Submitted by
Loyd Bishop

In Memoriam

Marian Osborn was born May 13, 1875, and died Sept. 10, 1907. He was born at St. Elmo, Fayette county, Illinois, where he lived until 12 years old, coming then with the family to Newton, Kans. He resided there until four years ago, when he came to Blackwell with his aged parents, be being the youngest son and the only unmarried child. About a year ago he went to Elida, N. M., where he took land and engaged in farming. The evening of the accident he was helping his young friend, Mr. Martin, butcher a beef. Martin shot the beef with a Winchester rifle and went to throw out the empty shell, when the gun was accidentally discharged, the ball striking Marion in the stomach directly under the head. Two doctors were summoned and all was done for him that was possible, but to no avail. In the six hours that intervened between the accident and his death he called his brothers and their families and bade each one good bye, told them he was going to a brighter place than this, and for them to not worry about him. He said: “Tell my friends in Blackwell I would like to see them, but all is well with me.” He was in his right mind to the very last. He arranged the details of his burial and requested that the minister who lived near his place and with whom he had formed an intimate friendship be asked to preach his funeral sermon there, which he did. To the young man who had unintentionally caused the accident he said, “Do not grieve. I know you did not mean to do it, and I am ready to go. Do right always and meet me in the better land.” At the last, one of his brothers asked him if he would answer one more question, and replied: “No, let me be now; I am resting so easy.” His kind and obliging ways had won for him many warm friends in his new home and a large number of them attended the services at Edna, his brother Charles accompanied the remains to Blackwell, where Rev. Barrier conducted an impressive service at the M. E. church, preaching from the music that expressed sympathy and comfort to the burdened hearts of friends, and the body was laid to rest in the cemetery south of town. The deceased leaves to mourn his death his father and mother, Mr. And Mrs. N. Osborn; two sisters, Mrs. Otto Kaul and Mrs. E. I. Brannine; one brother, John, in Blackwell; another, N. J. in Pocahontas, Iowa, and two, D. E. and C. W. in Edna, N. M. Let us remember his words:
“I am going to a brighter place, Saved by a loving Savior’s grace; The burden of my dying prayer, Live right and meet me there.”

OSBORN-Died, at Elida, N.M., on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 1907, Marion Osborn, aged about 30 years. He was unmarried and was a son of N. J. Osborn of Blackwell and a brother of Mrs. E. L. Branine. The cause of death was accidental shooting, which occurred on Tuesday. The deceased formerly lived here, and the body was brought for burial . Services were held at M.E. church Saturday afternoon at 2:30, and interment in I. O. O. F. cemetery.
The Elida, N.M., News says: Tuesday afternoon while Gene Martin and Marlon Osborn were slaughtering a beef at John Anthony's place two and one-half miles south of town, Martin accidentally shot and fatally wounded Osborn. The Martin boy, who is about 18 years of age, had just shot the beef and had turned to extract the empty shell from the Winchester, when it was accidentally discharged and the ball penetrated Osborn's stomach just below the heart, Gene immediately dispatched a small boy who was with them to a nearby farm for his father and Mr. Cannon, who took charge of the wounded man, while he came for the surgeons. Drs. Murrell and Helm were summoned at once and all was done that skillful surgeons could do, but the inevitable came at 10:30 p.m., only four and one half hours after the accident. Mr. Osborn, with his two brothers, Dee and Charlie, came here about one year ago and began the improvement of his homestead upon which he had filed a few months before. Since he has been in our community he has made many friends who greatly admired him because of his push and energy and his honesty with his fellow men. His remains were shipped yesterday to his former home, Blackwell, Okla., for interment. Mr. Osborn was cut down in the prime of his life, being only 30 years of age, and there are left to mourn his loss, beside his many friends, two brothers of this place, his father and mother, one brother and two sisters, who reside in Blackwell. The News joins with the host of friends and the bereaved loved ones in mourning because of this sad and untimely death.