Guide to the Edmonds and Osborne family papers, 1893-2012

(bulk 1904-1964)

Special Collections, James P. Adams Library
Rhode Island College
600 Mount Pleasant Ave
Providence, RI, 02908
Tel: 401-456-8380
email:digitalcommons@ric.edu

Published in 2023

Collection Overview

Title:	Edmonds and Osborne family papers
Date range:	1893-2012, (bulk 1904-1964)
Creator:	Osborne, Eileene.
Extent:	2.2 cubic feet.
Abstract:	The collection contains the collected papers of the Edmonds family, which includes photographs and documents that reflect the day-to-day lives of a family of color in Rhode Island in the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth century.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	Special Collections, James P. Adams Library
Collection number:	MSS-0027

Scope & content

This collection contains personal photographs and documents of the Edmonds family including letters, deeds, receipts, genealogy, church programs of Eileene Osborne’s choir performances, a map of Providence, and a family Bible.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Edmonds, Ada
• Edmonds, Franklin
• Osborne, Eileene
• Edmonds, Clifford
• Gross, Carl R. (Carl Russell), 1888-1971

Subject Topics

• African Americans -- Rhode Island -- History
• Rhode Island/Local Interest
• Social Life and Customs
• Genealogy
• African Americans

Geographical Names

• East Providence (R.I.)
• Providence (R.I.)

Document Types

• Church programs
• Invoices
• Correspondence
• Photographs
• Family archives

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in the following series:

• Series 1: Scrapbooks, photographs, and postcards; 1894-2007
• Series 2: Personal papers; circa 1893-2000
• Series 3: Eileene Osborne papers; 1936-2012

Biographical/Historical Note

Franklin Edmonds was born in Virginia in 1874 to Mariah Fairfax and Thomas Edmonds, who were both formerly enslaved persons. Ada Russell was born in 1873, also in Virginia. Franklin Edmonds, along with some of his brothers, moved to Rhode Island when the company decided to ship raw cotton to have it processed in the local mills. Franklin eventually found work as a longshoreman.

It is unclear when or how Ada’s family moved to Rhode Island, however she worked as a maid when she first came to Providence. It is also unclear how Ada and Franklin met, but they were married August 13, 1896. The couple resided at 93 Benevolent Street in Providence for some time, and eventually bought, or built, a house, at 139 Leonard Ave in East Providence, moving the family there in the early 1900s.

Ada and Franklin had 10 children: Mable (1898-1953), Clifford (1899-1985), Maude Iolina (1901-1963), Ernest (1902-1902), Norris (1903-1977), Norton (1905-1906), Lindsey (1906-1987), Hope (1907-1949), Marion Ruth (1908-1914), and Dorothy (1911-1986).

Eileene (Grayson Hosley) Osborne was born September 20, 1928 in New Haven, CT, to Maude (Edmonds) Grayson, daughter of Ada and Franklin. Maude and Eileene moved to Providence in 1937. Eileene graduated Hope High School in 1947 and married Royal Hosley in 1949. The couple had two sons, but divorced in the 1950s. Eileene was the first member of the Baptist Church in North Attleboro, Massachusetts and sang in many church choirs throughout Rhode Island. She additionally sang at inaugurations and ceremonies for former Mayor Vincent “Buddy” Cianci of Providence, Rhode Island. In 1971, she married Clay Osborne, a local jazz musician, and the couple were married until his death in 2006. Eileene Osborne died on November 4, 2019.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	The collection is open for research.
Use of the materials:	Researchers are advised to contact Rhode Island College Special Collections for questions regarding permissions to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise publish material from this collection. Although Rhode Island College has physical ownership of the collection, it does not necessarily hold literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Alternate form:	This collection has not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact the Rhode Island College Special Collections.
Preferred citation:	Edmonds and Osborne family papers, MSS-0027, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College.
Contact information:	Special Collections, James P. Adams Library Rhode Island College 600 Mount Pleasant Ave Providence, RI, 02908 Tel: 401-456-8380 email:digitalcommons@ric.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	The collection was a gift of Eileene Osborne and James R. Hosley, III in 2010.
Custodial history:	Some of the materials in this collection were found in Clifford Edmonds’ home after his death. His surviving family members collected the materials and began researching their family history and genealogy.
Processing information:	The collection was initially processed and described in 2019 by Patricia McIvor and Marlene Lopes, Special Collections Librarian at Rhode Island College. At that time, materials were removed from scrapbooks and rehoused in polyester viewing folders. The original order and arrangement of these materials was retained. The collection was redescribed, some photographs put into new archival enclosures, and items reboxed in 2023 by Special Collections intern, Melissa Moniz, under the supervision of Digital Archivist and Special Collections Librarian, Veronica Denison.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Melissa Moniz and Veronica L. Denison.
Encoding:	This finding aid was encoded by Veronica L. Denison, 2023
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Location/Existence of copies:

This collection has not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact the Rhode Island College Special Collections.

Inventory

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