.

A. EDGAR OSBORNE, M. D. Ph. D.
Bio 1888

 Bio- Pen Pictures
SURNAMES:

The successful efforts that are being made at the present day for the amelioration of the lot of the indigent, the insane, and the feeble-minded, are something of which too much can hardly be said.  It is only of late years that any general attention has been paid to the subject.  A number of learned and philanthropic gentlemen, chiefly medical men, have studied the matter and by the rearing of institutions for the care and treatment of the weak-minded, have accomplished a good that is shown most clearly by the surprisingly great success that has been met in relieving these mental disorders and in many cases entirely curing them.  Upon this coast the California Home for the Care and Training of Feeble-minded Children, an institution located on the extreme western borders of the town of Santa Clara, and which is described elsewhere in this volume, is a worthy representative of what is being done.  Though founded but a few years back, and not yet as extensive as it will be later, it is acknowledged to be one of the best managed and most successful on the continent, the appointments and arrangements being admirable, and the most perfect system prevailing throughout.

The superintendent is the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this article.  Dr. Osborne was born near Chester, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, February 23, 1856, his father, Mr. Antrim Osborne, being the proprietor of the Waterville Woolen Mills.  When the subject of this sketch was between five and six years of age, his father purchased the Rose Valley Woolen Mills property, in the same county, removing his family thither, and there Dr. Osborne received his preliminary education, from private tutors and at the public schools.  He next attended the district Grammar School, going thence to the Pennsylvania State College (military), in Center County.  Here he took a four years’ course in science, for two terms being the assistant of the professor of that department.  He next went to the University of Pennsylvania (Medical Department), graduating March 12, 1877.  For one year after this he remained at practice in Philadelphia, at the same time pursuing a special course in the hospitals.  He then removed to Media, Pennsylvania, and began the practice of his profession.  In 1879 Dr. Osborne graduated in the Department of Philosophy, of the University of Pennsylvania, taking the degree of Ph. D., being the youngest man to obtain that degree at that time.  While in Philadelphia Dr. Osborne was connected with the Presbyterian and the Philadelphia Hospitals, and at this time was the first resident physician to the Odd Fellows’ Home.  Subsequently he became semi-officially connected with the Pennsylvania Training School for the feeble-minded. For the following eight years, in addition to his other professional work, he occupied the chair of Natural Sciences in the Media Academy, being also the organizer of the Department of Physical Culture, and establishing a gymnasium.

In October, 1886, Dr. Osborne, having attracted general attention by his studies of the subject of the care and treatment of the feeble-minded, was elected to succeed Dr. B. T. Wood in the office of Superintendent of the California Home for the Care and Training of Feeble-minded Children, assuming charge on December 1, 1886, proving himself the right man for the position by the admirable manner in which he at once brought the institution to a high state of efficiency.

Drawing from a thorough knowledge and a wide experience, he is creating a higher plane of success.  Dr. Osborne is the only physician engaged in this work on the Pacific Coast, and is in charge of the only institution of the kind west of Nebraska.  Under his hands there are now 110 children, and there are fully 150 applications for admission on file, waiting the completion of enlargements now contemplated.

Dr. Osborne was married on September 7, 1880, to Miss Margaret H. Paxton, the daughter of Col. J. C. Paxton, of Marietta, Ohio. They have no children, but have adopted a niece, who lives with them.  Mrs. Osborne is the matron of the institution.  Dr. Osborne is a member of the Delaware County Medical Society, of the Pennsylvania State Medical Society, of the National Medical Association, of the American Association of Medical Superintendents, and of the Media Institute of Science.  He was also the organizer and the President of the Media Medical Club.  By his original researches and independent treatment of medical and scientific subjects, he has made a name for himself in the line of new discoveries, and is cited as an authority in the lines that he has made especially his own.  He is a hearty, whole souled gentleman, whom it is pleasant to meet, affable and courteous, and a favorite with all.  In church matters the doctor and his wife are Presbyterians.  He is also a member in good standing of the Masonic Order, namely, of George W. Bartram Lodge, No. 298, Pennsylvania; of Howard Chapter, No. 14, R.A. M., and San Jose Commandery, No. 10, K. T., in San Jose.  He is also a member of the I. O. O. F., and is District Deputy Grand Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias.  He is also a member of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, a college society with a very large membership in this country.

The Osborne family has been identified with the history of America since the Colonial times, the Doctor’s branch of the family having settled at Danvers, Massachusetts, in the early days of that town, and trace their record back to Norman days in England and upon the continent.  He is also one of the editors of the interesting “Osborne Genealogical History,” the other two editors being resident in New York city.

Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.

Pg. 361-362
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
Proofread by Betty Vickroy

 

Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES:   PAXTON, BLONDIN, HORST

A distinguished citizen of California long and eminently identified with Santa Clara County, who has honored Los Gatos by his choice of that attractive foothill town as the best place he knows for residence, is the Hon. Antrim Edgar Osborne, M. D., Ph. D., the present efficient and popular state senator whose influence in many fields and directions, in the great work of building up the commonwealth, has been so notable and far-reaching. He was born at Chester, Pa., on February 23, 1857, the son of Antrim Osborne, the proprietor of the Waterville Woolen Mills and a descendant of one of the oldest and most historic families of Northern Europe. Originally from Denmark, where the progenitor's name was Aashbjorn (meaning "The Bear on the Peninsula"), who was a mighty warrior, and who lent his soldiers and military aid to William the Conqueror in his conquest of England; the family become established in the British Isles under the renowned name of Osborne, and many of the descendants migrated to America, various branches in time adopting different spellings, such as Osburn, Osbourne, Osborn, and Osbourn.

