My oldest ancestor in the Osburn Family is Richard Osburn or Osborne. He was born in Tennessee in 1840, and he was married to Francis "Sissy" (maiden name unknown). His 3 sons, John, David, and Ernest, were born in Giles Co., Tennessee. He migrated to Newton Co., Arkansas where his son, David, married Vinella Carter. Richard and Francis moved to a farm near West Fork, Arkansas around 1903 where they lived the remainder of their lives.
David moved to Massard Prairie, Sebastian County, Arkansas, where he was the minister of music at the Massard Methodist Church. He later moved to a farm near Bokoshe, Leflore County, Oklahoma, where he died. He is buried in the Old Bokoshe Memorial Cemetery along with his wife and their youngest son, Raymond.
After David's death, Vinella moved her family to Fort Smith, Arkansas, to be near her grown children. Their next to the youngest son, Clyde, was my father. Clyde worked as a mechanic at Smith Chevrolet in Fort Smith, and he was a deacon and music director at the First Assembly of God Church in Fort Smith. He and all of his brothers inherited musical talent from their father. Clyde played guitar, banjo, and bass fiddle, and sang in gospel quartets. Clyde and his brother, Raymond, had a radio program called "Kaptain Klyde and Ramblin Ray" where they sang and entertained with a little slap-stick comedy. He was also a member of the "King's Harmony Trio" singing on other radio shows and in a variety of churches.
View My Family History Files Return To Main Page