I'm guessing that the six children of John and Martha Osenbaugh had senses of humor to match their size. That would explain why, on the 16th of October, 1902, and en route to the Smith Studio in Chariton to have this wonderful portrait taken, they stopped to have themselves weighed collectively and discovered that the average was 231 pounds.
The siblings are (seated from left) Aaron, Charles and John; standing, Elizabeth, Andrew and David.
Thanks to brother Charles, the Osenbaugh name still is a familiar one in Lucas County. I grew up with Roger and Mary Louise and attended the University of Iowa with Bess.
And here's the story of how this portrait came to be, as published in The Chariton Democrat of Oct. 23, 1902:
Last Tuesday, October 14th, Mrs. Elizabeth Humphrey of Lincoln county, Nebraska, arrived at the residence of her brother, A.J. Osenbaugh, in Ottercreek township. Aaron D. Osenbaugh of Kingfisher, Oklahoma, Dr. John Osenbaugh of Chicago, Illinois, and D.T. Osenbaugh of Alton, Kansas, had arrived some time before their sister.
Immediately after the death of their mother (Martha) near Maroa, Illinois, the children separated in 1872. They took up their residences in five different states and territories in the middle west.
Thursday, October 16, the five brothers and one sister had their photographs taken at Smith's gallery after having dined at Mrs. Stone's boarding house and having been weighed on their way to the gallery. They are not dwarfs as their average weight is 231 pounds.
Perhaps nothing will show the high esteem the brothers have for their sister better than to say that all of the three brothers who are married have each named their youngest daughter Elizabeth after the name of their sister.
After the death of their mother in 1872, the only sister married, the father (John) sold his farm and emigrated to Ottercreek township, Lucas county, Iowa, where he purchased a quarter section of land for "a rallying place for the boys," as the old gentleman used to say.
Andrew J., the eldest, and Charles, the second youngest, settled on the original quarter section. Lizzie settled in Nebraska, David T., the second eldest, settled in Kansas where he owns the best nursery in the state, Aaron D., the third son, settled in Oklahoma where he homesteaded a quarter section, John, the youngest son, being of a scientific turn of mind, settled in Chicago, Illinois, where he studied medicine in one of the best colleges in the country, graduated with the highest honors and soon after received a professorship. He was surgeon in the regular army in Puerto Rico under the command of General Fred Grant during the Spanish-American war.
It is to be hoped they will have many more happy reunions in the future.
1 comment:
As a teenager (years 1950 - 1956) I knew Bill and Betty Osenbaugh from the Norwood, Ia. area. From Norwood they lived further west a few miles to what we knew as the Puckerbrush area. At least the school there was known as Puckerbrush. Betty and Bill went to same church as I, Evangelical United Brethren, and don’t know what the church would have done without them. They influenced my life in many personal and positive ways. Don’t know what the area would have done without them! Lovely and kind people, ready to help anyone with anything.
Post a Comment