When Antrim was yet a boy of five or six years, his father became owner of the woolen mills at Rose Valley, in the same county and thither removed with his family; there the lad grew up, to go to the public school and be further instructed by privet tutors. When not quite sixteen he passed the examination for West Point, but declined admission to take up pre-medical studies and for this purpose he was sent to the military academy known as the Pennsylvania State College, in Center County, where he took a course of four years in science and natural history, and soon showed such exceptional proficiency that he was appointed assistant to the professor in that department. He then went to the University of Pennsylvania, where he pursued the regular medical course for three years and was graduated on March 12, 1877, with the degree of M. D. For the next year he remained in Philadelphia practicing medicine and at the same time pursuing a special course in the hospitals, and then removed to Media, Pa., and opened an office as a general practitioner. His ambition, however, would not let him rest at that attainment, hence he resumed post-graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania and in 1879 had conferred upon him by his Alma Mater the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, being the youngest graduate, up to that time to receive this marked academic degree in return for original research and demonstrated scholarship.

Dr. Osborne's experience as intern at the Presbyterian and the Philadelphia hospitals in the City of Brotherly Love was of great value to him, practicallyly as he began to specialize with nervous and mental diseases in his practice of medicine. It was about that time that he was the first resident physician at the Odd Fellows' Home, and later he was semi-officially connected with the Pennsylvania Training School for the Feeble-Minded. For the following eight years, in addition to his other professional work, he occupied the chair of natural sciences in the Media Academy, where he organized the department of physical culture and established a gymnasium. By the middle eighties, Dr. Osborne had attracted general attention through the results of his profound study of the proper care and treatment of the feeble-mind ed, and in October, 1886, he was appointed to succeed Dr. B. T. Wood as medical superintendent of the California State Home for Feeble-Minded, and for fifteen years he was secretary of its board of trustees. He assumed charge on December 1, and proved himself the right man for the position by the admirable manner in which he brought the institution to a high state of efficiency. Later he was made medical superintendent of the Napa State Hospital for the Insane and effected its thorough reorganization. Since 1901, Dr. Osborne--who was long the only physician engaged in his line of work on the Pacific Coast, and in charge of the only private institution of the kind west of Nebraska--has been the owner and director of Osbourne Hall, at Winchester, Santa Clara County; an institution for the treatment of mental deficiencies. Prior to that he had been professor of nervous and mental diseases in the College of Physicians and surgeons in San Francisco, and he also held the same post in the Oakland Medical College. He was also lecturer on nervous and mental nursing in the Nurses Training School, and psychiatrist at the O'Connor Sanitarium at San Jose.

On September 7, 1880, Dr. Osborne was married to Miss Margaret H. Paxton, the daughter of Col. John C. Paxton, a Civil War veteran of Marietta, Ohio. Mrs. Osborne, a lady of enviable accomplishments, has proven a valuable coworker in the doctor's special field, sharing with him his social activities and prestige. They have no children of their own, but have adopted a niece, Agnes Blondin, now Mrs. William Horst, Jr., of Santa Clara. Dr. Osborne has held membership in the Delaware County (Pa.)Medical Society, the Pennsylvania State Medical Society, the American Medical Association, the American Association of Medical Superintendents, and the Media Institute of Science, and he was also the organizer and president of Media Medical Club. His original researches and independent treatment of medical and scientific subjects have made a name for him in the line of new discoveries, so that he has frequently been cited as an authority in these lines particularly his own.

He is now active in the California State Medical Society, being for six years a member of its council, and has twice been president of the Santa Clara County Medical Society. He was one of the organizers of the Consistory in San Jose and was very active in the building of the Scottish Rite Temple there, which was erected when he was master of the bodies. The Odd Fellows also claim him as a member and he has been district deputy grand chancellor of the Knights of Pythias; his memories of college days lead him back to the delightful secret conclaves of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.

A progressive Republican and public spirited to a marked degree. Dr. Osborne has served two terms on the board of trustees of Santa Clara, and he was formerly resident of the Sonoma Valley Board of Trade and vice-president of the Commercial League of Santa Clara. He has been chairman of the probation committee of the Juvenille Court in Santa Clara County continuously since the court was established, and he served as chairman of Draft Board No. 2 of Santa Clara County, during the World War. On November 2, 1920, Dr. Osborne was elected to the State Senate from the Twenty-seventh senatorial district, Santa Clara County, having received the nomination of the Republican, Democratic and socialist parties. He served vrey efficiently during the session and introduced into the Senate the joint measure on conservation and reforestation, which was duly passed and became a law.

Senator Osborne was particularly interested in all measures affecting the home and general welfare, and in measures pertaining to the state institutions, including charties and corrections, and civil service.He served on the following committees; Civil service, conservation, county government, hospitals and asylums, labor and capital, Normal schools, public charities and corrections, public health and quarantine. This public service is natural to one who modestly but properly appreciates his own family lineage; for with two other editors, resident in New York, he has been editing for years the extensive and very interesting Osborne Genealogical History, which is related to the rise and development of so many other representative families in America.

Dr. Osborne is an able physician and publicspirited citizen of peculaiarly genial and attractive personality, and leads a life of great usefulness for the world, justifying the conception of him by many of his admiring friends and neighbors, that he is one of the first citizens of the Golden State. Recently Dr.Osborne has removed to Los Gatos and has taken up his residence at 121 Glen Ridge Avenue, where he and his good wife continue to dispense a whole-hearted hospitality to their many friends.

Transcribed by Marie Clayton, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California,
 published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 570


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