John B. Osgood

John B. Osgood was born in 1843 in Michigan, the son of Hester (b. 1827 in New York).

By 1850 John was living with his mother and siblings in Grass Lake, Jackson County; nearby lived a farmer named Caleb Osgood working with the Preston family on a farm very close to the Colburn Blake farm. By 1860 John was attending school and he and his sister Harriet were living with the Colburn Blake family in Orangeville, Barry County; next door lived Colburn Osgood (b. 1834 in either Michigan or New York and John’s older brother) who was working as a carpenter.

In any case John stood 5’5” with gray eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion and was a 21-year-old farmer probably living in Barry County when he enlisted in Company E on January 1, 1864, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, crediting Campbell, Ionia County, and was mustered January 5. He joined the Regiment on February 10 and was apparently shot in the right hip on or about May 2, probably during the opening action of the Wilderness campaign. He was subsequently hospitalized and was still absent sick when he was transferred to Company E, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864. John remained absent sick through February of 1865, and probably until he was mustered out on July 5, 1865, at Jeffersonville, Indiana.

After the war John returned to Michigan, probably to his home in Barry County.

He married Michigan native Maria (1851-1936) and they had at least two children: Clarisa (b. 1869) and Ina (b. 1873), and possibly a third daughter Hattie.

By 1870 John was working as a farmer and living in Prairieville, Barry County with his wife and daughter; also living with them was Colburn Osgood. John was living with his wife two daughters in Orangeville, Barry County in 1880 and still living in Orangeville in 1890 and around 1900.

John was a member of the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association, and of G.A.R. England Post No. 301 in Orangeville. In 1888 he applied for and received a pension (no. 550156).

John probably died on December 13, 1908, possibly in Plainwell, Allegan County or in Orangeville, and was buried in Oak Hill cemetery, section 11 lot 3, in Orangeville.

His widow applied for and received a pension (no. 675632).