This page contains web submissions from Osgood Family History readers. OFH would like to thank all of the contributors for putting their own time and interest into this site.
Battle of Hastings - from Weldon Osgood
Old English Wills from Weldon Osgood
John Adams & the American Revolution. by Catherine Drinker Bowen from Weldon Osgood
POSTMASTER GENERAL: Samuel Osgood from Weldon Osgood
"Descendants of John, Christopher & William Osgood" Book from Weldon Osgood
"Salisbury's Earliest Settlers" from Weldon Osgood
Samuel Osgood Constitution Letter to the Honourable Samuel Holten from Weldon Osgood
Marriage Certificate Information from Charles Semowich
Millet Osgood from Marjorie Marshall
Mary C. Osgood from Andrea Nowlin
Osgood History Information from Ron Osgood
Leon Osgood, 1901-1960 from Charles Semowich
Jewish Osgoods Question from capivan@prodigy.net
Battle of Hastings - from Weldon Osgood
Few people would have any doubts about the question posed by the title of our
story. Harold unquestionably, they would say, died at the Battle of Hastings with an arow
in his eye. Ah, but did he? Let us re-live, for a little while, the last hours of the
celebrated battle near the quiet Sussex seashore on October 14, 1066.
>From nine o`clock in the morning of October 14 until three o`clock in the afternoon
the fight had been an even one. The Normans had pressed their attack with cavalry and each
time the English from behind their well placed barricades , repelled them. The Norman
archers, who were achieving nothing with a frontal attack, altered ther tatics and sent
their arrows skywards, so that they came down on the Englishmen`s heads. The tactic was
muderously effective, but barracaded English line still held. Now the Normans resorted to
a trick. They feigned a retreat eith the intention of bringing the English out from behind
their cover. Tthe ruse worked; Harold`s men poured out after the fleeing Normans, who
suddenly wheeled about and plunged back into te fight. Fooled though they were, the
English continued to fight like demons and at one point the Normans were nearly routed.
The cry was raised that Duke William was dead , and the Normans fell back dismayed. Then
William threw off his helmet and galloping through his squadrons rallied his barons,
though with geat difficlty. Certainly Hastings must have been one of the toughest battles
he ever fought. Few Englishmen fought harder that day than King Harold. But still
the Normans showered down their arrows and as the English King paused for breath he
glanced upward at the moment when one of them was descending. Its point struck his
left eye and he fell from his horse, clutching at his face. Eager hands carried the
wounded King to his standard. At this point the English began to give ground, retreating
with their standard. The Normans at once encircled them . One English horseman struck a
violent blow at Duke William ,a blow that landed on his helmet and nearly brought the
Conqueror to the ground. The Normans rushe to their leader`s aid and angrily pierced the
English horseman with half a dozen lances.
CONFLICTING STORIES.
Again the English rallied, again they were repelled. Gyrth, Harold`s brother , fell at the
foot of the English standard; one of the last barons to die before the conqueror`s
victory. It was late in the evening, and the English were hopelessly beaten though
none would surrender. Long after dark the fight continued in corners of the bloody field
and in the woods and the forrests around it. Meanwhile William pitched his camp
among the corpse and feaster with his barons among the dead. Sometime during the banquet,
if not earlier, someone must have asked the question, what has happened to Harold ?
It so happened that two canons, named Osgood and Ailric, of the order of St. Aaugustine at
Waltham Abbey, near London, who knew Harold personally. had followed their King to Sussex
and had watched the battle from a safe distance . A story is told that they now asked and
receive the Conqueror`s permission to search for their fallen leader on the battlefield.
Speared Normans and transfixed Englishmen were rolled over where they had fallen and their
faces were examined. There were plenty of dead to look at, plenty of nobles and commoners,
but apparently Osgood and Ailric could find no English King. The two canons reported
their failure to the Norman King and suggest as a last hope thatHarold`s lady friend, a
woman named Editha, should be brought from Waltham to see whether she coud identify him.
William apparently agrred, and Osgood went to Waltham to fetch Editha. When she arrived
the poor woman was made to resume the task of turning the corpses. Editha bent over
a ghastly mutilated corpse and weekly nodded her head.
