Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
JOHN A. MOSER. The Swiss have ever been known as a liberty-loving and independent people. As a rule the peoples of the world in mountainous countries are. This little republic has furnished an admirable example to many of the larger nations of the earth and her government and institutions might be emulated with profit by the kingdoms and monarchies whose subjects do not seem to be as fortunate as the Swiss. A large number of them have immigrated to America, where they have broader opportunities, and they have been welcomed everywhere for reasons too obvious to detail here. Greene county, Missouri, has not been so fortunate as some localities in securing these aliens, for not a large number have cast their lots with us; but among those who have is John A. Moser, foreman of the frog department of the reclamation plant of the South Side Frisco shops, Springfield.
Mr. Moser was born in Canton Bern, Switzerland, May 5, 1875. He is a son of August and Lizette (Lowrie) Moser, both natives of Switzerland, also, where they grew to maturity, attended school and were married. They remained in their native land until 1880, when they immigrated to the United States, landing in New York City. From there they came direct to Springfield, Ohio. In Switzerland, August Moser learned the miller's trade, which he followed until he left there. Upon locating in Springfield, Ohio, he secured a position as grinder for the Ohio Knife and Bar Works, and remained there six or seven years, then moved to Arkansas, and, six months later, came to Springfield, Missouri. He located on a farm three miles from here and carried on farming, gardening and trucking until his death, in November, 1900, at the age of fifty-five years. His widow survives, is now sixty-five years of age and makes her home in Springfield. He was a Democrat, and belonged to St. John's Lutheran church. His family consisted of nine children, named as follows: John A., of this sketch, is the eldest; Minnie married a Mr. Whittaker, who conducts a restaurant at the new Frisco shops, Springfield; Rosa is the wife of John Fridley, a farmer at Symerton, Illinois; Ada married Rudolph Messerli, who is employed in the coach department at the new Frisco shops here, and with this daughter the mother makes her home; Mrs. Lucy Knowles is the wife of the master mechanic of the American Creosoting Company; Charles is a machinist in the new Frisco shops; Fred is farming near Symerton, Illinois; Ernest is a clerk in the bridge and building department of the North Side Frisco shops; Lillian is deceased.
John A. Moser was five years of age when his parents brought him to America, and he grew to manhood in Ohio and Missouri and received a common school education, but his schooling was limited, for when only eleven years of age he began working in the knife and bar shops at Springfield, Ohio, as a rivet hand. He remained there until 1890, when he came to Springfield, Missouri, and here worked in a cooper shop for a short time, then learned the trade of stonemason, and worked here as a journeyman stonemason until April, 1896. He worked in Chicago for some time, where he was fire inspector for Marshall Field & Company, and had charge of the fire apparatus there a little over a year. In 1900 he went to work for the Frisco Lines in Springfield, in the car repairing department in the old North Side shops, later worked in the coach department in the South Side shops. Later he was sent out on the road as frog and switch repairer as foreman on all the lines of the Frisco system. This position he held until November 15, 1913, when he began work in the reclamation department of the South Side shops, as foreman of the frog department, and this position he still holds. He has shown himself to be capable and trustworthy in all positions which have been assigned to him. He also owns and looks after a grocery store at Park and Atlantic streets, Springfield, and has built up a good trade here. He owns five houses and lots in this city and owns considerable lands, and is a speculator of ability. He has been successful above the average in a business way.
Mr. Moser was married, in 1909, to Katherine Rees, of, McAlester, Oklahoma. This union has been without issue.
Politically, Mr. Moser is a Republican. He belongs to the Lutheran church, and is a member of the Masonic order and was formerly a member of the Eagles.
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