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Osborn was born at Columbus, Ohio, May 21, 1821;  educated at the Ohio University at Athens, studied law with his brother, Honorable John R. Osborn, of Norwalk, who was a leading lawyer of Huron County and later at Toledo, and for years was counsel for the Wabash and other railroads running in and out of Toledo, the city on the Maumee;  and William came to Ashland in 1847 and began the practice of the law.  He varied his legal work with other engagements, and from 1853 to 1856 edited the Ashland Times, and in a large measure made and led public opinion.  He was in some sense the best cultured to Ashland's bar.

Osborn was of the Whig school of politics, but on the dissolution of the Whig party easily and naturally allied his political fortunes with the Republican party, and as editor of the Times and leading writer thereon, he did much to advance the cause of the party of his choice.  The county, however, was strongly Democratic, as well as the district, judicial, senatorial and congressional.  And so in the earlier years he did not essay to reach political place or station.  He bided his time educating the people through the press and otherwise.

The great war came on.  He was not physically such a man as would make a soldier but he did good service in a clerical and accounting capacity with Col. J.D. Stubbs, a quartermaster of the army, while the latter was stationed at Nashville, Tenn.  His services to the Colonel were very valuable and well appreciated.  And gradually a change was taking place and it seemed possible to elect a Republican as Common Pleas Judge in the subdivision composed of Ashland, Morrow and Richland.  The Hon. Geo. W. Geddes was renominated by the Democratic party and William Osborn by the Republicans.  Clouds were beginning to obscure the bright prospects of Geddes, and to his surprise and somewhat to his mortification, the people chose Osborn as his successor.  In the term commencing February, 1867 Geddes immediately resigned and Osborn served longer than a full term of five years.  No one ever questioned his integrity.  In every fiber of his head and heart were woven the strong silken threads of judicial honesty.  He was of spare build, slender, delicate rather than strong physically, a close student, industrious, careful in his living, not convivial, but devoted to his friends, a loving husband and father and counted among his friends not only those who agreed with him politically, but also those who differed with him.  He was a careful, conscientious lawyer and, putting on the gown of the judge, still more careful and conscientious.  In fact, if he had a fault or failing, it was this, that fearing by some possibility he might err in judgment and so injustice be done, he hesitated somewhat in reaching conclusions and that hesitation, born of conscience may some time have led him astray and into unintentional error, but this must always be recorded of him, that in his heart he was an upright judge.  He passed away in his 58th. year, not by any means an old man either.  He left a wife and three daughters surviving him but no sons, but the daughters are of the helpful number of very useful women in their day and generation.