Triumphantly the two canons carried the body to the Norman Duke.This, they said,was
Harold.
The Conqueror was content. The body was taken back to Waltham Abbey and there entombed in
the east end of the choir. The funeeral service was conducted with great honour and
solemnity and attended by a number of Norman barons. Effergies were made for the tomb,
which was inscribed with the simple pathetic epitaph , Hic jacet Harold infelix (Here lies
the unhappy Harold). Tere would seem the story of Harold ends. But that is only one
of several stories. A monk of Malmesbury, for instance, gave a quite different
account of what happened. His story is that William surrendered the body to Harold`s
mother , Gytha , who directed that it should be buried in the abbey of the Holy Cross.
And the conqueror`s own chalain , and a man named Guillielmus Pictavensis, who`s
record as a witness of other atters is extremely trustworthy, says that a body of which
the features were indistinguishable was believed to be Harold`s and taken to William. It
was examined, says Pictavensis and identified as being that of the English King from
certain ornaments . Additional evidence was supplied by the fat that it was found between
the bodies of his brothers Again, it seems that the Conqueror was satisfied. 'Bury
him in the sands of the seashore, " William commanded. "Let hi guard the coast
which he so madly occupied ." And although Gytha offered to buy the body for it`s
weight in gold, William was neither tempted by her gift nor touched by her tears.
Let us now splan a few years after the battle of Hastings . The Normans have occupied
England and their yoke presses heavily upon the English. In gaunt stone buildings with
rush covered floors old men who were soldiers at Hastings tell their wide-eyed grandson,
by the light of embers, of the gallantry and valour that happened on the field. Their
stories only cease when they are warned to silence by the sudden tolling of the curfew.
PRIVATE TALK
In those times an old religious man lived the life of a hermit in a cell near the abbey of
St. John at Chester . he was deeply -scarred, this hermit, and he was blinded in his left
eye. He was also a man who must ave impresswed a number of people for on one
occasion no less a person than King Henry the First , the youngest son of the conqueror,
visitd him and had a long privat talk with him . Why should the King have done that?
Clearly this hermit was no ordinary hermit. in fact the story that he told to the
attendant monks on his deathbed may already have been widely known, and have reached the
ears of King Henry. For to them he declared he was Harold. According to he monks the
hermit told them that after the batle he had been taken secretly from the fied to the
castle (Dover Castle, perhaps?), where he was hidden for a time before being brought to
the sanctuaryof the religious cell whee he lived out his life. Could it have been
that Osgood and Ailric, who followed their King to the battle, aided his escape when all
was lost? Could it have been perhaps that they found him wounded, took him in their care
and hid him? That
stripped him of his jewels and ornaments and put them on a mutilated corpse, to confuse
the Normans?
That when they went to "search' for the body the situation presented them with an
idal excuse for rescuing Harold by reporting to the Conqueror that they had failed?
Could it be, too, that when Osgood went to fetch Editha to identify Harold among the dead,
he took her into his confidence, and that the plan was that she should deliberately
"identify'a mutilated, unrecognisable corpse so that no one, could contradict
her? And that while the body of that unknown soldier was being conveyed with regal
pomp towards its resting place at Waltham, Harold was quiety spirited out of his castle
into his religious sancutary?
There are two many stories and it all happened too long ago for anything like conclusive
proof. But if a wounded Harold did escape from the battlefield in Susses, he was
certainly not th first king to hae done so, nor was he to be by any means the last.
PERSONAL NOTE FROM WELDON: The story was in the English publication
"Look and Learn:" dated 15th August, l964. Published by Fleetwood
Publications Ltd., London E.C.4.
Ref: your website :-
Are these Osgoods looking for answers to their lineages? Such as the person - "Aaron
Osgood married Susan Stowe" etc.,
My wife Sheila and I have collected alot of Osgood related materiel when doing genealogy
over the years and we would like to share our knowledge with the Osgoods and related
families. Would be very happy to try and trace lines from John, Christopher and
William Osgood.
