MAJOR WILBUR
FISKE OSBORNE
CIVIL WAR OFFICER
BUSINESSMAN
FATHER
OF
DERBY NECK LIBRARY |
Major Wilbur Fiske Osborne (pictured above) was one of
the great business leaders of the community prior to his death on March
30, 1907. However, his greatest legacy is the Derby Neck Library which
he pioneered through his original work as a teacher in a small mission
school in the Derby Neck section of town. When that school closed, he
and others decided to form a "Circulating Library" for area residents
with the books that had been used in the mission school. That was
accomplished in June, 1897 and eventually resulted in the building of
the Derby Neck Library. The sad part of the story is that he died before
the new library building was completed. His name adorns the front of the
building along with Andrew Carnegie.