Daniel Mosier, a Butler county pioneer, who has spent nearly half a century of his life in Towanda township, is a native of Fulton county, Illinois. He was born in 1855, and is a son of Daniel and Amanda (Farris) Mosier, both natives of Ohio. The Mosier family consisted of the following children who grew to maturity: Jonas L., Towanda township; Daniel, the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Florence Graves, Fair Valley, Woodward county, Okla.; Mrs. Eva Thomas, Towanda township, and Miles who died in Towanda township in 1914.

The Mosiers came to Kansas and located in Towanda township, Butler county, in the spring of 1868, and the father bought a place about a mile west of where the town of Towanda is now located, and here they began life under primitive conditions common to a new and unsettled

country. For a time they lived in a cabin, 10x12 feet, which had been built on the claim by a man named Hager. This was a very early day in the settlement of Butler county, and the conveniences and comforts of ordinary civilized communities were sadly lacking. In 1869 four of the Mosier children, Sarah, Laura, Elisha and Arena, died of scarlet fever.

In 1867 there were no schools in the section where the Mosiers settled, but shortly afterward the settlers hauled lumber from Emporia, which was the trading point for the early settlers on the Whitewater, and built a school house, which later became known as District No. 16 school, and here Daniel Mosier, his wife and children were educated. Daniel Mosier on one occasion with his brother was on foot hunting the cattle on the prairie and got lost. Their dog kept running ahead and then back to them, indicating that he knew the way. At last they decided to follow him, and he led them safely home. There were few settlers here when the Mosiers came, Mr. Mosier being able to recall only two, Anthony Davis and Daniel Cupp, who lived in this vicinity prior to 1867. Harrison Sterns and his family came at the same time that the Mosiers did, and Richard Jones and family, wife and two children, came in the fall of 1868 and lived with Harrison Sterns in his 10x12 cabin and they cooked on their fire place and got along with as little, or even less, friction than people would nowadays in more commodious quarters. They really did not have sufficient room for very much trouble. Other settlers followed close after the Mosiers, including the Jones, Green and Lytle families, and Mr. Lytle built the first grist mill in that section, which was located on what is now the Higgins farm, and did considerable custom work for the early settlers and was of great convenience to them. Later the mill was swept away by a flood.

Mr. Mosier recalls the time when the first self-rake reaper was brought into the settlement. Mr. Jones was the purchaser, and during the first season he operated his machine night and day, harvesting grain for the settlers. Mr. Mosier was here during the Indian scare of 1868, when James Kelly and his brother brought in the report that the Cheyennes were on the warpath and that a band of warriors was coming down the Whitewater on an expedition of murder and pillage. After considerable preparation and much excitement and fear, the report was found to be unfounded, as were many similar reports in the early days.

Mr. Mosier was united in marriage with Adelia Jones, of Towanda, the marriage ceremony being performed by W. H. Fitch. Mrs. Mosier was a daughter of Richard and Elsie Jane (Snodgrass) Jones, the former a native of New York, and the latter of Indiana. The Jones family came to Kansas in 1868, locating in Towanda, Butler county. Mrs. Mosier was one of a family of seven children, the others being as follows: R. M., Towanda; D. A. resides on the old homestead; G. M., Fort Cobb, Okla.; E. L., Forgan, Okla.; Mrs. Margaret Brown, Forgan, Okla., and Mrs. Berintha Hill, Custer, Okla.

Mr. and Mrs. Mosier are the parents of the following children, all of whom are living at home: Earl, Vera, Myrtle, Andrew, Glenn, Lena and Lloyd.

Mr. Mosier is one of the extensive farmers and stock raisers of Towanda township, and has fed cattle quite extensively, which he has found to be a very profitable enterprise. He owns 305 acres, which is considered one of the best farms in Towanda township. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Lodge No. 163, and has been a member of that organization since 1893. His son, Earl, is a member of the same lodge. Mr. Mosier is one of the leading farmers of Towanda township and well and favorably known throughout Butler county.

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