Danvers Osborn
Encyclopedia
Sir Danvers Osborne, 3rd Baronet (Chicksands Priory, Shefford
, 17 November 1715 – 12 October 1753, New York City) was colonial governor of New York province
briefly in 1753. Details of his demise appeared in the New York Post Boy giving details of the last week of his life.
(Shefford
, Bedfordshire
, England), which was the seat of the Osborn family. His father was John Osborn, eldest son of Sir John Osborne, 2nd Baronet (see Osborn Baronets
). Of the previous four generations of paternal relatives, two grandmothers (Lady Doroty Danvers and Lady Eleanor Danvers) had belonged to the Danvers lineage. Osborne's mother was Sarah Byng. Her father was George Byng
, the 1st Viscount Torrington
, whereas her brother was the Admiral
John Byng
. Both Byng relatives were prominent figures against the Jacobite rising
. In 1720 he succeeded his grandfather in the baronetcy.
Osborne was married to Lady Mary Montagu, on 25 September 1740. She was of the 8th generation of Henry VIII
's lineage. Her father was George Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax
, whereas her brother George Montagu-Dunk
became the 2nd Earl. Osborne begot two children, of whom one was named George. However, in 1743, Lady Montagu died after delivering the second child whereas Osborne was quite affected by this for the rest of his life. During the subsequent years, Danvers Osborne was a guest, often, at the Montagu-Dunk's manor of Horton
(Northamptonshire
).
rebelled in 1745 (Rebellion of 1745
) in behalf of the House of Stuart
, Osborne raised troops to support the King George II
, commanding such forces into battle, within Colonel Bedford's regiment, under the Duke of Cumberland.
Subsequently, Osborne represented Bedfordshire
as a Member of Parliament (1747–1753). In 1750, following the 2nd Earl of Halifax, who was presiding the Board of Trade
and founding the city of Halifax
in Nova Scotia
, Danvers Osborne travelled to Nova Scotia for six weeks, integrating into Halifax' early Council (August). Therein, many issues were attended by Danvers Osborne, like the supplies of the new settlers, the remuneration of the construction workers of the royal projects, and the regulation of the local trade, which was functioning then on Sundays despite the biblical precepts. Indeed, attending so many local matters, Osborne became very esteemed by the settlers. Back in England, in December, he was discussing the issues of Halifax, with the official functionaries of trade and plantation.
In May 1753, the Board of Trade
recommended that Danvers Osborne should be the next Royal Governor of the Province of New York
. In July, it was approved. After his arrival (6 October), Danvers Osborne was welcomed officially by the mayor and the assemblymen of New York, assuming then as Royal Governor on 10 October. His personal secretary was the Englishman Thomas Pownall
.
disorder. Historically, such instability of Osborne, which would have provoked a suicide, is attributed to the grief of his lost wife.
Initially, the remains of Osborne were interred at the Trinity Church
of New York but, in 1754, they were brought back to Osborne's native parish of England (Chicksands).
Shefford, Bedfordshire
Shefford is a small town and civil parish located in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England. At the 2001 census it had a population of 4,928, although this was estimated to have grown to 5,770 by 2007.-History:...
, 17 November 1715 – 12 October 1753, New York City) was colonial governor of New York province
Province of New York
The Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
briefly in 1753. Details of his demise appeared in the New York Post Boy giving details of the last week of his life.
Early life
Osborne was born on 17 November 1715, at Chicksands villageChicksands
Chicksands is a village in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England and part of the civil parish of Campton and Chicksands . It is on the River Flit. Nearby places are Shefford and Campton....
(Shefford
Shefford, Bedfordshire
Shefford is a small town and civil parish located in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England. At the 2001 census it had a population of 4,928, although this was estimated to have grown to 5,770 by 2007.-History:...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, England), which was the seat of the Osborn family. His father was John Osborn, eldest son of Sir John Osborne, 2nd Baronet (see Osborn Baronets
Osborn Baronets
The Osborne, later Osborn Baronetcy, of Chicksands in the County of Bedford, is a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 11 February 1662 for John Osborne, subsequently Remembrancer to the Treasury from 1674 to 1698. The baronetcy was in recognition of the sufferings the family had...
). Of the previous four generations of paternal relatives, two grandmothers (Lady Doroty Danvers and Lady Eleanor Danvers) had belonged to the Danvers lineage. Osborne's mother was Sarah Byng. Her father was George Byng
George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington
Admiral of the Fleet George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington, KB PC was a British naval officer and statesman of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. His career included service as First Lord of the Admiralty during the reign of King George II.-Naval career:Byng was born at Wrotham, Kent, England...
