Osborn S. Dillard 1844 - 1916
Osborn Dillard was born in New Market, Gallatin County, Illinois, USA (near Ridgway, Illinois), on 8 October 1844. His parents were Wesley Dillard and Julia Anne Boutwell Dillard.
He married Nancy Elizabeth Bean (1844-1900) on 29 December 1865 in Gallatin County. They had the following children:
Margaret A. Dillard (1869 - 1900)
Sarah Catherine Dillard (1872 - After 1900)
George William Dillard (1872 - After 1900)
Tranquil N. Dillard (1873 - 1873)
Nancy Elizabeth "Dollie" Dillard (1880 - 1935)
James H. Dillard ((1866-1880) - Unknown)
Mary Ellen Dillard (1881 - 1949)
Otis Raymond Dillard (1884 - 1967)
Charles Dillard (1886 - After 1900)
Stella Mae Dillard (1889 - 1962)
Osburn first appears in the 1850 census of Cane Creek, Gallatin County, along with his parents and older and younger brothers. ((census image here)
Osborn next appeared in the 1860 census, this time the area is referred to as Township 8 Range 8 East, although I am guessing there was no change in their location, just the way it was referred to in the census records. The family has expanded by one son, Joseph, although the census records misstate the birth year of the oldest son, Alexander, adding 10 years to his age. (census image here)
On 13 August 1862, Osborn entered a phase of his life that might have been a great adventure or a trip through hell, or a bit of both. He enlisted as a Private in Company K of the 131st Illinois Infantry of the Union Army. The 131st saw some action in the Western Theater during the war, although most of the casualties seem to have been caused by disease, which was not an uncommon occurrence at that time.
Osborn's father Wesley also enlisted during the war, entering the army as a Corporal in 1861 in the 56th Illinois Infantry and being discharged in November 1862. I am a little confused because Wesley's headstone indicates Company C or Company G of the 29th Illinois, which his son Osborn served in, not the 56th. But it makes sense he would have served in the 56th because it was formed up in Shawneetown in Gallatin County. The headstone records paperwork indicates that the 29th is correct, but I am wondering if they mixed his service records up with his son Osborn's.
In November 1863 the 131st Infantry was consolidated with the 29th Illinois Infantry and Osborn served out the remainder of the war with the 29th, an outfit which had fought in the Battle of Shiloh in 1862 and saw plenty of action thereafter. It looks like he was initially in Company C, then transferred to Company B, although when he was mustered out on 6 November 1865 it was out of Company C.
If you compare Osborn's muster out date with the date of his marriage, you can see he wasted little time on his return to Gallatin County in finding a bride, although I would guess that the ceremony was already in the works and was just waiting for his return from war. In any event, the 1870 census found Osborn and Nancy in Township 9 Range 8 of Gallatin County. (census image here)
By the time of the 1880 census there were several little Dillards in the family; Sarah, George and Nancy. As well, Osborn's parents Wesley and Julia were living with them. (census image here)
Wesley and Julia did not stay in the household much longer; Julia died in 1881 and Wesley in 1883. Wesley was buried at Lamb Cemetery in Ridgway, it seems likely that Julia was also buried there because her death certificate lists burial in Ridgway but doesn't mention which cemetery. In any event, it seems as if his headstone has survived to the present day and hers has not.
By 1900 only George of the original children is still in the household. Sarah married William Henry Jones in 1888, Nancy "Dollie" married James Francis Thaxton in 1896. Four more children had joined the family since 1880: Mary, Otis, Charles, and Stella. (census image here)
The census for their section of Gallatin County in 1900 was taken on 19 June 1900. Between that date and the end of the year, Nancy Elizabeth Bean Dillard died at or near Ridgway, Illinois. I have not been able to find out where she is buried. She may be in the Crawford Campground Cemetery along with Osborn but if so apparently her headstone has not survived the test of time.
Osborn remarried on 26 August 1902 in Gallatin County, to Martha Ellen Brown (1869-1929).
They had the following children:
Wiley E. Dillard (1904-1984)
Floyd E. Dillard (1909-1955)
Isaac Roy Dillard (1910-1977)
Robert Dillard (1913-1965)
Living Daughter
In 1910 their location is listed in the census as North Fork, Gallatin County, as it was in 1900. I don't think the family had moved, but the census designation for the area changed over time. Wiley and Floyd showed up in the census for the first time. In addition to the new Dillards, Martha's two children from her marriage to William Edgar Allen, Oma and Carrie Allen were listed as Osborn's stepdaughters. (census image here)
The couple had three more children after the 1910 census, so if Osborn was slowing down with the passage of time he had yet to show it. Eventually time did catch up with him, however, and on 15 July 1916 he died in Ridgway, Illinois. Burial followed, as hinted at above, in the Crawford Campground Cemetery in Ridgway. Martha lived until 1929 and died in Eldorado, Illinois. She is buried at Wolf Creek Cemetery in Eldorado.
Other Links
Osborn Dillard page at Find A Grave
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