William Alexander Osborn
 
Father:   Daniel O. Osborn
Mother:  Sarah M. Murchland

Vital Statistics
 
Born:
Died:
Jul 12, 1876 - Virginia Dale, Larimer Co., CO
May 19, 1941 - Denver, Denver Co., CO
 
Life Events
Marriage: 
  1. Nellie Etta Currier - Dec. 15, 1897, Loveland, Larimer Co., CO (divorced Dec. 1932)
  2. E. H*** - Jan 1933, Kiowa, CO
Children:
bulletErwin Leroy Osborn
bulletSarah Willetta Osborn
bulletWilliam Osborn
 
During his lifetime, William was a plasterer, fire department chief and automobile mechanic.  Born in Virginia Dale in 1876, William was the eldest of six children.  By 1881, the family moved to Berthoud, Larimer Co., CO.  His mother, Sarah ("Sadie") died when William was only nine years old, and two younger siblings had also died.

In 1908, his father, Daniel (and his sons) formed the Loveland-Estes Park Automobile Transportation Company.  The company was the first to operate motor vehicles to the park, and used Stanley Steamers as their automobile, and may have begun the route several years previous to the company's incorporation.  By this time, F.O. Stanley (one of the brothers who invented the Stanley Steamer) had established the famed Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO.  Mr. Stanley soon formed a similar transportation line, and the two companies shared a tent in Estes Park until buildings could be erected.  The roads were very poor, often flooded as it wound right next to the river through a rugged canyon. 
 Will managed the company for a number of years.  There appear to have been many adventures for the entrepreneurs - one such adventure is noted in the Loveland Reporter, July 2, 1908:

MAKES RECORD TRIP FROM LOVELAND TO DENVER

Will Osborn of the Loveland-Estes Park Auto company, made a record run from Loveland to Denver, to Long's Peak Inn and return to Loveland last Saturday from about five o'clock in the morning to ten-o'clock in the evening. Mr. Larimer and a party of six friends arrived in Denver from Chicago last week and wished to go to Estes Park by way of Loveland, and desiring to see the agricultural district between Denver and Loveland, phone for Mr. Osborn to meet them in Denver with an auto.

The distance covered was over 200 miles and they were delayed on the trip by having a puncture and stopping about two hours to repair the tire.

There are also reports of several accidents, some of serious nature.

Will moved to Denver after the company was sold.  He became an auto mechanic there, and one obituary notes that he was the first President of the Auto Mechanics Local, No. 606, and was a life member of Loveland B. P. O. Elks lodge.  He was survived by his second wife, and three children.

 
 
Sources
 
Obituaries:  Rocky Mountain News 5/13/41; Estes Park Trail; 5/16/1941; Loveland Reporter-Herald 5/13/1941
Census:
bullet1880 - Weld County, CO; Dist. 110
bullet1900 - Loveland, Larimer Co., CO; ED 214
bullet1910 - Loveland, Larimer Co., CO; ED 230
bullet1920 - Loveland, Larimer Co., CO; ED 158
City Directories:  Loveland, Larimer Co., CO - 1904, 1906,
Colorado Statewide Business Directory - 1907 - 1916
State of Colorado, Division of Vital Statistics, Marriage Record Reports
HISTORICAL ESTES PARK, A pictorial History of Estes Park, Colorado, pub Feb, 1968 by The Estes Park Trail, Estes Park, Larimer County, CO
Certificate of Incorporation of the Loveland-Estes Park Auto Company (1908, Colorado State Archives)
"Rocky Mountain National Park: A History" by C.W. Buchholtz
"Mr. Stanley of Estes Park" by James H. Pickering

*** Name withheld to respect privacy of known living child

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