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HARRISON H. MOSSMAN, residing on section 15, Canton Township, youngest son of Hugh and Isabella (Hunter) Mossman, was born in Mercer County, Pa., Nov. 27, 1831. He removed with the family to Illinois in 1846, and to Benton County, Iowa, in 1854. In 1857 he returned to Grundy County, Ill., and engaged in agricultural pursuits. On Sept. 19, 1861, his marriage was celebrated with Samantha J., daughter of Rev. A. G. and Rebecca (Miller) Woods. She was born in Crawford County, Pa., Jan. 17, 1839. Her father was a preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and now resides in Fayette County, Iowa. In 1875 Mr. Mossman removed to Whiteside County, Ill., whence, in March, 1883, he again came to Iowa and settled at Shellsburg, where he now owns ninety acres of land, ten acres of which are in the corporation of Shellsburg. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Mossmnn has been blest with two children — Albert H. and Eva Antoinette. Mr. Mossman is a Republican in political sentiment, but takes no active interest in politics. He has never connected himself with any secret or religious society.
Hugh Mossman, deceased, father of our subject, was a native of Maryland, born in 1783. His parents were Francis and Sarah Mossman. When but a small boy the family moved to Mercer County, Pa., where they were numbered among the pioneers. To be a pioneer in the western part of Pennsylvania at that day, meant hardships and privations such as the pioneers who live in this day can little realize. To get even a pound of tea or coffee, they were compelled to go seventy-five miles through the woods and over the mountains; consequently they were often obliged to do without necessaries from the inability to go after them. Here Hugh Mossman grew to manhood, becoming all the better man for the hardships and difficulties he learned to overcome in his early youth. He married Isabella Hunter, a native of Pennsylvania. She died in 1834, leaving a family of seven children, one of whom died at the age of twelve years. Six are now living — James, Alexander; Sarah, who became the wife of William H. Vaughn; Elizabeth, married to John Gillis; Francis and Harrison H. Mr. Mossman subsequently united in marriage with Esther Coy, and in 1846 moved to Grundy County, Ill., where he was also a pioneer. In 1854 he again became desirous of getting near the frontier, and thus came to Iowa, and settled in Polk Township, Benton County, where he lived the remaining years of his life, his death occurring in 1863. By his second marriage there were five children — William H.; Rebecca, wife of A. B. Moon; Sylvester, Franklin and David L.
Source Citation: "1887 Benton County, Iowa Biographies" [database online] Benton County IAGenWeb Project. <http://iagenweb.org/benton/>
Original data: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Benton County, Iowa." Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1887, p. 211.
Transcribed by: Sue Soden. Submitted to the Benton County IAGenWeb Project on January 28th, 2009. Copyright © 2009 The IAGenWeb Project.
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