---oOo---
Hope you find this story interesting and of help to all the Osgoods.
Weldon D. Osgood.
Old English Wills from Weldon Osgood
I thought you might be interested in the following:-
The following is from Old English Wills:-
Peter Osgood of Parrish of either Upper or Nether Wallop, Hampshire died 26th January,
l585. His will mentions his daughter Elizabeth, his daughter Margaret who was married to
William Spencer of Cheriton, Hampshire, England. Richard Osgood, a son of Peter, a son
John and a son Robert all of Hampshire . Richard Osgood,of Hampshire, his will was used
indicating his death in l6l9. Peter's will was used indicating death in l599, Robert 's
will was used on 25h August, l630. It mentions leaving 40 pounds sterling each to three
sons of Wherwell Parish, Hampshre where he lived. They were John Osgood age 35 -
Christopher and William Osgood.
John Osgood born 23rd July, l595(date in records) in Wherwell parish, England. Married
Sarah Booth in 1627. He emigrated with his wife and children to the Colonies at Ipswich,
Mass., in 1638 and awarded his Freeman papers in 1639 at Newbury, Mass., and finally
settled in Andover, Mass., in 1645.
John's two brothers:- Christopher Osgood, born Hampshire, England l600, emigrated to the
U.S. at Ipswich, Mass., in l633. William Osgood was born 1605.
The old spelling from Wherwell Parish in Hampshire, was Whenoell, according to the Parish
records at the church - go back to l634....Some other names found in ol Court references,
but the basic documents are not available at this location.
These are from the years l558 - 1603
Osgodby Anne , Record B1/10 Vol.2
Osgodby Wm., Record B15/2 & B41/25 Vol.2.
Osgood Thomas , Vol., 3 Record H61/9
The List of Indexes - Vol.1 list 1458-l558
References.
Osgodbye John , page 271 & 183 (Lincoln Co.)
Osgod Richard, page 210 (Cornwall Co.,)
All references found (name only)
Ricardus Osgood (year) 1379.
Osgodby year 1052. Most powerful man in England, Keeper of the Great Seal - Second in
power to the King Edward the Confessor, a saxon ruler.
Information sent by :-
Robert D. Osgood, Blue Mountain, Ala.,
More to follow later. Regards, Weldon. B-)
John Adams & the American Revolution. by Catherine Drinker Bowen from Weldon Osgood
James Otis lived until 1783. From time to time he recovered his reason; he was even able to argue one or two cases in court, but the lucid period never lasted long. Toward the end he left the family homestead at Barnstable and went to board with a kind and pleasant man named Osgood who owned a farm on the outskirts of Andover, Mass., During these two final years Otis was quiet, always gentle,shared in the farm work as he could and gave no trouble, seldom wandering more than fifty yards from the house. He had often said that when he died, he wished he might go suddenly by a flash of lightening. On Friday afternoon, May 23rd, 1783, a heavy cloud came up from the West., the Osgoods took shelter in their parlour to wait for the storm to pass. Otis leaning on his cane, stood against the post of the hall doorway, telling a story to the family. As yet there had been no lightening and no rain. Suddenly there came a blinding flash, and thunder shook the house. The family, rigid with terror on their chairs, saw Otis fall to the floor. When Osgood reached him, Otis was already dead. (James Otis, American patriot and Revolutionary War Leader).
POSTMASTER GENERAL: Samuel Osgood from Weldon Osgood
POSTMASTER GENERAL: Samuel Osgood,41. He is another old soldier, though he once planned to enter the ministry. In 1775 he commanded a company of Minute Men in Mass., ending his service with the rank of colonel. Elected to the Continental Congress, Osgood has served since 1785 as one of the three commissioners of the Treasury Department. He settled in New York four years ago, and recently married Maria Franklin. He originally opposed the Constitution, and is still known to be fearful of "aristocratical influence." But he agrees with Washington that an efficient postal service would do much to encourage necessary commerce between remote and hostile sections of the country. A government monopoly since 1782, the service is unreliable, expensive, constantly badgered by theft and illicit private competition. It is supposed to pay for itself, but Osgood, with Washington's support, has proposed improvements that, he says, "are necessary whether revenues be an object or not."