, the 1st Viscount Torrington
Viscount Torrington
Viscount Torrington is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1721 for the statesman Sir George Byng, 1st Baronet, along with the subsidiary title Baron Byng, of Southill in the County of Bedford, also in the Peerage of Great Britain. He had already been created a Baronet, of...
, whereas her brother was the Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
John Byng
John Byng
Admiral John Byng was a Royal Navy officer. After joining the navy at the age of thirteen he participated at the Battle of Cape Passaro in 1718. Over the next thirty years he built up a reputation as a solid naval officer and received promotion to Vice-Admiral in 1747...
. Both Byng relatives were prominent figures against the Jacobite rising
Jacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
. In 1720 he succeeded his grandfather in the baronetcy.
Osborne was married to Lady Mary Montagu, on 25 September 1740. She was of the 8th generation of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's lineage. Her father was George Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax
George Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax
George Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax PC was a British politician.Halifax was the son of Edward Montagu, grandson of Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester, and Elizabeth Pelham.Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax, was his uncle....
, whereas her brother George Montagu-Dunk
George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax
George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax, KG, PC was a British statesman of the Georgian era.-Early life:...
became the 2nd Earl. Osborne begot two children, of whom one was named George. However, in 1743, Lady Montagu died after delivering the second child whereas Osborne was quite affected by this for the rest of his life. During the subsequent years, Danvers Osborne was a guest, often, at the Montagu-Dunk's manor of Horton
Horton, Northamptonshire
Horton is named from the Old English meaning "muddy farmstead" and lies in the English county of Northamptonshire. It was originally an estate village, serving the now demolished Horton House and it is close to its neighbouring village Hackleton...
(Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
).
Political career
When Charles Edward StuartCharles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
rebelled in 1745 (Rebellion of 1745
Jacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
) in behalf of the House of Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
, Osborne raised troops to support the King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, commanding such forces into battle, within Colonel Bedford's regiment, under the Duke of Cumberland.
Subsequently, Osborne represented Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
as a Member of Parliament (1747–1753). In 1750, following the 2nd Earl of Halifax, who was presiding the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
and founding the city of Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Danvers Osborne travelled to Nova Scotia for six weeks, integrating into Halifax' early Council (August). Therein, many issues were attended by Danvers Osborne, like the supplies of the new settlers, the remuneration of the construction workers of the royal projects, and the regulation of the local trade, which was functioning then on Sundays despite the biblical precepts. Indeed, attending so many local matters, Osborne became very esteemed by the settlers. Back in England, in December, he was discussing the issues of Halifax, with the official functionaries of trade and plantation.
In May 1753, the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
recommended that Danvers Osborne should be the next Royal Governor of the Province of New York
Province of New York
The Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
. In July, it was approved. After his arrival (6 October), Danvers Osborne was welcomed officially by the mayor and the assemblymen of New York, assuming then as Royal Governor on 10 October. His personal secretary was the Englishman Thomas Pownall
Thomas Pownall
Thomas Pownall was a British politician and colonial official. He was governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay from 1758 to 1760, and afterward served in the British Parliament. He traveled widely in the North American colonies prior to the American Revolutionary War, and opposed...
.
Death
However, on 12 October 1753, the dead body of Osborne was found in the garden of the house, in which he was lodged and which belonged to a local councilman. The cadaver presented evidences of strangulation. James De Lancey was his successor as Royal Governor and, to the Board of Trade, he depicted that Osborne had had a melancholic demeanor, which evidenced a great psychologicalPsychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
disorder. Historically, such instability of Osborne, which would have provoked a suicide, is attributed to the grief of his lost wife.
Initially, the remains of Osborne were interred at the Trinity Church
Trinity Church, New York
Trinity Church at 79 Broadway, Lower Manhattan, is a historic, active parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of New York...
of New York but, in 1754, they were brought back to Osborne's native parish of England (Chicksands).
Sources
- Colonial Governors of NY
- Sir Danvers Osborn
- Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
- Chicksands. A Millennium Of History
- The Baronetage of the Osborns of Chicksands.
External links
See also
- ChicksandsChicksandsChicksands is a village in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England and part of the civil parish of Campton and Chicksands . It is on the River Flit. Nearby places are Shefford and Campton....
- BedfordshireBedfordshireBedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
- George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of HalifaxGeorge Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of HalifaxGeorge Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax, KG, PC was a British statesman of the Georgian era.-Early life:...
- Jacobite risingJacobite risingThe Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
- City of HalifaxCity of HalifaxHalifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
- Province of New YorkProvince of New YorkThe Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
- James DeLanceyJames DeLanceyJames DeLancey served as chief justice, lieutenant governor, and acting colonial governor of the Province of New York.DeLancey was born in New York City on November 27, 1703, the first son of Etienne DeLancey and Anne-daughter of Stephanus Van Cortlandt...