Almon Osborn

Almon Osborn’s Silver Spring Farm, ca. 1874

Founder

Almon Osborn was born June 24, 1813, in Rival, Hancock County, Maine. He moved west with his family with several stops, eventually settling in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, in 1835.

He came to Metomen township near Ripon in June 1845 where he was a farmer and the first supervisor of the town of Metomen. His Silver Spring Farm contained the largest spring in the county which is the principal source of Silver Creek.

David P. Mapes wrote in his autobiography “History of Ripon” about when he was soliciting funds from townspeople to help build Brockway (Ripon) College:

“I recollect going to one of our best farmers, Almon Osborne, for a subscription for the college and he put down twenty-five dollars; proud of so liberal a donation, I went to his next neighbor, Julian Rivers, and, presenting the subscription, said, ‘Your neighbor, Osborne, has put down twenty-five dollars.’ Scanning the list a moment, he remarked, ‘Well, put me down for thirty.’ He was not to be outdone by his neighbors, for he burned lime from his quarry and drew it to the site of the building in order that the foundation walls of the first edifice might be laid.”

Osborn moved into Ripon in November 1872 and started selling agricultural implements in March 1879. His son, Porter, maintained the farm.

Osborn died in 1897.