Edward A. Moser

They settled in Clay County, Indiana, which is a little over 130 miles east of Maroa, and started raising a family. Did Edward come here because he was born near here? I don't know yet. (see Edgar and Walter's draft cards, below, for birthplace).

Edgar Otto Moser (2 February 1892 - March 1968)

Grace Ann Moser (27 September 1894 - 12 November 1937)

John Walter A. Moser (23 December 1895 - 16 March 1993)

The family then moved to Johnson Township, Clark County, Illinois between December 1895 and September 1898, about forty miles west of Clay County. Mollie had another child.

Homer Allen Moser (September 1898 - 8 March 1918)

The 1900 census was taken three months before Homer's second birthday. Even though there was a three year gap between John and Homer, and over a year and a half between Homer and the 1900 census, Mollie states in the census that she had given birth to four children, and they were all living. Even though there were no stillbirths or infants who died young, Mollie may have miscarried one or two children.

In 1900 Edward is farming his own land, he has no mortgage. He is thirty years old and he states that his parents were born in Germany. His children Edgar and Grace have attended school for seven months of the year. (Enumerated 11 June 1900, ED 8, Sheet 9B, dwelling 177, family 177. Image sourced from Heritage Quest on July 24, 2015).

There was an even larger gap, five years, between Homer and Fay, from 1898 to 1903.

Fay Mary Moser (25 August 1903 - 18 March 1994)

Edith Irene Moser (5 February 1905 - 16 June 1991)

In the 1910 census, the family is still living in Johnson Township, Clark County, Illinois. Edward is employed on a "general farm". They may have moved, because Edward has bought property, but is still paying on the mortgage. The entire family can read and write. All of his children attend school, even Edgar, who is also doing farmwork at 18 years of age. Edward now tells us that his father was born in Switzerland and his mother was born in Germany. The census taker visited them on the 20th of April. They are in dwelling 52, family 52. (ED 10, sheet 3A, image sourced from Heritage Quest on July 24, 2015).

All through the nineteenth century, and the beginning of the twentieth, European political borders shifted constantly. This new detail may help me locate a possible homeland for Edward's parents. I have to find a Swiss - German borderland that shifted between 1900 and 1910.

In 1920, Edward is no longer with his family. Mollie tells the census-taker that she is widowed. We know that he lived until 1956, so where is he? About nines miles north of Johnson Township there is a lodging house at 307 Seventh Street, Casey City, owned by Sarah Houser. She has six lodgers, including one named "Ed Mosier". He is 52 years old, divorced, he can read and write. He was born in Indiana, his father is from Germany and his mother is from Switzerland. They both speak German. He can speak English, and he works for wages as a laborer in an oil field.

(Regarding the parent's birthplace - either the borders shifted again, or, more likely, the data was mixed up. It is entirely possible the data in the 1910 census was incorrect and this 1920 data is correct.)

I can assure the reader, from years of personal experience, that some people have an inexplicable need to add the letter "i" to the name "Moser". Even when you spell it slowly, that extra "i" can turn up. Even after you say "There is no "i" in my name." They still put it in. I can see that Ed fought that hopeless battle as well.

Edward is still living in Casey, but now he is married again. His second wife is named Minnie and he has an eight year old daughter named Betty. He is farming again, on a general farm.