OSBORN, Lucy - colored slave - Putnam

A recent report on slavery in Indiana showed that there was one slave that lived as late as 1840 in Putnam County. The Greencastle Banner advertised to learn the details of this matter and P. H. Magill, of this city, replied as follows:

“My father, who with his mother, came to Indiana in 1836, brought this colored woman with them. She was the property of my grandfather, H. P. Magill, who lived in Lancaster County, Ky. She was not held as a slave in Indiana, but was a free woman. My father’s youngest sister married Caleb Osborne. The old woman lived with them forty years ago, as Mr. Lloyd says, and was a member of the M. E. Church at Pisgah, near Portland Mills.” “S”

Note: She evidently went by the Osborn’s last name as she is with Caleb and Sarah in the 1850 census as Lucy Osborn “black, age 80” born about 1770 in VA – she can read and write and imagine she was a good help to the Osborne’s as they had: James; Mary; Rebecca; Margaret; Sarah; America and Irena (age 1) in that census. Do not fine her in 1860 so imagine she passed after the ’50 census (Clinton Township, Putnam County). The family moved to Iowa (Union Twp, Monroe County) before the 1860 census and had added George and Andrew to the family.  He passed March 10, 1882 and Sarah Sept 29, 1878 – they are buried appropriately in the Osborn Cemetery in Lovilla, Iowa.  Sadly, I saw no tombstone for her in Putnam County or Iowa.