John Moosmeier Biography


	This biography appears on pages 966, 967 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JOHN MOOSMEIER. 

	John Moosmeier was a valued citizen of Fairview township, Clay 
county, and his passing deprived his locality of an efficient 
agriculturist and stock-raiser and a man of public spirit and upright 
life. He was born in Herrlingen Germany, in 1864, and received an 
excellent education in his native land, attending the secondary schools 
there and also a university. 

	When nineteen years of age Mr. Moosmeier came to America and 
first settled in Iowa, where for two years he was a foreman in a 
brewery. At the end of that time, or in 1885, he removed to Sioux 
Falls, this state, and was employed for four years as foreman of a 
brewery there. Upon his return to Iowa he purchased one hundred and 
sixty acres of land in Plymouth county, where he farmed for thirteen 
years, after which he again made his way to South Dakota. He bought two 
hundred and forty acres of land on section 3, range 52, Clay county, 
and immediately began its improvement, as it was practically in a wild 
state when it came into his possession. He was energetic and displayed 
sound judgment in the development of his property and at the time of 
his death it was one of the most valuable farms of the neighborhood. 
The land was all under cultivation and the large crops which he 
harvested annually brought him a gratifying financial return. In 
addition to his land in Clay county he owned a half section in Canada. 

	Mr. Moosmeier was married in 1886 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 
to Miss Maria Schultz, a native of Germany who emigrated to the United 
States in 1884. Both of her parents died when she was a child. There 
were but two children in the family and her brother Fritz resides in 
Germany. To Mr. and Mrs. Moosmeier were born four children, of whom two 
died in infancy, the others being: John M., whose birth occurred in 
1890 and who is operating the homestead; and Nora, born in 1891, at 
home. 

	Mr. Moosmeier was a communicant of the Catholic church, but his 
family belonged to the Lutheran church. Fraternally he was affiliated 
with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he had passed 
through all the chairs. He gave his political support to the democratic 
party and took quite an active part in local public affairs, serving as 
township treasurer and also as a member of the school board for four 
years. He was one of the most prosperous farmers of the community and 
was especially successful as a stockman, raising many cattle and hogs 
annually. He was progressive and used the most improved machinery in 
his work, thus securing the greatest possible efficiency. He passed 
away on the 24th of July, 1914, when but fifty years of age, but he 
accomplished much which made not only for his individual prosperity but 
also for the development of the county and the public good.