This is the account of Elijah's journey to Defiance County written by his Granddaughter, May Young in 1949.

Time waits for nobody and how little we realize how fast it goes. Ninety nine years ago, dry weather in the great forest of northern Ohio made possible the expedition with which a pioneer caravan composed of Elijah Osborn, his sons David and Sylvester and the six daughters, Mary, Adaline, Julia, Susan, Jane and Almira forged through the wilderness in 1848 to their new home in North Richland Township. The trip, of approximately 200 miles was made from Fredricktown Mahoning County with horses in a week. Rivers were forded, no cement roads were encountered. The party followed the old Indian trail down to the Maumee and crossed at Samuel Keplers ferry. Then they traveled eastward. Night was coming on , they were tired and one member of the family was coming down with measles when they reached the old hotel Independence. They stayed there all night. Next morning they journeyed on to their new home. When they arrived the house was not complete enought for them to move in so they took up their abode in the near by school house until their house was finished. There were many Indians here at that time. Mr. Osborn's son Sylvester was afraid of Indians. He said one of the most terrifying incidents of his boyhood was the occasion he went with his father to Independence and there were seven squaws sitting in front of Wilhelms store. He took his father by the hand and would not relinquish his hold until they were well on their way home.

Mr. Osborn and his son, Sylvester hauled the first load of ties for Wabash railroad from Okolona to Jewell.

Elijah’s first wife, the mother of eight of his children was Nancy Stevens.

Some time after they came to Defiance county, Mr. Osborn was married to Catherine Hauser Baker. Of this union Three more born. Elijah Jr. who died in early manhood, Emaline (Aunt Em Hardy) who died just recently, and a daughter who died in infancy. Elijah Osborn died in August of 1870 at the age of 75 years. He was buried in the Rohn cemetery near Independence. His sons and daughters life companions were as follows:

David – Catharine Hull

Mary – Coffman

Adaline – Ikes

Julia – George Zedaker

Susan – Jacob Hammon, after his death she married John Miller

Jane – Emanuel Hull

Sylvester – Isabella Long

Almira - Jerry Robinson who died in the civil war. Her second husband was Curtis Morse.

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