George and Hannah Brown Mossman
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George and Hannah Brown Mossman
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Alternate Spellings - Mossman, Mosman Links - Willits (Isaac), Willits (Thomas), Woodward Web Site for ancestry of Mary Thornbrough Brown, mother of Hannah, Davis (for Van Eaton), History of Hardin County, Iowa, 1883, Past and Present of Hardin County, Iowa, 1911. Contacts - Patti Peters is descended from Eleanor Mossman, sister of George Mossman, and contributed information for this page. Kathy O'Connell is descended from Eli Cook Mossman, son of George and Hannah. Also see Patti and Kathy's Web Site Pages - Photo and Biography of Hannah Brown Mossman, Mossman-Ballard Time Line, Mossman descendancy page, and Chronology of Isaac V. Mossman |
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The History of Hardin County Iowa, 1883 contains a brief biography of George Mossman: "George Mossman was born in Grayson County, Virginia, July 28, 1804. He was married there in 1822 to Hannah Brown, who was born in Grayson County Virginia, June 22, 1805. They afterward moved to Wayne County, Indiana, and then to LaPorte County, Indiana, and St. Joseph County, Indiana; at one time owned the present site of LaPorte, Indiana, and built the first frame house in that town. He came to Tipton Hardin County, Iowa in the fall of 1854, and the spring following entered land in this township. He took an active part in the organization of the Hardin County Agricultural Society, being its first President. He died October 22, 1870." The above history misses a stop by the Mossmans in Mercer County, Illinois, before moving to Hardin County, Iowa. The omission is somewhat rectified in the biographies of Eli Cook Mossman and Samuel Mossman, sons of George and Hannah, which do mention Mercer County, Illinois. (See the 1883 Hardin County History linked at the top of the page.) We have included this family in the New Boston and Eliza Township pages because there were connections with families who lived in that area, and some interesting connected pieces of history. Patti Peters has the 1840 Census Record for George and Hannah in Mercer County on her Web Site (linked above). It contains an interesting correlation of the census record with the actual birthdates of the family, and documents the death of a son Aaron. In the 1850 census the family is found in Township 13 North, Range 5 West: George Mossman, 45, blacksmith, property value $3000, born Virginia; Hannah, 44, born Virginia; Eli Cook Mossman, 20, blacksmith, born Virginia; Isaac, 19, farmer, born Indiana; George, 15, farmer, born Indiana; Henry Clay, 12, born Indiana; Mary, 10; Samuel, 8; Archibald, 6; and Jackson, 3, all born Illinois. Patti tells us there was another child, Eleanor, born 6 March 1852 who evidently died young. On the 3rd day of March 1845, George Mossman ( signature above) submitted an accounting of blacksmith work into the estate of Isaac Willits in Mercer County - it is an interesting piece of history: of items used, of prices for work, and of the barter system (cash was a nearly nonexistent item in this location at this time): Isaac Willits to G. Mossman, Dr (debit) July 22nd 1840 to work on axe - .50 July 27th to smith work - .37 1/2 Sept 5th to several jobs - .56 1/4 Sept 22nd to work - .50 Nov 20th shoeing black mare - .50 Nov 26th shoeing sorrel horse - 1.00 Dec 1st making large bolt - .25 Dec 7th shoing viz behind - .50 (not sure what this item is?) Aug 4 1841 Cuting & setting 4 tine - 3.00 (to make a rake?) Aug 4 bands, nails, and hammer strap - .75 Sept 15th ironing well bucket - 1.50 Sept 15th work on matic & plow - .56 1/4 (not sure what "matic" is - the word is close to mattock, a type of hoe?) Sept 15th mending chane & opening - .25 Jan 5 1842 Shoeing horse & mare - 2.00 Jan 13th making slay irons - 1.25 (probably sleigh or sled runners - sleighing was a popular pastime in the winter in Mercer County). Total - $13.50 By Credit - 9.99 Balance - $3.51 Isaac Willits Cr (Credit) By 60 lbs of flour at 1 3/4 - $1.05 By order to store of Drury and Willits - 3.00 By cash - 1.00 By sow and pigs - 4.50 By 22 lbs of flour - .44 Total - $9.99 Personally appeared before me George Mossman who being duly sworn deposes and says that the above account is just and correct and that there is a balance of $3.51 due and as yet unpaid. /s/ George Mossman Sworn to before me this 3rd day of March 1845 /s/ John W. Nevius, J.P. There is another interesting document, excerpts furnished to us by Patti Peters: A letter was written in 1852 from Keithsburg by George Mossman to Ezekiel Pilcher (nephew). It reads in part "...we had that good Doctor our oald friend Thomas Willits his one of the Best men in our Country he Sends his Best respects and well wishes to you all... ." Another part of