A Thousand Years of Osmond History

A Pictorial History of the Osmonds of England and the United States

Osmond Family Organization – August 2009

Written by: Alan & Suzanne Osmond Researched by: Clayton & Ethel Brough

Artwork by: George Virl Osmond Sr. Design by: Alex Osmond

Publishedby:OsmondNetworkLLC–©2009http://osmond.net

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The Name of Osmond

Osmanville, Normandy, France, has existed for hundreds of years. (Google Map)

The name “Osmund” apparently developed from a pre-seventh century Olde English personal name that combined “os” – or “god”, with “mund” - “protection”, thereby meaning “God Protector”. During the 700’s to the 1000’s, the Osmund surname appeared in parts of western and northern Europe. Following the Norman conquest of England in 1066 AD, the Osmund name spread across England during 1100 to 1600. Over hundreds of years, the Osmund name took on several variants – including Osemund and Osman – but by the late 1700’s the name was widely known and spelled as “Osmond” throughout the British Isles.

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The Beginning of the Osmonds

The story of the Osmonds begins with the Norman invasion of England. In the Fall of 1066 AD, William the Duke of Normandy (1027-1087), crossed the English Channel with about 600 ships and 12,000 men. At the Battle of Hastings, William – who was known as William the Conqueror – defeated King Harold of England and his Anglo-Saxon forces. On Christmas Day, 1066, William was crowned King of England, and he eventually rewarded his Norman supporters with large grants of land and important positions.

Dominions of William the Conqueror

William the Conqueror (Lichfield Cathedral)

St. Osmund was a Norman priest and chaplain to William the Conqueror

(St. Mary’s Winkfield, Berkshire)

Osmund of Normandy, was a Norman priest and chaplain to William the Conqueror. Osmund was reportedly the son of Henry, Count of Seez, and Isabella, daughter of Robert, Duke of Normandy, who was the father of William the Conqueror. Osmund accompanied his uncle, William the Conqueror, during the Norman conquest of England, and was eventually appointed Chancellor of England (1072-1078) and Bishop of Salisbury (1078-1099). Osmund died on December 3, 1099. On January 1, 1457, Osmund was canonized as “St. Osmund” by Pope Callixtus III, and his feast day is December 4th.

St. Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury, England

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Statue of St. Osmund on an outside wall of St. Osmund’s Catholic Church,

Salisbury, England

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Osmonds of Salisbury Cathederal, England

William Osmond Sr. (1790-1875)

William Osmond Jr. (1821-1890)

Salsbury Cathedral was built in 1220-1258 AD. It has Britain’s tallest spire – of 404 feet, and largest Cathedral Close – covering 80 acres. It also contains Europe’s oldest working clock – made in 1386, and displays the best preserved of only four surviving original Magna Carta (1215 AD.) Throughout the centuries many Osmond families have lived and worshiped in Salisbury – including the two William Osmonds whose memorials are displayed (right) in Salisbury Cathederal. (Photos of St. Osmund and Salisbury churches were taken by Bev Bowerman and Bev Looker in June 2009)

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Past Displays of Osmond Coat of Arms Osmond Coat of Arms: Burke (1884): “Or [gold], on a pile [wedge-shaped] figure pointing downward, az [azure or blue], an eagle displ. [an Eagle displayed as shown by Fairbairn] in chief [upper part] of the field [surface of a shield] a fesse [space between two horizontal lines drawn across the field, occupying from a third to a fifth part of the sheild] erm [representation of fur-consisting of white field black spots].”

Osmond Coat of Arms: Burke’s (1884) and Fairbank’s (1905): “Crest – out of a mount [small hill, on which crests are represented] vert [green], a perch [horizontal pole provided as a roost for birds] sa. [sable or black], thereon an eagle displayed erm [representation of fur-consisting of a white field with black spots].

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Osmond Coat of Arms and Shield

Osmond “Coat of Arms” Osmond Coat of Arms “Shield”

In July 2009, the Osmond Family Organization asked two professionals to accurately recreate the Osmond “Coat of Arms” and Shield”. John M. Kitzmiller, a well-respected professional Heraldist and Medieval Genealogist, drew the Osmond “Coat of Arms” (Above left). Then, using Mr. Kitzmiller’s drawing, Juan Maeestas, a professional graphic artist, computerized the “Shield” part of the Osmond Coat of Arms (above right).

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Osmonds of Burford, Oxfordshire, England

Inside St. John the Baptist

St. John the Baptist, Burford

St. John the Baptist, Burford

Elaborate stone tombs emerged in the 1600’s The Magnificent church of St. John the Baptist in Buford, Oxfordshire, England, is almost of cathedral-like proportions, and was built from around 1175 AD. Early Norman construction is evident at the base of the tower, and the upper part of the tower and the spire dates back to the 1400’s. (Photos taken by Bev Bowerman & Bev Looker in May 2009.)

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Osmonds of Burford, Oxfordshire, England

Graves surround St. John the Baptist, Burford Churchyard graves of St. John

the Baptist

During the 1500’s and 1600’s, a number of Osmond families resided in the Burford area, and their children were buried in the churchyard of St. John the Baptist, including John Osmund (1575-1633) and his great-grandson, George Osmund (1663-1694). (Photos taken by: Bev Bowerman and Bev Looker in May 2009)

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Osmonds of Bicester, Oxfordshire, England

St. Edburg, Bicester

St. Edburg dates from the 1100’s

Bicester Parish Church is dedicated to St. Edburg, a Saxon saint of local fame who may have been a grand-daughter of Alfred the Great. The original churchyard is no longer used for burials and many of the headstones have been taken up and placed around the outside of the church.

Photos of St. Edburg taken by: Bev Bowerman and Bev Looker in May 2009

St. Edburg’s original churchyard is no longer used for burials and many headstones have

been removed.

