Desert Horses

Welcome to my horse blog, Desert Horses. We live in the desert southwest, near Palm Springs, CA, but board our horses up in our local mountains where it is cooler in the summer. I have 4 horses, all rescues. Here is the ranch up the mountains where the horses stay.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

John Osborn house, Westport, Connecticut


Linda over at The 7MSN is doing some posts about an old homestead she found on her property. I started researching my female family members this summer because my dad did his male line back to 1634.  In my family research this summer, I came upon information about one of my ancestral homes in Fairfield, CT..  I actually have two different ancestral houses listed on this site:  http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/175_sal1.html, the John Osborn house and the Benjamin Sturges house. They are both what's known as a "saltbox" house because of the slooping roof.  The Osborn house was built in 1674 or 1673.  My original male ancestor fought in the Pequot War and was awarded 80 acres of land for his service and this house apparently sits on part of that 80 acres. Originally most authorities pegged it 1783, but recent findings have pushed it back to around 1673.  It is still lived in by a family, leaving our family in the 1960's.  My father used to talk about the old Osborn house, but I've never seen it.  This was in my direct male line.  My father's family settled in Connecticut in the 1600's and he was actually the first to come "out West" when he left to join the Army in WWII. The Sturges family  married into my Osborn line, so I need to research that house as well.  Here are some pics I've saved of the Osborn house. It is now on the National Registry of Historic Houses .I'm going to have to find photos of the interior, especially the cooking hearth, but I'll have to post those tomorrow!

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Isn't history awesome!?!

Grey Horse Matters said...

"Saltbox Houses" have always been one of my favorites. I just love the history and look of them. It's interesting that you can trace all the way back to the 1600's.

KhearP said...

Wow! This is so amazing and I am very grateful that I came across here and read your post as well as saw this wonderful house. Thank you.

jilly said...

Came across your post when I was looking for additional pictures of the John Osborn house. John Osborn was my 8th Great Grandfather. I traced back to him while tracing back my Sturges line. I live about 30 minutes from where this house is located and plan on taking a drive down. It was interesting to come across another descendant.

Jillian

jilly said...

Hi,


I came across your blog when I was doing additional research on my family line. John Osborn was my 8th Great Grandfather and I traced back to him while researching my Sturges line. I actually live about 30 minutes from Fairfield, CT. It was interesting to find another descendant and fellow horse lover! I have a Tennessee Walker and a pony.

Not sure how much family research you have done, or how closely we are related but I have done quite a bit and would be more than happy to share.

Jillian

Cheryl Ann said...

Jillian, we would be related through the Osborn AND Sturges lines! Amazing! I'm sorry I didn't get back to you...Please email me if you can.
Cheryl Ann