"Descendants of John, Christopher & William Osgood" Book from Weldon Osgood
I'm hoping you have the Genealogy of the "Descendants of John, Christopher
& William Osgood" Book, so that you may add the following Additions &
Correctons to your lineage.
1st generation: John in old record calls John's wife Sarah Booth. (5) another record
Elizabeth & John Brown m. l657.
2nd gen., Stephen (22) b.l675 Andover records d.l0 Jan., 1749. Mary b.l659 had daughter
Anna - married Charles Wills.
3rd gen., Hooker b.24th Aug., l668. m. Dorothy daughter of Joshua and Elizabeth (Stevens)
Woodman. She was b. 13th Nov., 1669 was descendant of Edward Woodman - (57) Hooker d.
Jan., 5th . (63) Aaron b.1706 - (65) Elizabeth m.21st Ot., 1736 - T. Sawyer (66) Sarah d.
14th Apr., 1746 Leominster - John Divol b.1696 m. 2nd 31st Mar.l747 Susanah widow of
Jonathan Smith. Other children after Sarah b. l733-4. Page 30 Josiah b. 7th Mar.,
1737 - Levi b. l9th Apr., 1742. (60) David Osgood b.8th Oct., l698. (172) Azubah b. l756 -
Nathan Burpee d. l756 (173) Eunice d. l813 m. 1750 Abner Wilder b. 4th Nov., 1725
ch: Prudence b. 8th Dec., 1751 - Levi b.1753 - David b. 21 Nov. 1756 - Levi - Nathan -
Sam. (178) m. 12th Nov.l787 by Tim Harrington. (179) May have married a
Jewett. (174) David b.21st April 1734 m.2nd Martha Consort b.l780. m. 4th wife
Sept., 23, l810 Mrs Anna Campbell. (498) m. Azubah June 28th 1770. (174) David,
Quartermaster 1775 - 80. Commisioned Capt., 7th Co., Worcester County Mass.,
Regiment. - (177) Jane Byington b. 1742 m. Dec., 9th 1760. (510) Eunice m. Apr., 30th,
1792. (512) Solomon b. Oct., 30th, 1776 = (1284) David b. 31st Dec., 1774. - (1287) Betsey
d. 1857. Reverend David b.1848. (1284) David R. b.1806. (2382) David R. b. 28th Dec., 1831
d. 10th May, 1832.
"Salisbury's Earliest Settlers" from Weldon Osgood
An article by John Q. Evans in the Amesbury News 10th July, 1896, entitled
"Salisbury's Earliest Settlers," puts Osgood in Salisbry in 1640. Be that as it
may, his name does not appear in a list found in the Massachusetts Archives, undated, but
files under 1639, nor does his name appear on the Salisbury records as having received
land in the first division of 1639. But, he islisted as one of the first settlers of
Salisbury on a copy of the original entries on the first page of one of the village's old
record books, apparently used as an index toland grants since page numbers precede each
name. Osgood's name has "32" assigned to it. Although all on the list probably
did not receive land in the first division, we are fairly sure that commoners in 1650. His
"rate"...tax...for 1650 was 11s. 6d i n l652 he was taxed 17s. 4d.
At one time the rascally Indian " Simon" is said to have lived with the Osgoods.
This Simon is thought to hae been the leader of the Amesbury massacre of July 1697, when
the Indians attacked the home of Elizabeth (Osgood) Quinby, wife of Robert Quinby. Simon
fled, believing he had killed the first born daughter of his white benefactor. Hoyt
believes that Robert Quinby was killed in this raid. Today there are many descendants of
the first William Osgood living inAmesbury as well as in the States throughout the Union.
Nancy Currier Merrill, widow of the late Fred Merrill, is the last of the tenth generation
of descendants to be born in the original house (Osgood) on Congress Street and is the
last surviving member of that generation. Among other living descendatns, to mention but a
few who are in Amesbury or vicinity, are Timothy Osgood Lamprey, Raymond Osgood Davis,
town treasurer for many years and Mrs. Ruth Thompson True, who is now a resident of
Hampton, N.H.