the letter reads "I gladly Imbrace the present opertunity of Sending you a few lines to inform you that we are in tolerable helth except my wife She was confined on the 6th of this instance and has a find dughter and calles it Elleanor after your mother She had bin verry weakley for a long time and i was verrry fraid I should lose her... ." The whole letter is at Patti's Web Site (links above). This is the source of knowing that George and Hannah had another daughter Eleanor, not found in other records. She may have been buried in Mercer County but a tombstone does not now exist. From the Timeline of Patti Peters and Kathy O'Connell (linked above) we learn that Hannah Brown and George Mossman were married August 22, 1822, in Grayson County, Virginia. We learn that the parents of Hannah Brown were Samuel Brown and Mary Thornbrough, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Thornbrough, of Chester County, Pennsylvania, Guilford County, North Carolina, and Wayne County, Indiana. This was a revelation, as it makes Jill Martin and Nadine Holder, creators of this Web Site, cousins of Kathy O'Connell. Jill and Nadine's ancestor, Hannah Thornbrough Woodward, was sister of Joseph Thornbrough, father of Mary Thornbrough Brown. The history of Joseph and Elizabeth Thornbrough can be seen on the Woodward Web Site. We had a clue about this relationship in the Thornburg genealogy, A Discourse on the Thornburg Family, by Charles Thornburg III. It contained a page on son Eli: "Ely Cook Mossman, son of George and Hannah, was born 1/22/1825 in Grayson County, Virginia and died 6/6/1897 at Little Sioux, Iowa. Ely married Louisa Ann Van Eaton on 10/30/1852 in Mercer County, Illinois. Louisa was born 11/11/1834 in Sangamon County, Illinois. She died 1/27/1887 in Hardin County, Iowa." (Louisa was sister of the three Van Eatons who married Davis children in Mercer County. The Van Eatons lived in Henderson County, Illinois.) Unfortunately, there is a page missing in the Thornburg genealogy just before the Ely Cook Mossman item, but hearing from Patti and Kathy filled in the connection for us. The connections get curiouser and curiouser. Brother and sister, Hannah and Joseph Thornbrough, were born around 1740. In 1890, almost exactly 150 years later, Samuel E. Mossman, son of George & Hannah Brown Mossman, descendant of Joseph Thornbrough, signed an affidavit in Hubbard, Hardin County, Iowa, to assist one William Carr in getting a Civil War pension. William Carr's wife was Lydia Ellen Welch, great great aunt of Jill and Nadine, and a descendant of Hannah Thornbrough Woodward. It is an interesting example of migration patterns and how families, friends, and neighbors clung together as they moved from place to place so they are often still found together many years later. Migration patterns are a tool for researchers when they have an ancestor with a fairly common name. Sometimes the ancestor can be found by following the movements of a neighboring family with a name that is easier to track. Patti Peters and Kathy O'Connell have the ancestors and descendants of George and Hannah Brown Mossman posted on their Mossman Descendancy Page (linked above). Further information on some of the children can be found in Histories of Hardin County, Iowa (see links at the top of the page) From the 1883 Hardin County History: "E. C. (Eli Cook) Mossman (son of George & Hannah) was born in Grayson County, Va., January 22, 1825. When four years of age, his parents moved to Centerville, Wayne County, Ind., where they remained until 1839, when they went to Mercer county, Ill. In 1850 he caught the "gold fever" and went to California, remaining there until 1852, when he returned to Mercer County, Ill., and was married, October 30, to Louisa Van Eaton, who was born in Sangamon County, Ill., November 11, 1834. In 1854 he came to Hardin county, Iowa, locating on section 30, in Pleasant township, where he still lives, and has a nice farm, containing 150 acres, valued at $30 per acre...Mr. and Mrs. Mossman are the parents of ten children, seven of whom are living - Albert L., born August 7, 1856; John C., November 17, 1858; Elmer, March 28, 1860; Orland, April 6, 1862; Lucy A., March 24, 1864; Hanna B., June 5, 1866; Ida, June 27, 1874." The Hardin County History of 1911 online contains the biographies of Archibald and Samuel E. Mossman, sons of George and Hannah (see link above). There is an interesting story about the Mossmans (among others) and an Indian fright in the Hardin County Iowa 1883 History (pages 406-407). Unfortunately the new URL's linked above contain only biographies and not the entire histories so you will not find these pages online. We have a copy of page 407 but not 406 so will try to make a sensible inclusion here: History of Hardin County, page 407 "...