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- Oscar M. Coburn grew up in the community where his parents had settled when he was a child (Scioto, OH), and got his education from the rural schools. He was not yet seventeen when the war broke out, but he became one of the many boy volunteers who bore the brunt of the task of putting down the rebellion. In August, 1861. he enlisted in Company E of the Thirty- third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was with his command in its various skirmishes, battles and marches until the battle of Perryville, Kentucky. There he received a severe wound, was taken to the hospital at Louis ville, and was given an honorable discharge, February 27. 1863. Not yet satisfied with soldering, he again enlisted May 9, 186:5, this time in Battery F of the First Ohio Heavy Artillery. He went by rail to Lex ington, Kentucky, and thence marched to Knoxville, Tennessee, where he arrived the same month, being made corporal in his company. He had been in Knoxville only a short time when he was one of six detailed by General Schofield for secret service. This squad, commanded by George W. Kirk, crossed the mountains to North Carolina, their pur pose being to discover a feasible route for an army. A Cherokee Indian was secured for a guide, but lost his way, and for three days theywandered in the mountains without food. Many of the loyal moun taineers joined in the expedition and piloted the way to Camp Vance, where 354 Confederates were guarding 398 Union prisoners. On reach ing that place. Captain Kirk, who then had about ninety men around him, concluded to capture the prison camp. Young Coburn was detailed to take a flag of truce into the camp and demand its surrender. he got into the camp at daybreak while its commander was still in bed. He gave the commander five minutes to answer his demand for sur render, and after a hurried consultation the demand was complied with.
While these things were going on, young Coburn was too busy to write home, and his mother had addressed a letter of inquiry which fell into the hands of Capt. A. B. Cole, of Company F, First Ohio Heavy Artillery, and his reply to her in a letter which she carefully preserved, is an interesting document in Mr. Coburn 's career, and the substance of it is copied as follows: The latter was addressed from Knoxville, August 2, 1864, and reads as follows: "Your note to the Christian Commission was put in my hands this moment by one of the agents. You seek information of your son Oscar M. Coburn of my Company F, 1st O. V. H. A. I am surprised at this, for I had supposed that Oscar was very prompt in writing to his friends, and if he was not I know no good reason why you or any of his friends should hesitate for a moment to ask information of his captain, or rather of his former captain, for I am no longer so. Oscar is a first lieutenant in the Third North Caro lina Cavalry. Oscar is in excellent good health and in fine spirits, and is a number one soldier. He was in my tent until 11 o'clock last night, and went to town but a few moments since on business for his regiment. We the officers of his former regiment bought and presented him a sword. He is very well liked by his new friends. He went to North Carolina with Colonel Kirk of the Third North Carolina Mounted In fantry on his great raid when they captured Camp Vance and 300 prisoners. They had no white flag to send in when they made the demand for the surrender. Col. Kirk tore the tail or skirt from his shirt, and Oscar carried it in and made the demand for the surrender, which was complied with. In conclusion I would say that Oscar is very capable of taking care of himself, and you should give yourself no unnecessary anxiety on his account," etc.
As the letter explains, after the capture of Camp Vance, Mr. Coburn and his comrades returned to the battery at Knoxville, and soon after ward he was commissioned lieutenant of Company D of the Third North Carolina Mounted Infantry. On December 20, 1864, he was wounded at the battle of Indian Creek. North Carolina, and for thirty-six yearscarried the bullet in his body. At the close of hostilities he resigned his command and returned to the homestead farm in Ohio. After his marriage he began his career as an independent farmer on rented land at Lueasville, but two years later bought a sawmill and was a lumber manufacturer two years. His chief business, however, con tinuing for twenty-five years was as contractor in the building of roads, railroads, bridges and similar construction work. He then entered the merchandise business in Harrisonville and in Harpster, Wyandotte County, for a year, following which for two years he operated a roller flour mill at. Stockdale, in Pike County. He next began investing in farm lands, buying a farm in Madison Township, and in time had about 600 acres. His home was in the country until 1895, when he moved to Portsmouth, bought a house on Summit Street and some unimproved land, and after making some improvements sold and bought l'-> acres of the Young homestead, where he lived until October, 1914, when he moved to New Boston, Ohio. Mr. Coburn has laid out in lots and sold a portion of this city property. At present his only business is in looking after his private interests.
On July 24, 1867, Mr. Coburn married Elizabeth Deemer, who was born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Jacob and Susan (Bonzoe) Deemer, natives of the same county. Grandfather Deemer was a native of Germany, while Grandfather Bonzoe was born in France. Mrs. Coburn 's parents settled in Madison Township, Scioto County, on a farm, in 1857, and her father died the same year. Her mother died at the Coburn home in 1884 in her eighty-seventh year. Mr. Coburn and wife have reared five children - La Luna M., Lizadore. Ida Florence, Oscar M. and Ernest H. Laura is the wife of John R. Monroe, and their five children are Ida F., who married John Spry and has two daughters, Goldie and Charlotte; Enid, who married Sylvane Portee, and has a son Cullen ; John ; Edith and Harlan. The daughter Lizadore married John S. Violet, and their four sons are Raymond D., Charles J., Forest C. and Arlin. The daughter Ida is the wife of William M. Brown, and has a daughter Wilma. Oscar M.. Jr., married May Wheeler. Ernest married Ethel Dugan.
For many years Mr. Coburn took a prominent part in the affairs of the Grand Army. He was a charter member of Bailey Post No. 164, and later organized Scioto Post at Harrisonville. He is affiliated with the Harrisonville Lodge of Knights of Pythias. He was reared in the Presbyterian Church, while Mrs. Coburn is of the Lutheran Church.
(from A Standard History of The Hanging Rock Iron Region of Ohio, Eugene Willard, Vol II, 1816)
Oscar and three of his brothers were soldiers in the Civil war. Thomas was killed at the battle of Fredericksburg, another died at Lexington, Kentucky, while Harvey, who enlisted at the first call and fought in the first Bull Run, was honorably discharged and while coming home was crippled in a railway accident.
Oscar Coburn, 5, living with his parents in the 1850 census.
In the 1899 directory of Scioto County there is an O.M. Coburn, Scioto listed as a member of the Deputy State Supervisors of Elections https://archive.org/details/directoryofports00mitc/page/n11/mode/2up?q=coburn.
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1844 - 1921 (76 years)