Taken from, pages 8, 9 and 10 of:- History of Amesbury Massachusetts, Sarah Locke Redford,
Whttier Press, Amesbury, Mass., 1968. 974.41/A51.8/c.2
Samuel Osgood Constitution Letter to the Honourable Samuel Holten from Weldon Osgood
Philadelphia March l8th 1782
Your favor of the 7th of Feb.y came duely to Hand for which I now beg you to accept of
your sincere Acknowledgements. - I am sorry still to understand your letter, that a feeble
Constitution subject you to Indisposition which, altho it is a frequent attendants upon
human Nature it is painful and distress many of the Pleasures and Comforts of life.
This is the Lot of many of us and in this situation Patience and Resignation frequently
administer the most Comfort. - By your Favor I am informed that a great
Majority are disposed to continue the Excise Act. I therefore heartly wish it may be
productive of real Advantage to the State: It is undoubtedly necessary to have some kind
of sure Fund at least so far as to insure the Payment of Interests due by the State that
this Credit may not be totally lost - I hope this will prove a Successful expedients - I
understand also that the Assembly or rather the House of Representatives have voted to
comply with the Recommendation of Congress respecting the 5pence Duty - and should
conclude from that Circumstance that the necessary Act for that Purpose has passed the
Legislature before this Time.
These Acts will be very evidential of a hearty Disposiion in our State Support not only
their local Credit but also that of the united States - If the War should be continued,
the Success of it on our Port will depend more upon the Management of our Finance than any
other human Means. Our Arrangements are much better than they ever were before - and the
absolutely necessary Works of Dismissing and Copping of a great many useless, and
infintely worse than useless Officers, has been entered upon with Success - much more is
still necessary to be done and I doubt not but by Degrees, much of the Building which our
congressional Predecessors labored with Care and Anxiety to erect, will be taken down and
that it will be a Work greatly to the Advantage of the whole. - I have heard so Little of
the Politicks and Policy of our State that I am anxious to return among my Friends tho not
to take a Share in either Politicks or State Policy, yet to be a private Spectator - It
seems you have had a Speciman in your Papers of a New Edition of the Bible - I don't
enquire of you, how the Divinity of it is esteemed. - But what are the Sentiments
respecting the Object aimed at - I am heartily sorry that there is any Anxiousness or
Dispute in our Government - It surely does not Serve to strengthen it - Which is an Object
of the first Importance at this Time. - May Heaven protect and preserve the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts. - It is reported here that Lt. Christopher is every Part of it in the
Hands of the French: that Brimstone Hill surrendered the 10th of Feby last - Tho' it seems
to be generally credited; we wish for farther Confirmation Various Reports are also
circulate here relative to a Change in the British Ministry - Shelburne it is said is in
North's Place. - Barre, in Germaine's - and Lord Howe in Sandwich's - Should this be true
It has an Appearance of bringing the American War to a Close - It is doubted by many that
there will be any more offensive Operations of the Enemy inAmerica - But I hope this will
not gain Credit so far as to prevent our Exertion untill we have indoubtable Evidence of
it - Genl. Carlton it is said is to Succeed Clinton in the Command of the British Forces.
- We have lately recd. Dispatches from Mr. Dana dated inAugust and September at
Petersburgh Russia - How far he will succeed as to the Object of his Mission is uncertain
- perhaps about as well as Mr. Jay has; - I do not like their Mendicant Appearance - And I
hope we shall soon be in a Situation to alter our Conduct entirely in that Respect The
Expense is very Bothersome without any apparent Advantage.
I am, Dear Sir, with Sentiments of the highest Esteem your most humble Servant Samuel
Osgood.
N.B. Since writing the above we have recd. the Capitallisation of Ft. Christopher; - There
is also a Report that the Enemy have evacuated Charlestown - it wants for Confirmation
Hon.ble Samuel Holton Esq.,
-----------------------
The front of the folded letter shows the following:- A letter from the Honorble Mr. Osgood
March l8th l782
To The Hon:ble Samuel Holten Esqr.
