of
the Civil War he allowed his cattle to be sold by the tax-collector, not
feeling free to pay the direct war-tax." His biographer enumerates
further his hospitality, his fondness for books, his humor, and mentions
with a pride characteristic of the Quaker that he "was often entrusted
with the settlement of estates, showing the esteem in which his business
capacity and integrity were held by the community."

Richard T. Osborn was the Elder of the Orthodox branch of the Friends
during the same period, subsequent to the Division, as that covered by
David Irish's life. Born in 1816, he was conversant as a child with the
period of the Division. The seceding members of the Meeting met in his
father's house and barn until the Orthodox Meeting House could be
erected on the land upon which, at his marriage in 1842, he erected his
house. Richard Osborn was "the head of his family." Strong of will,
austere, convinced, he lived in the world of Robert Barclay and William
Penn, and for years never hesitated to rebuke young or old Quakers or
"world's people," whom he found violating "the principles of truth." A
summer boarder who played a violin upon his premises was silenced, and
the singing of a hymn in the Meeting House of which he was Clerk was
once sternly "testified against."

But Richard Osborn was kindly. He had a gentle and appreciative humor;
and about 1890 there come influences in the presence of neighbors to
whom he was strongly drawn, as well as the constant presence in his
house of boarders from New York; so that his later years were spent in a
mellower interest in dogma, and an ever keener interest in the history
of Quakerism and of the community in which he lived. His wife, Roby, was
a Quakeress of rare sweetness and exquisite gentleness of character.
Together this strong, dominating man and his gentle wife constituted an
influence, while they lived, which held the community together, and
disseminated their principles more successfully than if he had been
eloquent, instead of terse, and she an evangelist instead of a meek and
demure Quakeress.

These persons were conspicuous examples of the best social product of
Quaker Hill. They were not famous, nor great. Their philosophy was one
of self-repression and required them to reduce their lives and those of
other men to mediocrity. Quaker Hill taught and practiced the prevention
of pauperism--and the prevention of genius! The ideals of the place
discouraged higher ed