[identity = one Keith]could further investigate the matter; but his panic was complete, and passing the house he rushed by Mrs. Mossman, who was down on the creek washing, telling her the dreadful news, and, as was natural, throwing her into a state of great excitement. From here he passed on to the cabin of an old Quaker, and arousing him from a quiet snooze he quickly secured his rifle, and together they dashed over a short distance to a barn where were four or five men playing cards. The story was soon told, and by this time was that Mossman and his family were, if not already killed, in great danger. Among the men at the barn was a young man named Oliver Phillips, who, catching the infection, jumped upon his horse, which was grazing near by and then commenced one of the most reckless rides on record. Lashing his beast with his old hat, he shouted out the friendly notes of warning to all the settlers on Tipton creek, not stopping till they and the residents on the South Fork were apprised of their danger. The excitement was intense, and by night nearly all the able bodied men of the settlement were gathered together, armed and ready to protect their homes and families from the foe. The women were congregated at Mossman's for the night, while the men took up their poosition at the house of a Mr. Biggs, a rough Kentucky specimen of a backwoodsman, who had assumed the leadership of the warriors, having donned a fantastic looking cap made of common bed-ticking for the occasion. This house, ever after that memorable night, went by the name of Fort Biggs; but the longer they waited the longer it was until the enemy appeared, and it began to dawn upon the minds of some that the whole thing might prove a gigantic hoax. "We will now go back and see what became of the Mossmans. After Keith had disappeared, Mr. Mossman, who, by this time, had gotten a little nervous, aroused himself and hastened down to where his wife was, who was nearly frantic with anxiety and fear, to try and quiet her, which he soon succeeded in doing, and, after taking up a position, awaited developments. The party seen on the prairie had separated, part coming directly toward his place and part toward Dr. Kisings, which looked a little suspicious. The part coming his way, however, proved to be Mrs. Allen and family, who, being questioned, reported firing from the direction of Snyder's, and although she had seen no Indians, was sure it was them doing the shooting. It eventually turned out that the shooting was merely the Snyders firing off their guns and pistols preparatory to a clean-up for a hunt the next day, and many was the jest and sally and laugh that went around as the actions of different individuals were reviewed in the light of subsequent developments. Mr. Mossman's brother, George, was at the time living with him, and happened at the time to be afflicted with very sore feet, and was thrown into quite an excitement as he cogitated on the probabilities of the result if it came to a forced and no doubt speedy retreat; and it was undoubtedly a more serious matter then than it was later; he, however, armed himself with an old pistol (which, by the way, would not stand cocked) and a butcher-knife, and boldly waited for the attack." Warrington ConnectionThere is yet another coincidental connection with a family of Nadine and Jill, who operate this site. George Mossman, Jr. married Sarah E. Warrington, daughter of Joshua and Sarah Hall Warrington on 2/2/1865 in Mercer County. By 1870 they had moved on to Hardin County, Iowa, where they are found in 1880 in Eldora, Hardin County, Iowa: George Mossman, farmer, born In, parents born Va; Sarah, 35, parents born Pa; James E. Mossman, 13, Il; Frank, 5, Ia; Charles, 3, Ia.The Warringtons came to Mercer County and settled in New Boston Township in about 1845. They are in Township 14North Range 5West in 1850: #340 Joshua Warrington, 40, 2500, NJ; Sarah, 38, Pa; James H, 11, Pa; Anna H, 10, Pa; Sarah E, 5, Ill; Margaret, 5, Il; John Hall, 27, Pa, idiotic. John Hall was the brother of Sarah Hall Warrington. In 1860 they are in the census as Warring: #1757 Joshua Warrington, 52, farmer, born NY; Sarah, 48, Pa; Anna, 28, teacher, Pa; Sarah A, 15, Il; Margaret, 13, Il. Son James H. Warrington had died and was buried in New Boston Cemetery: James H., son of J. & S. H. Warrington died Nov 18, 1858 age 20 yr 1 mo 19 dy. Anne H. Warrington married Lewis Lakey 12/5/1867 in Mercer County. By 1870 Joshua Warrington had apparently also died but his burial is not found in Mercer County: #53 in New Boston Township, Sarah Warrington, 57, born Pa; Maggie, 23, born Il; Charles Sabins, 26, farm laborer, born NY. They were living next to David Honeyman, great, great grandfather of Nadine of Jill, who operate this web site. Maggie Warrington married George W. Warner 11/12/1879 in Mercer County. |
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