Sir Danvers Osborn, 3rd Baronet

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.

Early life

Osborne was born on 17 November 1715, at Chicksands village (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).

Political career

When Charles Edward Stuart 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.

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 psychological 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).

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

• The Priory of Chicksands.
• Timeline of the Priory.

See also

• Chicksands
• Bedfordshire
• George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax
• Jacobite rising
• City of Halifax
• Province of New York
• James DeLancey

Government offices
Preceded by George Clinton	Colonial Governor of New York 1753	Succeeded by James DeLancey
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Sir Roger Burgoyne, Bt Sir John Chester, Bt	Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire 1747–1753 with Thomas Alston	Succeeded by Thomas Alston The Earl of Upper Ossory
Baronetage of England
Preceded by John Osborne	Baronet (of Chicksands) 1720–1753	Succeeded by George Osborn