John Eugene Osborne
Encyclopedia
John Eugene Osborne was an American physician
, farmer
, banker and Democratic
politician
. He was the third Governor of Wyoming after the Wyoming Territory
attained statehood in 1890.
Osborne was born in Westport, New York
, the younger son of John C. Osborne and Mary E. Rail. His parents were both immigrants, his father from England and his mother from Canada. Osborne studied medicine at the University of Vermont
and graduated in 1880. He was then hired as a surgeon
by the Union Pacific Railroad
, and moved to Rawlins
, Carbon County, Wyoming
.
In 1883, Osborne was elected to Wyoming's House of the Territorial Assembly, but resigned in 1885, when he left the Territory for a brief period. In 1888, he was appointed chairman of the Penitentiary Building Commission and also elected mayor
of Rawlins. During the 1880s, Osborne was a physician and chemist in Rawlins, and operated a farm, at one point being the largest individual sheep owner in Wyoming. After the lynching of Big Nose George Parrott
, Osborne helped conduct the autopsy, and had Parrot's skin tanned and made into a pair of shoes he later allegedly wore at his inauguration as governor.
In 1892, amidst unconfirmed claims of election irregularities, Osborne defeated Acting Governor Amos W. Barber
in Wyoming's second gubernatorial elections since statehood. Many incidents surrounded the election, including an almost-certainly false allegation that Osborne had crawled along a ledge outside the Senate House and entered the Governor's Office through a window to prevent Barber from occupying the office before him.
Osborne was one of only a handful of Democrats to win the Governorship of Wyoming, and his term was stormy and rife with bitter fighting between his party and the Republicans
. He completed his term on January 7, 1895, having declined renomination. From March 4, 1897 until March 3, 1899 he served in the 55th United States Congress
as the U.S. Representative from Wyoming, but again declined renomination when his term expired.
Osborne was Assistant Secretary of State
, serving the Wilson Administration
from 1913 until December 14, 1915. He was also chairman of the board of the Rawlins National Bank. On November 2, 1907 he married Selina Smith of a prominent family in Princeton, Kentucky
. They were the parents of a daughter, Jean Curtis Osborne.
Osborne was a Freemason and a member of the York Rite
. He died in Rawlins in 1943, aged 84, and was buried in the Smith family plot at Cedar Hill Cemetery
in Princeton, Kentucky.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
, banker and Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was the third Governor of Wyoming after the Wyoming Territory
Wyoming Territory
The Territory of Wyoming was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 25, 1868, until July 10, 1890, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Wyoming. Cheyenne was the territorial capital...
attained statehood in 1890.
Osborne was born in Westport, New York
Westport, New York
Westport is a town in Essex County, New York, United States overlooking Lake Champlain. The population was 1,362 at the 2000 census.The Town of Westport is on the eastern border of the county and is south of Plattsburgh and south of Montreal. Westport is inside the Adirondack Park.Westport is...
, the younger son of John C. Osborne and Mary E. Rail. His parents were both immigrants, his father from England and his mother from Canada. Osborne studied medicine at the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
and graduated in 1880. He was then hired as a surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
by the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
, and moved to Rawlins
Rawlins, Wyoming
Rawlins is a city in Carbon County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 8,538 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carbon County...
, Carbon County, Wyoming
Carbon County, Wyoming
Carbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of 2010, the population was 15,885. Its county seat is Rawlins.- History :Carbon County was organized in 1868....
.
In 1883, Osborne was elected to Wyoming's House of the Territorial Assembly, but resigned in 1885, when he left the Territory for a brief period. In 1888, he was appointed chairman of the Penitentiary Building Commission and also elected mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Rawlins. During the 1880s, Osborne was a physician and chemist in Rawlins, and operated a farm, at one point being the largest individual sheep owner in Wyoming. After the lynching of Big Nose George Parrott
Big Nose George
George Parrott, also known as Big Nose George, George Manuse and George Warden, was a cattle rustler in the American Wild West in the late 19th century...
, Osborne helped conduct the autopsy, and had Parrot's skin tanned and made into a pair of shoes he later allegedly wore at his inauguration as governor.
In 1892, amidst unconfirmed claims of election irregularities, Osborne defeated Acting Governor Amos W. Barber
Amos W. Barber
Dr. Amos Walker Barber was an American surgeon and politician. He was the second Governor of Wyoming after that state joined the Union in 1890....
in Wyoming's second gubernatorial elections since statehood. Many incidents surrounded the election, including an almost-certainly false allegation that Osborne had crawled along a ledge outside the Senate House and entered the Governor's Office through a window to prevent Barber from occupying the office before him.
Osborne was one of only a handful of Democrats to win the Governorship of Wyoming, and his term was stormy and rife with bitter fighting between his party and the Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. He completed his term on January 7, 1895, having declined renomination. From March 4, 1897 until March 3, 1899 he served in the 55th United States Congress
55th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:* Republican: 206 * Democratic: 124* Populist: 22* Silver Republican: 3* Silver: 1* Independent Republican: 1TOTAL members: 357-Leadership:-Senate:* President: Garret Hobart * President pro tempore: William P...
as the U.S. Representative from Wyoming, but again declined renomination when his term expired.
Osborne was Assistant Secretary of State
United States Assistant Secretary of State
In modern times, Assistant Secretary of State is a title used for many executive positions in the United States State Department. A set of six Assistant Secretaries reporting to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs manage diplomatic missions within their designated geographic regions, plus one...
, serving the Wilson Administration
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
from 1913 until December 14, 1915. He was also chairman of the board of the Rawlins National Bank. On November 2, 1907 he married Selina Smith of a prominent family in Princeton, Kentucky
Princeton, Kentucky
Princeton is a city in Caldwell County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 6,329 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Caldwell County.-History:...
. They were the parents of a daughter, Jean Curtis Osborne.
Osborne was a Freemason and a member of the York Rite
York Rite
The York Rite or American Rite is one of several Rites of the worldwide fraternity known as Freemasonry. A Rite is a series of progressive degrees that are conferred by various Masonic organizations or bodies, each of which operates under the control of its own central authority...
. He died in Rawlins in 1943, aged 84, and was buried in the Smith family plot at Cedar Hill Cemetery
Cedar Hill Cemetery
Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford, Connecticut is located at 453 Fairfield Avenue. It was designed by landscape architect Jacob Weidenmann who also designed Hartford's Bushnell Park. Its first sections were completed in 1866 and the first burial took place on July 17, 1866...
in Princeton, Kentucky.