Mary Elizabeth Sheffler

Mary Elizabeth is the daughter of Jacob Luther Sheffler and Mary Jane Erret, who married in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania about the year 1858.

The next year Mary Jane bore Ada Jane (1859). They moved to Ohio, where Jacob served as a soldier during the Civil War. Mary Jane had two children: William (1861) and Florence (1863).

Around 1865 the family moved to Marion Township in Owen County, Indiana. They had three more children: John (1866), Alice (1867) and Walter (1870).

Mary Elizabeth may have been born either in Marion Township, Owen County, Indiana or Jefferson Township, Greene County, Indiana. The family lived in Marion, Owen, Indiana during the 1870 census. Her father Jacob died around 1877. It is still unclear if the family moved to Jefferson before or after his death. If before, then it is possible that Mollie, Ella and Rosa may have been born in Jefferson, if after, then Mollie, Rosa and Ella were born in Marion Township, Owen County, Indiana, since they were all born before 1877.

In the 1900 census Mary Elizabeth tells the census-taker she was born in October of 1871. Her younger sister Ella was born about 1872 and Rosa about 1877.

Jacob Luther Sheffler, born about 1838 in Pennsylvania, died about 1877 in Indiana.

Mary Elizabeth, identified as "Mollie", is listed on the 1880 census with her family. Jacob has died, Ada Jane is probably married and moved away. Mary Jane describes herself as a widowed farmer.

Mary Elizabeth is attending school and was born in Indiana. They live in Dwelling 37, the 35th Family visited by the census taker W. A. Harp. Their listing is on page 4, Enumeration District #796, enumerated on the 1st day of June, 1880.

They re-settled in Clay County, Indiana, which is a little over 130 miles east of Maroa, in Macon County and started raising a family. Clay City is almost 50 miles Northwest of Jefferson Township, Indiana. It is closer than Decatur County, Illinois, but still quite far away. (see Edgar and Walter's draft cards, below, for their 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)

On June 11, 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, "Molly", as she is listed on this document, states that she has given birth to four children, and they are all living. Even though there were no stillbirths or infants who died young, Molly may have miscarried one or two children.

In 1900 Edward is farming his own land, he has no mortgage. Molly is 28 years old, and they have been married for ten years. Her parents were born in Pennsylvania. She isn't listed with an occupation. This is typical of this census. In previous censuses, women were often described with the occupation "Keeping House", but by 1900 they have lost even that job. She can read, write and speak English. Her children Edgar and Grace have attended school for seven months of the year. (Enumerated 11 June 1900, ED 8, Sheet 9B, lines 66-71, 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)

Mollie tells the census-taker she is 38 years old, she has been married for 19 years, she has six living children. She was born in Indiana, her parents were born in Pennsylvania. She speaks English, and is the housekeeper in her own home. They live on a family farm, her husband Edward works it and her oldest son Edgar both attends school and works on the farm.

37 1910 Apr 20 Census: United States, Illinois, Clark, Johnson. 1910 Federal Census.

In 1918 tragedy struck the family, Homer died. According to the entry in Find-A-Grave he was a farm laborer and he died in Champaign County, Illinois. He was buried in Restitution Cemetery in Clark County. Find-A-Grave link.

Mary and Edward divorced, and it likely happened between 1917 and 1920. I believe that they were married until at least 1917 because of a detail on a draft registration filled out by her son John Walter. On June 5th, 1917 John writes that he is working as a farm hand for his father, Ed Moser, in Johnson Township on Casey Rt. 3. I know from his own testimony that John deeply disliked his father and it is unlikely he would have been with his father if his parents were not married.

47 1920 Jan 1 Census: United States, Illinois, Clark, Johnson. 1920 Federal.

1930 census.

On November 12th, 1937 her daughter Grace passes away.

1940 census.