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Johannes Osmond, Vicar of Bicester

Johannes Osmond was Vicar of St. Edburg, Bicester, from 1349 to 1355.

Vicars of Bicester

From1349to1355aJohannesOsmondservedasVicarofSt.Edburg,Bicester,Oxfordshire,England.

Photos taken inside St. Edburg’s by: Jim and Kathryn Stout in March 2009.)

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George Osmond Sr. Gravesite in St. Edburg, Bicester

George Osmond Sr. (1808-1860) was a Solicitor (or Lawyer) in Bicester, Oxford, England. George Sr. was the father of George Osmond Jr. (1836-1913), but never married his son’s mother, Nancy Ann Canham. George Osmond Sr. was buried on 6 December 1860 at St. Edburg, Bicester, and the inscription on his gravestone reads: “Sacred to the Memory of George Osmond Esq. who departed this life on the 1st day of December 1860. Aged 52 years.

Photos taken by: Jim and Kathryn Stout for the OFO in March 2009.

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Osmond Pedigree and Descendants

The above Osmond Pedigree and Descendants was published in March 2009.

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This diagram shows the range of generations in which you may have shared a common ancestor.

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Descendants of George Henry Osmond George Henry Osmond 1839-1894) and Annie Jarvis (1855-1953) lived in Oxford, England, where George Henry Osmond was a well-respected Gold Jeweler. At the time of the 1891 British Census, George Henry Osmond and his family were residing at: 118 St. Aldate Street, St. Martin Parish, Oxford.

L-R Back Row: Ronald George Osmond (1884-1947). Henry Cecil Osmond (b. 1883); L-R Front row: Frederick William Osmond (1888-1973). Ann Jarvis Osmond (mother, 1855-1935). Mary Jane Levett (wife of Henry Cecil Osmond).

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George Osmond Jr. and his two Wives.

George Osmond is buried alongside his first wife, Georgina Huckvale, in Bloomington, Idaho.

Amelia Jacobsen Osmond, the second wife of George Osmond Jr., is buried in

Afton, Lincoln Co., Wyoming.

George Osmond Jr. was born in London, England, on 23 May, 1836, as the son of George Osmond Sr. and Nancy Ann Canham. George Jr. joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in London in 1850, and emigrated to the United States in 1855. In 1855, George Osmond married Mary Georgina Huckvale in St. Louis, Missouri, and they eventually settled in Idaho where they were the parents of ten children. In 1881, George Osmond married his second wife, Christena Amelia Jacobsen, and they eventually settled in Wyoming where they were the parents of seven children. He was a successful farmer, rancher and businessman, a probate judge in Idaho, a state senator in Wyoming, and a beloved LDS Stake President of Star Valley, Wyoming, from 1892 until his death in 1914.

George Osmond Jr. 1836-1913)

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Rulon Osmond & Agnes LaVerna Van Noy

Agnes LaVerna Van Noy and Rulon Osmond were married in 1913 in Salt Lake City, Utah

Rulon Osmond 1893-1917

The Family of Rulon Osmond (1893-1917) L-R: Cora, Agnes LaVerna, Rulon Jr., George V., Ralph J. Osmond

Rulon Osmond was born on 17 August 1893 in Afton, Wyoming, as the fourth son of George Osmond Jr. and (George’s second wife) Christena Amelia Jacobsen. Rulon Osmond married Agnes Laverna Van Noy in 1917 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Rulon and Agnes had three sons: Rulon Van Noy Osmond (1914-2001), Ralph Jacobson Osmond (1915-1977), and George Virl Osmond (1917-2007) On 24 November 1917, Rulon suffered a fatal accident while helping others obtain wood from a nearby mountain. In 2008, Cora (Bell) Wlizabeth Neymond Osmond (b. 1926) was “sealed” (LDS) to Rulon and Agnus LaVerna Osmond.

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Osmonds in America & England

American Family of Rulon Osmond (1893-1917) & Agnus LaVerna Van Noy (1892-1985) includes: Rulon Van Noy Osmond Jr. (1914-2001), Ralph Jacobson Osmond (1915-1971). George Virl Osmond (1917-2007), and Cora (Bell) Wlizabeth Neyman Osmond b. 1925)

Lynne Osmond & Pamela Osmond are sisters who were born in England and contributed much to Osmond History!

Rulon Van Noy Osmond & Norma Kennington

Ralph Jacobson Osmond & Lydia Tullis

George Virl Osmond & Olive May Davis Osmond

Cora (Bell) Elizabeth Neyman Osmond & Dell Francis Thinnes

Lynne Osmond

Pamela Osmond

19Love at Home “ALTIORAPETIMUS”

”We Seek Higher Things”

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Osmond Brothers - Andy Williams-1962

Osmond Brothers Quartet Ogden, Utah 1957

On Alan’s Birthday 1960 Osmond Brothers were

predicted to be 1970 world champions by

SPEBSQSA On TV for 7 years “If we did something New!”

Alan composed and wrote many songs.

Mother & Father were always there for us!

Jimmy began singing at 3 yrs old and got our first Gold Record

singing in Japanese! Osmonds danced and played many musical instruments!

Brothers went Country and had their own Osmond Family Theater in Branson, Missouri.

Brother Tom – a Full time Mailman!

Fan Club & Teen Magazines

1st Deaf Missionaries!

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(aka:TheOsmondFoundation)

GeorgeVirlOsmondJr.hasalwaysbeentheorganizeroftheOsmondFamilyHistoryandphotos.Wegivethankstohimformakingthisprojectavailableforpublisjing.

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Rulon Robert (Bob) Osmond

Donald Clark Osmond

Alan Ralph Osmond

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