Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2014 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== A Standard History of Starke County, Indiana McCormick, Joseph N. - 1915 [232-234] PETER MOSHER. The following sketch contains the important facts in the life and family record of a Starke County citizen whose name has always stood for all that is honest and of good report in this community, for successful thrift and business integrity, for a position which all must respect. The MOSHER family have been Starke County residents since pioneer days, the early generation having made homes out of the wilderness, and PETER MOSHER is himself a product of a log cabin home and a log schoolhouse. His ancestry was that thrifty Dutch stock which settled New York colony, and his grandparents spent all their lives in Oswego County, of New York. JOHN W. MOSHER, father of Peter, was born in Oswego County, June 11, 1823, grew up on a farm, and married ELIZABETH SHOEMAKER, who was born in the same vicinity, November 20, 1824, and likewise represented a family of Dutch antecedents. Her father, ASA SHOEMAKER, spent his life in Oswego County. After their marriage, JOHN W. MOSHER and wife began housekeeping in New York State, but soon moved to Ohio. In Ohio their first son, ALBERT, was born. Eighteen months later the family moved to Whitley County, Indiana, and became pioneers in the wilderness not far from Columbia City. They had a log home, and in those surroundings were born the following children: ASA, HULDAH and Nancy who died as infants; MARY E.; PETER, who was born December 28, 1853; and WILLIAM. When PETER was three years of age the family moved to Starke County in 1856. They arrived in December, about the holiday season, and the father bought eighty acres of wild and unbroken land in section 19 of California Township. The first habitation in this new district was a log cabinn, which some years later was replaced by a more substantial structure. In Starke County were born ALICE and SARAH, the latter deceased. ALICE is married and lives at North Judson, in Starke County. The youngest child of the family was JOHN, who was born in Iowa during the six months the family spent in that state. The daughter MARY, already mentioned, married JOHN FLAGG, of one of the prominent families of Wayne Township. After the family had returned from Iowa they located on a farm in Wayne Township, but subsequently the parents moved to North Judson, where the father died October 1, 1893, when nearly seventy years of age. His wife passed away six years later, January 11, 1899, at the home of their daughter, MRS. FLAGG, in Wayne Township, when seventy-three years of age. They were members of the Christian Church, but later because of a more convenient location joined the United Brethren Church. The father was a democrat in polities. During the Civil war he enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifty-first Indiana Regiment of Infantry, in Company H, but had been out less than a year when the war closed. His sons, ALBERT and ASA, were both veterans of the war. ALBERT was out nearly four years, until the close of the war, took part in many campaigns, and was with SHERMAN on his march to the sea. He had numerous narrow escapes, one shot passing through his cap, and an- other through his knapsack, yet he returned home uninjured, married and became a prosperous farmer, and died two years ago, leaving a widow and three grown children, all of whom are now married. The son, ASA, enlisted at the same time as his brother, and died from typhoid fever while with the army about Vicksburg. At that time he was still under age. Another of the children, JOHN D., is now living on a farm in Pulaski County, Indiana, has married three times and has three sets of children. PETER MOSHER, who was too young for service during the Civil war, grew up on a farm in Starke County, and the schoolhouse from which he received most of his instruction in books was built of logs. For nearly forty years his career has been one of steadily increasing prosperity as a farmer. Since October, 1876, he has owned and occupied the old homestead, located in sections 18 and 19 of California Township. Forty acres lie in section 18, and 124 acres in section 19. However, he has increased the area of the old home, which was eighty acres, and now has one of the best improved and most valuable estates in the township. Much of his land is under cultivation, and one feature is a large grove of native timber. Some years ago he erected a large barn 28 X 40 feet, and some years later constructed an addition 26 x 42 feet. Attached to the barn is a sixty ton silo. All the outbuildings are painted red, and together with the comfortable residence of seven rooms, with an inviting porch in front, the buildings comprise an attractive feature of the local landscape. As a crop grower MR. MOSHER raises all the staple cereals, including cowpeas, and knows all the ins and outs of Starke County farming and how to make it profitable. He feeds stock of all kinds, and for a number of years has operated a small dairy with a herd of eleven cows. On September 10, 1876, MR. MOSHER married in Pulaski County Miss EMMA BLANCHE CAMPBELL. She was born in Pulaski County in 1858, was reared and educated there, and for nearly forty years they have traveled life's highway together and shared all the happiness and service as homemakers and good citizens. MRS. MOSHER is a daughter of PERRY and NANCY (GOBLE) CAMPBELL, who were natives of Ohio and of Scotch stock, but came to Pulaski County, and her father im- proved two good farms from the wild land of that section. Subse- quently they moved to North Judson, where her father died at the age of about seventy-five, and his widow passed away at the home of her daughter, MRS. MAUD THOMPSON, of Huntington, Indiana, when past seventy years of age. MRS. MOSHER has two sisters, MRS. MAUD THOMPSON and ELIZABETH WRIGHT, both married and heads of families, and a brother, ALECK, who is now employed by the Erie Railroad Company in Chicago. To the marriage of MR. MOSHER and wife were born thirteen chil- dren. One son, OLNEY D., died at the age of two years. CHARLES J., a Wayne Township farmer, married KATIE BAUM, and their children are LYDIA and IDA, twins, HERMAN, LEO, GEORGE and LYNN. ORA LEE, whose home is in Crown Point, married AMANDA HIATT, and has three chil- dren, CLEO, RUTH and NELSON. ALICE MAUDE, unmarried, received her education in the Knox High School, finished the normal course at Valparaiso and also a course in the Business College at Indian- apolis, and for the past ten years has been successfully engaged in teaching. ASA G., who lives on a farm in Wayne Township, married MINNIE SARK, of this county. BERTHA, wife of CHARLES O. BROOKE, of Hammond, Indiana, has a son GLENN and a daughter ALICE. ADDIE PEARL is the wife of ANDREW J. CASEY, who is employed with one of the street railway companies of Chicago, and their children are GENEVA and LLOYD, but the latter is deceased. LEONARD is married, and is connected with the Oregon Short Line Railway Company in Idaho, and has a daughter, IRENE D. NANNIE is the wife of WAYNE LANE, and lives in Peru, Indiana, has one daughter, FLORRIS. ETHEL is the wife of HOMER COLLINS, who is a railway man living in Hammond. CLAUDE, still at home, was educated in the public schools. CLYDE finished the grade school course and is at home. GENEVA is still attending the public schools. This is one of the best known family groups in Starke County. MR. MOSHER has long been identified with local affairs and has been one of the leaders in the Starke County democracy. For five years he served as township trustee, and is now in his first term as county commissioner, his term expiring January 1, 1916, and he is a candidate for reelection. His first office in the township was as supervisor, after which he was a member of the township advisory board, was elected to the county council, and then to his present office as county commissioner. PETER MOSHER is one of the men who can be depended upon for cooperation and assistance in any movement designed to improve civic and material conditions in Starke County. The estate of Mr. and Mrs. MOSHER is known as "The Willow Grove Farm." ===========================================================================