(Nov. 15, 1898-Aug. 30, 1986). Born in Guyana, South America, Benjamin A. (Doc) Osborne came to the United States in 1922. He became a chiropractor, graduating from the United States College of Chiropractic in 1926. He came to Indianapolis in 1932 and set up a practice here. He married Edna Dickinson; the couple had two daughters.
Osborne was the trustee in Marion County from 1965 until 1986. A Democrat, he served five consecutive terms of four years each.
He often was controversial and outspoken in his opinions. During his tenure as trustee, Osborne led constant campaigns to raise local spending and improve services for the poor. Other local officials and clients continually accused Osborne’s administration of poor management and inefficiency. The had to replenish his budget several times. Due to his overspending in 1969, the federal government cut off poor relief funds to 26 Indiana counties. Osborne, however, succeeded in expanding the trustee’s staff and budget and purchased the former Mayflower building to provide educational services.
In 1984, he was the oldest delegate to attend the Democratic National Convention. A bid for an unprecedented sixth term in office ended when he died before the election. At the time of his death, Osborne held the longest service record of any Black official in Indiana and was the oldest active trustee in the state.
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