Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 384
PETER MUSSER, President of the Musser Lumber Company, of Muscatine, Iowa, is a native of Lancaster County, Pa., and was born at Adamstown, on the 22d of February, 1826. His parents were Peter and Elizabeth ( Adams ) Musser, who were also natives of Pennsylvania. The father was born in Berks County, and was of Swiss descent, while the mother was born in Lancaster County, and was of Scotch-English origin. Our subject was reared in his native county, and on attaining manhood engaged in the tanning and leather business in Schuylkill County, in company with his elder brother Richard. He continued in that business for about six years, and in October, 1854, emigrated to Iowa, locating in Iowa City. The following year in company with his brother Richard and Edward Hoch, he opened a lumber-yard at Muscatine, under the firm name of Hoch & Musser. One year later the firm established a branch yard at Iowa City, of which Mr. Musser had the management until April, 1864, when he went to California. He crossed the plains with teams, and was subjected to considerable hardship from exposure to raids by hostile Indians, and for the want of water. Reaching California he engaged in mining, and being so well pleased with the country and its prospects, returned to Iowa in the fall of the same year for his family. In the spring of 1865, in company with his wife and one child, he emigrated to California by way of New York and the Isthmus of Panama. The succeeding four years were spent in mining, and in October, 1869, the family returned to Iowa.

In 1870 Mr. Musser joined his brother Richard, his nephew, P. M. Musser, and C. R. Fox, in the organization of the lumber firm of Musser & Co., the sketch of which appears elsewhere in this work, and with that company he has been connected continuously since. On its incorporation he was chosen President, and yet retains that position. In early life he was a Whig in political sentiment, but on the disruption of that party he joined the Republicans, and has since been a stanch supporter of the principles advocated by them. Mr. Musser is a well known and highly respected citizen of Muscatine, and the important corporation of which he is the head ranks among the leading lumber firms on the Middle Mississippi.

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