by Edward Osborne, then along Edward's line to Matthew Turpin's line, then along Turpin's line to the James River, then down the river to the said creek. [19]

Edward Osborne had not much longer to live. On June 6, 1696, he wrote his will stating that he was sick and weak. He died the following year at about the age of 51. He left to his son Edward all the land (not described in the will) and Negroes Moll and Tom and left to his daughter Martha Osborne livestock and miscellaneous items. These two children were to be cared for by Benjamin Branch until Edward was age 19 and Martha age 16. Benjamin Branch was also appointed executor. Samuel Branch, Martha Osborne, and Joseph Tanner witnessed the will which was probated in court on April 1, 1697. [20]

Children of Edward Osborne: 1-TabithaOsborne (ca.1677-ca.1720) m 1st 1695 Benjamin Branch (1665-1705), son of Christopher Branch (1627-1665) and grandson of Chrisopher & Mary Branch of Kingsland[21]; m 2nd by 1707 Thomas Cheatham ( -1720) [22] Children: [23] Benjamin Branch (cl696- ) m 1st Mary Osborne, dau. of Thomas & Martha (Jones) Osborne; m 2nd Obedience Turpin. [page 29] 2-Martha Osborne ( - ) 3-Edward Osborne (ca.1689-1724) m Agnes Branch, dau. Of Thomas Branch [24]. She m 2nd ca.1726 John Worsham, son of John2 & Phoebee Worsham.[25]

NOTES 1. John Camden Hotten, ed.. The Original List of Persons of Quality 1600-1700 (1874), p.201 (Muster of Jan. 23, 1624/25). Susan Myra Kingsbury, ed.. The Records of the Virginia Company of London (1933) Vol.Ill (1607-1622) , p.246. 2. Virginius Dabney, Virginia, The New Dominion (1971), pp.28-34. Kingsbury, p.226. 3. Francis Earle Lutz, Chesterfield, An Old Virginia County (1954),pp.22-35. 4. Same, p.36. Hotten, p.169 (List of Living S Dead, Feb. 16, 1623). 5. Kingsbury, pp.608,611. 6. H.R. Mcllwaine, ed., The Executive Journal of the Council of Colonial Virginia (1928), pp.60,64. 7. Hotton, p.201. 8. Mcllwaine, p.151. 9. Possibly promoted in 1628 and at least by 1631/32, but sources have not been confirmed by author. 10. Cynthia Miller Leonard, The General Assembly of Virginia 1619-1978 (1978),pp.6-12. 11. Virginia Patent Book 1, p.519. Nell Marion Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, p.80. 12. VA Patent Bk.8,p.215. 13.VA Patent Bk.l, p.512. Nugent,p.78. 14. VA Patent Bk.l, p.358. Nugent, p.41. 15. Nugent, p.61. 16.VAPatent Bk.l,p.836. Nugent,p.137. 17. Date estimated. 18. Edward was not on Musters of 1623/24 or 24/25. Hotten, pp.169,201. 19.VA Patent Bk.l, p.358. Nugent, p.41. Chapter 2: THOMAS2OSBORNE 1. John Camden Hotten, ed., The Original List of Persons of Quality 1600-1700 (1874),p.177. 2. Same, p.219. 3. Date estimated. 4. Virginia Patent Book 1, p.512. Nell Marion Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers (1963), p.78 (Thomas Osborne Jr.). 5.VA Patent Bk.l, p.836. Nugent,p.137. 6. Nugent, p.136 (VA Pat. Bk.6, p.484). 7. Henrico County Record Book 1688-1697, p.49. 8. Henrico Co. Bk.1677-1692, p.103. 9. Henrico Co. Bk.1678-1693, pp.321,337. 10. Same, p.315. 11. Henrico Co. Bk.1688-1697, p.41. 12. Henrico Co. Bk.1678-1693, p.388. 13. Henrico Co. Bk.1688-1697, p.49. 14. Same, p.552. 15. Same, p.622 (Martha Stratton's will). 16.Same, p.179 (Jeremiah Brown's will). Henrico Co. Bk. 1678-1693, p.298 (keeper of the ferry). 17. Henrico Co. Bk. 1694-1701, p.3/; Bk. 1688-1697, pp.576-577. 18. Annie Lash Jester, Adventurers of Purse and Person (1964), pp.100-103. 19. Henrico Co. Bk.1688-1697, p.634. 20. Same, p.707. 21. Jester, pp.100-103.

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