General Notes

From RootsWeb Contact Frederick RoseThomas Osborne lived in Ashford, Co, Kent, England until 1636.About 1637 he emigrated to America with his family. He was an early settler of New Haven, and was the Colony Tanner in 1643.He moved to East Hampton about 1649.From Jerri McCoy - There was another Thomas Osborn, the son of John and Thomasin Osborn, who was also born at Ashford in1594-5, and baptised there on 4 Apr 1594/95. It is possible, but unlikely, that he, and not the son of Jeremy, was the American settler. However, circumstantial evidence favors Jeremy's son.We know from Jeremy's will that his son Thomas was a tanner. Then ame of Thomas's first son was Thomas, for himself, the next,Jeremy, for his father, the next, Richard, for his brother, the next, John, perhaps for his uncle, the next Stephen, a favorite Puritan name, and Joseph, for his brother. If Thomas was,instead, the son of John, then he waited until his fourth son to name one for his father. After 1636 Thomas Osborn's family disappears from the Ashford records. Brother Richard Osborn in his 1646 will names his own children and those of his other brother Joseph, but makes no mention of Thomas or his children, probably because they had removed to America. Thomas and Richard Osborn arrived in Boston on 26 Jun 1637. They and the entire New Haven Colony stayed in Boston until the spring of 1638 when they continued on to the area where they founded the town of New Haven, Connecticut. The entire trip is described in the book "The colony of New Haven" by Edward E. Atwater. The book describes life in England at the time, why they wanted to come to American, the trip aboard ship, and the way the land in New Haven was divided up. The History of New Haven County, edited by J. L. Rockey, (1892)tells that the party of fifty men and another 200 women and children were part of the company of the Reverend John Davenport arriving on the Hector and her consort. The company was composed of men of wealth, education and influence. Almost immediately upon arrival there was civil and religious conflict with the current residents of Massachusetts. In the spring of 1638 the company moved on to settle the colony of New Haven. The History of New Haven Colony, by Edward R. Lambert (1838)indicates that Planter Thomas Osborn was responsible for six persons and had an estate valued at 300 pounds. Richard Osborn was responsible for three persons and had an estate valued at 10 pounds. About 1639 he moved to New Haven, CT. He was an early but not original signer of the Covenant at New Haven. He was the Colony tanner in 1643. He moved to East Hampton, NY by 1651. In 1660 he deeded his house and tanyard in New Haven to his son Jeremiah Osborn, tanner, of New Haven. In 1677 Thomas gave his house and home lot in East Hampton to his son Benjamin. He probably lived with this son until his death. Of his children, the first six were baptised at Christ Church in Ashford Parish,Co. Kent, England, the last three in New Haven, CT. He died after 1677, when his will is dated, and before 1686, when his son Thomas is called Senior. It is possible that Thomas died during a visit to New Haven rather than at his home in East Hampton.