Samuel Osgood Barton
Marriage Certificate Information from Charles Semowich
Charles found this information on a marriage certificate: Mr. Starksch Osgood of ElizabethtownNY marries Miss Samantha France of Argyle Ny, Sept 23, 1874 married by Rev. Aaron Hall, Me Church, Argyle.
Millet Osgood from Marjorie Marshall
Hello: Surfing the 'Net for Osgood genealogy links, I found yours -- it's
very good. My mother was born an Osgood, and we don't know what happened to her birth
father, Millet Osgood. So if you ever run across that name, please let me know. We're
pretty sure he is deceased -- one of my brothers contacted someone once and then lost his
notes; however, he remembered they called Millet, "Lett Osgood." I mention him
on my Seaton genealogy page. I only dabble a bit in the subject, because I don't dare
start as I always get carried away and would want to investigate every family represented
in my ancestry! [;-)
Take care, Marjorie Seaton Marshall, Kansas City, KS
Mary C. Osgood from Andrea Nowlin
Do you know of any Mary C. Osgood that came from Dearborn co., Indiana and whose parents
names were Samuel Osgood and Huldah Cheek?
Thank you, andrea nowlin
Osgood History Information from Ron Osgood
I'm planning on a trip to England this summer, in part to visit
"Osgood" sites in England. In doing some reading at my local library I found
some interesting accounts of Osgood Clapa which include information that I had not seen in
any other books.
The following is from The Political History of England, edited by William Hunt, published
in 1920:
Page 422: "Harthacnut's end was worthy of his life. On a day of June, 1042, a great
feast was given by a Danish nobleman, Osgod Clapa, in honour of the marriage o his
daughter. To this banquet the king was, of course, invited, and "as he stood at his
drink he suddenly fell to the ground and was seized with dreadful convulsions." Also
in the same book it is noted that Harthacnut was 25 years old at the time of his death,
had been King of Denmark since he was 18 and King of England for not quite two years.
Page 450: "In 1049 he [Sweyn, son of Earl Godwine and brother of King Harold
Godwineson] returned to England, and began to hover about the coasts of Kent and Sussex,
off which the king was lying with a fleet, operating against Baldwin of Flanders and
watching the proceedings of another outlaw, Osgod Clapa. This man, who had once been in
high favour at the English court, had held the office of Staller or Chamberlain, and had
been honoured by the presence, the ill-omened presence, of Harthacnut, at his daughter's
marriage feast, but now had fallen into disgrace, and led for some years the life of a
buccaneer, imitating the ravages of the old Vikings and requiring the manoeuvres of a
royal fleet to keep him at bay. The Chronicle has much to tell us about Osgod Clapa's and
his wife's movements, but he posseses for us no political significance, and we have ony to
note his death which happened "suddenly in his bed" as the chronicler tells us,
in the year 1054."
This is a different picture than the simple reference to Osgod Clapa's daughter's wedding
at Lambeth.
If you have any information on Osgood-related sites in England I'd like to hear
about them. (I have read about ancestors of John, Christopher, and William being present
in Winchester, Upper Wallop, Nether Wallop, Andover, Wherwell, Salisbury, Marlborough, and
Chippenham, but other than churches were documents were recorded, very little of specific
places in those cities/villages.
Leon Osgood, 1901-1960 from Charles Semowich
I have found the information about my Osgood ancesters. My
Grandfather was Leon Osgood, 1901-1960 and his father boarn in Ny was Charles(Erwin)Osgood
1853 -1915 and his father was William Osgood born in New York married to ------Porter. It
is this Osgood and his wife who may have been an American Indian that I am looking for
information. Any
information would be appreciated. Thank you
Jewish Osgoods Question from capivan@prodigy.net
I am reading your site with great interest. Did you ever
come across Osgood Europeans that were Jewish? My father tells me that his great great
grandfather, before he came to this country had the last name Osgood, but that they
changed it to Caplan upon arriving in the United States. I've never quite understood that,
since Osgood doesn't seem
like a Jewish name.
Thanks for any help or info you might have.