Moshers in Oppenheim and Stratford

Tom Mosher wrote: I recently started doing Genealogy searches on the internet, and I was delighted to find your web site. My g.g. grandfather was a George Mosher, b. 1838 in Lassellsville, NY. died March 3, 1880 and is buried in St. Johnsville NY. Married Julia E. Alias on January 3, 1858 in Lassellsville NY. He was a Civil War veteran from the "F" 153 NY volunteers out of Fonda NY. I have been searching for his parents, grandparents, etc. Any information about George Mosher or any of the Solomon Moshers listed below or their relatives from that period would be greatly appreciated.

Tom started his search several years ago in the National Archives in Washington DC looking at Census records for Oppenheim and Stratford townships. George would have been 12 years old in 1850, so he used the 1850 census to look for a 12 year old named George living in a Mosher household in either Oppenheim or Stratford townships. He found the following:

Moshier, Solomon, age 38
Charlott, age 38
Esther M, age 14
George, age 12
William, age 9
Ann L., age 7
Charles, age 1

Note Solomon’s last name was spelled “Moshier”, one of several variations of the Mosher name. There was no other Mosher, or Moshier family from Oppenheim or Stratford townships listed in the 1850 census with a boy named George in that age range. Assuming the parents of George had not moved from the area since his birth, I thought these two were good candidates for George's parents. I have no clue as to who might have been his grandparents.

I have some old notes from my research of the 1850 census that say there were four Solomon Moshers listed in that census. Two from Oppenheim township and two from Stratford township. One of the other Solomon Moshers is listed as being 50 years old at that time. Also listed in that household is a Julia A., age 38, a Nicholas Mosher, age 75, and 8 children. Since none of the eight children were named George, I didn't write down their names.

In my search for George Mosher's roots I also gathered information on other Moshers from the early 1800s. The following may be of some value to other Genealogy hunters.

In Fonda, NY, Montgomery Historical Society, I found a copy of a letter sent to a Mrs Daniels in Kansas, dated 6/18/1959. It included information on Moshers and Ingersolls. I have retyped it here exactly as it reads including any typos or variations of family names. Perhaps it will help someone in their research. It reads as follows.

Page 1.
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY, by Frothingham - published 1892:-

Family sketches.

Ingersoll, Alexander, Oppenheim, was born in Oppenheim, March 14, 1836 a son of John and Margaret Ingersoll who were the parents of the following children: Martha, Alexander, Jordan, Morgan, Delvina, William H. and Cordelia (Martha and Jordan are deceased). Daniel the grandfather of Alexander and a son of Daniel, St., was a native of Connecticut and an early settler of Oppenheim, coming here in 1788, where he died. Daniel Jr., came here with his parents when twelve years of age, where he lived and died. His wife was Elizabeth Burksdorff, whose father was a soldier in Burgoyne's army. Daniel Ingersoll had five sons and one daughter. His death occurred in 1853, and that of his wife some years earlier.

Mosher, Fredrick, Oppenheim, was born September 8, 1832 and is the oldest of six children reared by Leonard and Adelia (Bellinger) Mosher.
Fredrick was reared on a farm and received a common school education. In 1856 he married Lydia, daughter of Silas and Elisabeth (Acker) Adams. Fredick was a poor boy and worked on a farm. He is now well to do, occupying himself with farming and bee-keeping. He has no children. Leonard Mosher was the son of Peter Mosher, who was a pioneer of Oppenheim, having come to that town in 1796. His wife was a Miss Rerick, by whom he had six sons and three daughters. Leonard was born in Oppenheim in 1811 and received a common school education, afterwards following farming. In 1831 he married Adelia Bellinger, daughter of Fredrick Bellinger, an early settler of the township. Leonard was commissioner of highways and collector of Oppenheim and died September 14, 1889. His wife died March 22, 1852. Silas Adams, father of Mrs. Mosher was a shoemaker and came to Fulton County where he lived about two years, then moved to Herkimer county. Afterwards he moved to Illinois, where he died.

Page 2.

1821 Assessment Rolls, Town of Oppenheim, (Fulton County):
Name    Acres
Mosher, Solomon 191
   Peter 160
   Daniel 343
   Peter Jr. 25
   Israel 64
   John 4
   Peter S. 90
   Solomon, Jr. 40

1824 Assessment Roll, town of Oppenheim

Ingerson, Daniel 213 (listed in 1822 with 170 Acres)

Mosier, Solomon, Jr. 40
   PeterS widow 63
   Peter, Jr. 25
   Daniel 558
   John D. 4
   Peter S. --- Personal property valued at $25.00
   Daniel D. 50
   John P. --- Personal property valued at $75.00

1828 Assessment Roll, Town of Oppenheim:
Ingersol, Daniel 213

Mosher Daniel 350
John 32
John M. 20
Soloman 150
Soloman, Jr. 100
Israel 70
Daniel D. 50
Abraham --- Personal property valued at $75.00
Janiel J. 40
Ephraim 10
Joseph 50
Peter's widow 50
Peter P. 25
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Cemetery, town of Oppenheim 2 1/2 miles east of Dolgeville on North side of Lassellsville Road:

Mosher, John, Esq. died 3/7/1842 age 43 years 7 months 3 days. Phebe his wife, died 10/15/1854 age 55 yrs. 4 months.

Cemetery, town of Oppenheim - 2 miles east of Oppenheim on the Oppenheim-Lassellsville Road:

Mosher, Benjamin, born 10/5/1824 died 6/15/1900 age 75 yrs. 8 mos. 10 days. Elizabeth his wife, died 11/23/1890 age 61 yrs. 8 mos. 11 days.
Nelson, son, died 10/7/1862 age 6 yrs. 10 mos. 29 days.
Ida V., daughter died 10/10/1862 age 3 yrs. 10 mos. 12 days.
William M. son, died 10/3/1862 age 1 yr. 3 mos. 28 days.
Harriet, daughter died 10/3/1862 age 9 yrs. 10 mos. 12 days.
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Page 3.

ABSTRACT OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY WILLS, 1784-1831

Will of Peter Mosher of Oppenheim, dated 7/7/1821. Mention of wife Mary, sons: Peter, John P., Ephraim, Abraham, Jeremiah and Leonard; daughters Elizabeth, Cornelia and Polly. Executors: son Peter, Peter Clause, Ezekiel Belding. Witnesses: Joseph Yoran, Wm. Van Buren, Elias Lawton.

End of Letter.
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Also found in Fonda the following:

A New York State 1800 Federal Population Schedule for Montgomery Co, town of Palatine. It lists four Moshurs: Solomon, Peter, Israel, and Henry. Other documents list those four as arriving in that area in the early to mid 1790s.

There are a couple of excellent web sites out there with Mosher history which brings the Moshers from the early 1600s in England up to the mid to late 1700s. On the web site listed below there is mention of a Nicholas Mosher (b. 1740) and the 9 children born to him of which Solomon, Peter, Israel, and Henry are included. See web site: www.paonline.com/rca/rob/gene/mosher.htm).
These four sons of Nicholas Mosher are most likely the same four Moshers (Moshurs) who settled in the Oppenheim area in the 1790s.

If you know anybody who would be interested in the above information, please feel free to distribute. Thanks for listening. I look forward to seeing your web site grow.

-- Tom Mosher