American Historical Ephemera & Early Photography Online

Collection includes the following: a Phillips Exeter Academy "Report of Scholarship, Deportment and Attendance" for "J.A. Osgood," July 1860; "A Catalogue of the Officers and Students of Phillips Exeter Academy, For the Academical Year 1860-61," identifying Osgood as a member of the Senior class; 3 letters with covers, dated 3 and 15 February 1860, and 18 January 1861, each written by Osgood to his parent while at school in Exeter, New Hampshire; a war-time letter from Osgood to his mother, undated, 4pp; a CDV full standing portrait view of a uniformed officer identified on verso in modern ink "Great Grand Father Osgood," with backmark of "M.W. Comsett / Photographer" in Boston; Civil War-era leather belt with Pattern 1851 Officer's belt plate. Consignor relates that the belt was attributed to Josiah Alonzo Osgood and is believed to be the same one visible in the CDV of Osgood offered here.

Osgood's letter to his mother is written from "Hatteras Inlet / On Steamer Vidette." Osgood is awaiting the movement of his regiment to the field, and describes the difficulties encountered by the fleet on account of the weather, sandbars, and the water. The fleet is daily increasing. Feeling a lack of exercise, Osgood volunteers to "pull in one of the boats bringing provisions from one of the schooners to our boat," and describes the nature of rations, water, and the gambling of men to pass the time.

In comparing the CDV to the belt and plate, the Pattern 1851 Officer's belt plate accompanying the lot could potentially be the one in the CDV, as there is no visual evidence to disprove it. The sword belt accoutrements have been removed, but this higher-end model belt was equipped to allow accoutrements to be removed for use as a dress belt or have them on for the field. No maker's marks on the belt or plate.

HDS indicates that Josiah Alonzo Osgood was a resident of Chelsea, MA, and a 19-year-old student, when he enlisted on 10/18/1861 as a private. On 10/28/1861, he mustered into "C" Co. Massachusetts 24th Infantry. He was discharged for promotion on 11/5/1862. On 11/4/1862, he was commissioned into "K" Co. Massachusetts 47th Infantry. He was Mustered Out on 9/1/1863 at Readville, MA. Promotions: Corpl 12/1/1861, Capt 10/30/1862 (ss of Co. K 47th MA Infantry). Post-war was a surveyor in Los Angeles, California, and a member of GAR Post # 55 (Stanton) in Los Angeles, CA.

The Bulletin of the Society of Colonial Wars In the State of California, Vol. 51, No. 1, contains this biography of Osgood: "Josiah Alonzo Osgood was born on December 6, 1842 in Chelsea, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. He was the son of John Hamilton Osgood (1807-1887), a merchant and auctioneer, and Adeline T. Stevens (1808-1875). Josiah was raised in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Josiah Osgood was 5-feet, 8-inches tall, with grey eyes, and chestnut hair.  In 1859, Josiah was enrolled in Phillips Exeter Academy, and studied Mechanical Engineering. Josiah Osgood enlisted as a private on October 18, 1861 in Company C, 24th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. Private Osgood’s regiment was sent to the front lines under General Burnside. On December 1, 1861, he was promoted to corporal, and was assigned to the Color Guard. He served during the expedition through North Carolina, participating in the battles at Roanoke Island, New Berne, Little Washington, and Tranter’s Creek. On October 30, 1862, Josiah Osgood received a commission as a captain. He was discharged on November 5, 1862 from the 24th Regiment. The previous day, he mustered in as Captain of Company K, 47th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, serving under Col. Lucius Marsh. While serving in Louisiana, the swampy conditions ravaged Josiah Osgood, until he weighed only 115 pounds. Josiah’s regiment mustered out on September 1, 1863 at Readville, Massachusetts. Josiah Osgood attempted to re-enlist, but his poor physical condition as he was recovering from disease prevented him from re-joining the military.  Josiah Osgood decided to travel to Europe for a year to recuperate from his illness. He applied for a passport, and took an oath of allegiance on June 15, 1864. In 1865, he returned to live with his parents at 59 Broadway in Chelsea, Massachusetts. In 1867, Josiah enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1867, Josiah Osgood, a member of the Star of Bethlehem Lodge, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, was one of the petitioners for a charter for another Masonic lodge in Chelsea, Massachusetts.  On November 24, 1868, Josiah Osgood married Ella Myrick in the First Congregational Church in Dublin, New Hampshire, and they had two children: Ada M. Osgood (1870-1889), and John Hamilton Osgood (1873-1936). They lived with his parents in Chelsea. In 1870, Josiah Osgood graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a degree in surveying. In 1870, Josiah and Ella Osgood were living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Josiah was a hub manufacturer. In 1874, Josiah Osgood joined the Massachusetts Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (No. 1513). Ella Myrick Osgood died on July 20, 1877, in Needham, Massachusetts.  On October 8, 1878, Josiah Osgood married Caroline Lincoln Jenness in Needham, Massachusetts. Josiah invented a metallic packing for piston rods, and received US Patent No. 226,624 on April 20, 1880.  In January 1887, Josiah and Caroline Osgood moved to Los Angeles, California, and purchased Lot 13 in Hosmer’s subdivision of the Sierra Madre tract for $550. He joined Stanton Post No. 55, Grand Army of the Republic in Los Angeles, and later was Commander of the post. In 1889, Josiah Osgood transferred his membership in the Military Order of the Loyal Legion from the Massachusetts Commandery to the California Commandery. On 31 July 1890, Captain Josiah Osgood filed for an invalid pension for his service in the Civil War, which was approved. In 1892, Josiah Osgood was a surveyor living at 1415 W. Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles. In 1893, Josiah Osgood joined the Sons of the Revolution in California (CA No. 16) on the service of his ancestor Private Benjamin Osgood (1754-1824). On November 30, 1895, Josiah Osgood became a charter member (GS No. 1199, CA No. 11) of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of California. He served as Gentleman of the Council from 1895-1896, and 1899-1902. In 1900, Josiah and Caroline Osgood were living at 1861 12th Street in Los Angeles, and Josiah was a civil engineer. In 1909, the El Reposo Sanitarium for tuberculosis victims was established in Sierra Madre. Captain Josiah Osgood planned to subdivide portions of the El Reposo Ranch for a village named Havilah to house patients who preferred to bring their families, and be close enough to the sanitarium for medical treatment. After months of illness, Caroline Jenness Osgood died of heart disease on March 3, 1927, at her home in Sierra Madre, California. Josiah Alonzo Osgood died on December 19, 1927, in Sierra Madre, California. He was buried next to his second wife Caroline Osgood in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett, Middlesex County, Massachusetts."