RESOURCES: Most of the information for the Elias descendents was taken from projects previously compiled by the following persons:
Claude E. Osborne of Holiday, Florida
Faye Osborne Goodman of Clinton, Tennessee
Mrs. David (Barbara) Osborne of Colorado Springs, Colorado
Willie Osborne Hayden of Chilhowie, Virginia
Charles Osborne, Ph.D. of Belleville, New Jersey
The late Helen P. Woodie of Laurel Springs, North Carolina
The Solomon Osborne Descendants of Clay County, West Virginia
Contributors to: The Heritage of Smyth County, Virginia
"Hoppers, Moxley, Toliver, and Related Families", by Lorene Sturgill, 1985.
"Osborne Excerpt from Sizemore Legend and Fact", by Ron Blevins
Solomon Osborne data posted to New River Valley Historical Notes by: Neva Jane STOUT BRYANT.
Elias Osborne
We know that Isom B. Osborne’s father Ezekial was born about 1896, that Ezekial’s father was named Elias Osborne, and that Elias was married to Sally Sizemore (of Indian descent) as handed down through the Osborne generation per Helen P. Woodie's research, and Claude Osborne’s History of the Osborne Family. It is also known that they came from Ashe County, North Carolina. The 1800 Ashe County census shows an Elias Osborne, age 26, as head of a household with one male child between the age of 1-6 years. This no doubt would have been Ezekial, the oldest son, born about 1796. Elias bought land in the early 1800's in Ashe Co.-in the part that is now Alleghany Co. The 1810, 1820, and 1830 census also show Elias living in Ashe County with wife and children.
One of the reasons we believe Elias is descended from Ephraim Osborne, Sr of Grayson Co. is that Elias gave his sons the same names as several of Ephraim's sons. At least Elias attended the sale of Captain Enoch Osborne's estate. Elias bought a cow at that sale. According to Helen P. Woodie's records, Elias died in the household of his son George in Smyth Co., Va. The 1860 Smyth County census lists Elias in the household of George Osborne.
To date, as far as is known, no one has been able to verify who the parents of Elias were. There are many theories, and he has been credited with at least four different fathers by various Osborne genealogists. A major problem is that many of the early Ashe County court house files were either destroyed or lost. Dr. Charles Osborne of Belleville NJ, a descendent of George Osborne, and who has done extensive research on the Osbornes, believes Jonathan (son of Ephraim, Sr) is the father. Charles states "I see nothing that would suggest that Elias was not Jonathan's son. From the tax lists Jonathan had a son born before 1777. He disappears from Grayson Co. VA records for a year or so about the time Elias gets his land grant in NC."
In the meantime we will keep searching for the missing link. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Pruit, A.B. Abstracts of Land Entries: Ashe Co. NC Feb. 1800-Sept. 1823
N.p.:Privately Printed, 1994
3118. Dec.16, 1817 Thomas Callaway enters 100 ac in Ashe Co. on Cramberry Cr.,[being] the land of George Sizemore "let Elias Osborn have" and the land where said Osborne lives and runs "various courses', includes the vacant land.
1033. Nov. 28, 1803 Elias Osbourn enters 200 ac in Ashe Co. on Piney br of Crambery cr; border, begins at a white oak, runs up said branch, & "various courses"; includes the vacant land "their abouts said land" that Owen Sismore entered in Wilkes[Co.]
Marie
PS typed as written
