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MOSES CHILSON, a general farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 30, Morning Sun Township, crossed the Mississippi River at Burlington March 9, 1856, and came directly to Louisa County, where he has since made his home. He was born in Woodford County, Ill., Jan. 10, 1832, and is a son of Moses and Mary (Woodcock) Chilson, who were natives of Ohio, and emigrated to Tazewell County, Ill. After their settlement the county was divided, the section they were living in afterward being called Woodford County. This was about the year 1828, and there the family resided until 1837, when the father again decided to go West, and so, acting upon this decision, in company with his wife and seven children, removed to the western part of Arkansas, where his death occurred the following year. Thus upon the mother devolved the care of the family, and she resolved to return to her old home in Woodford County, Ill. The children were as follows: Annie, who became the wife of John D. Long, is now deceased; Luther died at the age of twenty-one; Rebecca departed this life when sixteen years of age; Calvin died at the age of nineteen; Jacob was called to his final rest at the age of twenty-two; John, who enlisted in the 86th Illinois Infantry, after serving two years was taken sick at the great battle of Pea Ridge, and died at Chattanooga, Tenn.; Moses is our subject.
In 1842 Mrs. Chilson, the mother of these children, was again married, becoming the wife of Lewis White, a native of Massachusetts, and by this union one son was born, Henry H., who enlisted in Company I, 8th Missouri Infantry, serving as a regiment bugler, and died at Paducah, Ky. After her marriage the mother removed to Fulton County, Ill., where she remained until the close of the war, and then came to Iowa, making her home with the subject of this sketch until her death, which occurred in 1880. She was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a most estimable lady.
Moses Chilson, our subject, received his education in his native county, where he remained until about fifteen years of age, and then went to Fulton County, Ill., where he again attended the public schools in winter, working in the summer time in the sawmill with his step-father. Remaining in Fulton County, Ill., until 1852, he then went to Peoria County, where he became acquainted with and wedded Miss Rebecca Stafford, a native of Delaware, and a daughter of Balaam Stafford, whose sketch appears with John Stafford on another page of this work.
In Peoria County Mr. Chilson again worked in a sawmill. About this time, his mother again being left a widow, the support of the family devolved upon him, and in 1856 he removed to Louisa County, Iowa, renting a farm that season in Marshall Township. In the autumn of that year he removed to a farm of eighty acres which he had purchased the previous spring in Morning Sun Township, there making his home until 1874. By care and cultivation he soon developed a fine farm, going to the timber and making rails on the shares with which he fenced the land. In 1874 he sold the eighty acres, purchasing 160 acres of prairie land on section 30, Morning Sun Township, and ninety acres of timber in Marshall Township, and again began the development of a farm. Since taking up his residence here Mr. Chilson has had erected a fine farm residence, 36x34 feet, with a cellar under the main building. Two barns have also been built, one 26x28 feet, the other 20x40 feet, with abundant shed room. Upon the farm many shade trees have been set out, and also fruit trees of various kinds, which add greatly to the value of the farm. In 1884, when the Iowa Central Railroad was built through the township, Mr. . . .
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. . . Chilson laid out a town site on the northeast quarter of section 30, township 73, range 4 north. The post-office is known as Marsh, and in 1884 Mr. Chilson was appointed Postmaster. He is also interested in the store at that place.
Eight children have been born to our subject and his wife: James, a farmer of Morning Sun Township, wedded Miss Rachel Miller, a native of Woodford County, Ill., and to them have been born two children—John and Lydia; John, the second child, is deceased; Balaam, a farmer of Marshall Township, married Rettie Gilyeart, a native of Peoria County, Ill., and they are the parents of two children—Annie and Ellen; Mary L. died in infancy; Frances M. also died in infancy; Annie assists her father in the post-office; Amanda died at the age of eight; and Rebecca. Mr. and Mrs. Chilson have given their children good educations, and all are useful men and women. In politics Mr. C. is Republican, has always taken an active interest in political affairs, and has filled various township offices with honor to himself and satisfaction to his constituents.
As a farmer our subject ranks high, and as a stock-raiser he is very successful, having for some years past given his attention to the breeding of fine horses. Mr. Chilson is a self-made man, having gained all that he possesses by his honesty, energy, enterprise and good management, and as a citizen none ranks higher in the respect and esteem of the people.
