Meeker County MN Archives Biographies.....Mousley, John H. December 6, 1827 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 18, 2020, 1:21 pm

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JOHN M. MOUSLEY, one of the earliest settlers of Meeker county, and an honored and
respected citizen of Ellsworth, has his residence upon section 22 of that town,
where he first settled in 1858. He is a native of England, born in Manchester
December 6, 1827, and is the son of Samuel and Nancy (Mason) Mousley, natives, also,
of “Albion." The family came to Canada in 1851, and settled in Elgin county, where
Samuel died of lung disease in 1864. He was born in 1792. Kis wife, who first saw
the light in 1795, died in England in November, 1849. The father of our subject was
a cotton dyer by trade, having learned the trade when a boy. He was an excellent
citizen, a good Christian man and a kind neighbor. Both he and bis estimable wife
were members of the Church of England, or Episcopal Church. They were the parents of
five children - James, Alfred, Jane, John and Alice.

The subject of this narrative continued to make his home beneath the parental roof
until the spring of 1842, when, although but fourteen years of age, he crossed the
briny deep to Canada, where he had an uncle living, with whom he made his home for
some eight years. During this time he assisted in the work upon the farm and
attended the common schools, receiving therefrom the elements of a fair education.

Most of this was obtained under difficulties, as hard and persistent work was the
order of the day. He finally commenced to learn the blacksmith’s trade with
McPherson, Glasgow & Co., but after the expiration of his three years’
apprenticeship returned to his uncle's, working for him in the summer. he then took
up his trade in the employ of several parties, and continued thus employed until he
came to this county, in 1858, as detailed above. After taking his claim of 160 acres
of land, the next spring he went to St. Paul and went to work for one Frank Gilman
in a foundry. With what he earned he purchased a yoke of oxen and the various tools
he would need, and returned here and commenced the development of his farm, and has
seen it grow from pristine wildness to its present condition. He has since that,
once or twice, worked at his trade, but only for short periods.

Mr. Mousley was married in April, 1864, to Miss Catherine Doane, a native of Canada,
born in 1841, who died in January, IS72, leaving four children - James Alfred,
Hattie Jane, Frank M., and Alice Ann. Hattie died in the spring of 1881, when some?
fifteen years old; and Alice died August 26, 1886. Mr. M. has held the offices of
town supervisor, town clerk and school clerk for wars.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
ALBUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF Meeker County, Minnesota,
CHICAGO: Alden Ogle & