Dickinson Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and
Biographical Album of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and
Marion Counties-M. H. Moser
Portrait and Biographical
Album of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and Marion
Counties
Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1893
M. H. MOSER, dealer in real estate and loans,
and senior partner of the firm of Closer &
iB Son, breeders of thoroughbred trotting
horses, is one of the wealthy and representative
farmers of Lyon Township, Dickinson
County. He was born in Mifflin County, Pa.,
August 8, 1834. In his youth, he learned carriage manufacturing
and the blacksmith's trade, which
he followed for several years.
In August, 1862, donning the blue, Mr. Closer
enlisted under Maj. Roystone, commander of the
famous company known as the Pennsylvania
Reserves. He has the honor of being the first
man to enlist in that command. Maj. Roystone
raised two regiments and was made Colonel and
later became General. His regiment was known
as the Bucktail Brigade, and with this company
Mr. Moser participated in seventeen battles, from
that of Chancellorsville to Gettysburg. For his
bravery and valiant service, he was promoted
to the rank of Second Lieutenant, and later to
that of First Lieutenant after being made Captain
by brevet, as the regular Captain was on
detail service. While Captain, he commanded the
company in several engagements, being a number
of times more or less seriously injured. He was
sent out on detailed service in January, 1865,
when Lincoln wanted a reliable brigade to serve
under the command of Gen. Mead for the purpose
of conducting bounty-jumpers and others to Elmira,
N. Y., whence they were to be transferred to
Camp Seward, Auburn, N. Y.
Our subject remained at Syracuse, N. Y., from
that time until the close of the war, receiving his
discharge from the command of the company August
1, 1865. He took a most active part in many
of the battles of the war and had many thrilling
experiences and narrow escapes. At the battle of
Gettysburg, he was three times captured by the enemy
in the course of one day. He was in Gen. Reynolds' corps and was near him when the brave General
was shot. After six weeks of imprisonment, he
was exchanged with other prisoners. He carried
dispatches from Gen. Roystone to Gov. Curtain
while a prisoner on parole. He was one of the
noble defenders of the Flag, serving his country
with marked zeal and fidelity.
After leaving the army, Mr. Moser engaged in
carriage-making at Lewistown, Pa. This occupation
he followed until 1870, and was very successful,
his business amounting to upwards of $80,000
annually. He came to Kansas, buying a farm at
Peabody in 1872, at the same time carrying on a
general wagon and carriage business at Wichita,
which he followed until July, 1887, when he located
at Salina. Kan. For a short time, he resided
there and erected a large store building at that
place at a cost of $42,000. He still owns extensively
in Wichita.
Our subject came to Herington in October, 1888,
buying a farm of eight hundred acres, about a mile
south of the town. He has made extensive improvements
in various directions and has his farm
under a high stale of cultivation. He erected a
barn nearly one hundred feet square at a cost of
$6,000. He owns one of the finest orchards in the
State, forty acres of which are planted in pear trees,
about thirty-four hundred in number. He also
has six hundred cherry trees, six hundred plum,
and twenty-five hundred apple trees. In addition
to these, he has twenty-seven thousand grape vines.
Mr. Moser makes a specialty of fine fruit, having
all the leading varieties which have been thoroughly
tested in this State. The most of his trees
were planted in 1889, and all have done
remarkably well. His farm is considered one of the
finest and best cultivated in this part of the State,
fifty acres being planted in wheat, one hundred
and seventy-five acres being planted in corn, and
the remainder is fine pasture land.
Besides his fruit farm, Mr. Moser is the owner
and breeder of some very fine horses. "George M"
is a beautiful five-year-old horse, making a 2:24
record with less than two weeks' training. He is
shown as No. 1628 on the American trotting record.
His sire is the famous "Brunswick Chief." He
is from the well-known Smoky Hill Stock Farm of
A. E. Ransom, of Salina, Kan. "Slasher" is a five year-
old, Tennessee bred, sired by "Messenger,"
and was purchased in January, 1892, in Memphis,
Tenn. He has been trained but a short time, is a
fine saddle horse, and with sixty days' work made
a record of 2:18. "Roystone" named for Gen.
Roystone, of the famous Camden Bucktail Reserves
of Pennsylvania, is a beautiful four-year-old black
stallion, sired by Jewett's famous Wilkes stallion,
"Patchen Wilkes," of Buffalo, N. Y. Mr. Moser
owns about twelve mares and has a fine track on
the farm for practice. On his farm he has a grand
system for watering stock, having adequate reservoirs
on convenient elevations so that any point
desired may be easily attained.
When twenty-one years of age, Mr. Moser was
united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Soult, but
after about fifteen years of married life she passed
to the home beyond. To them were born two children:
George C, who is a junior partner in the
firm of Moser & Son; and Winona, now the wife
of C. R. Pope, of Ottawa County. Our subject was
twice married, the second time to Lucinda B.
Massey, of South Bend, Ind. Her father has acted
as Sheriff of Wichita. They have one son, Roystone
by name.
Mr. Moser casts his vote with the Democratic
party and is a stanch supporter of its principles.
He was awarded a gold medal for fruit displays at
the Cincinnati Exposition. He has an extensive
knowledge of fruit-growing and has had considerable
experience in this line in Kansas, thoroughly
understanding what fruits are best adapted to this
Stale. When at Wichita, he owned a line orchard
and was prominent in the State and National
Horticultural Societies. It is his present intention to
plant three hundred acres more in fruits. His
farm, which is one of the finest in this section, is
situated on bottom and gently-sloping upland, on
which are located several extensive natural springs,
in this fine meadow land, he keeps from two hundred
to four hundred head of cattle. His barn,
one of the finest in the State, affords stable room
for one hundred horses. He carries on a real-estate
and loan business in Herington, having an office
in a fine two-story building which belongs to him
and which he erected at a cost of about $6,000. He
is widely and favorably known in this State and
has won the reputation of being one of the most
genial and whole-souled men of this section.
(c) 2009 Sheryl McClure for
Dickinson County KS AHGP