One of the pioneers of LaSalle county, Thomas T. Mosey, has been a
citizen of this county for fifty-five years and has been actively interested
in its upbuilding and progress. His life has been quiet and unmarked by
so-called great events, but he has ever endeavored to perform his full duty
toward his fellow men, and has found his chief pleasure in extending a
helping hand to the poor and needy and in caring for his family.
One
of the native sons of Norway, Mr. Mosey inherited from a long line of worthy
ancestors the sterling traits of character which he possesses in no
unstinted measure. He was born August 21, 1827, was reared upon a farm, and
was early instructed in the thrifty, industrious methods pursued by his
father. The latter, Knute Mosey, emigrated to the United States with his
family, in 1845, and entered a tract of land from the government, in Freedom
township, LaSalle county. During the scourge of cholera which swept away so
many of the inhabitants of this country in 1849, he succumbed to the dread
disease, as also did the wife and mother and their two daughters.
Thomas T. Mosey was thus left as the mainstay of the younger members of the
family, and faithfully did he carry out the plans which had been made by the
father. Having been thoroughly familiar with farming labor since his early
years, he was equal to the task of carrying on the homestead, and continued
to give his entire attention to agriculture for forty-three years. By that
time, he had amassed a modest competence, and not being ambitious for wealth
he took up his abode in Leland, where he has since dwelt. While a resident
of Freedom township he served as a member of the school board for sixteen
years, and since coming to Leland he was one of the town councilmen for
three years. Politically he is a stalwart Republican. In his church
affiliations he is a Lutheran, and has officiated as deacon in his church.
When a young man of twenty-three years, Mr. Mosey married Betsy
Hanson, a daughter of Hans Hanson, of Adams township. They became the
parents of eight children, namely: Sarah, the wife of the Rev. Gjertsen, of
Minneapolis, Minnesota; Josephine, the wife of Dr. Laws, of Minneapolis;
Mary, the wife of the Rev. Guldbrandsen, of Blair, Wisconsin; Charles, a
hardware merchant of Leland; Henry T., a farmer of this county; Hannah, the
wife of Andrew Klove, of Leland; Lila and Esther, who are unmarried and are
at home. The children have received an excellent education and are worthy
citizens of the various communities in which their lot is cast.
Extracted 19 Dec 2018 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 568-569.
| Lee | DeKalb | Kane |
| Bureau |
 |
Kendall |
| Putnam | Grundy | |
| Marshall | Woodford | Livingston |
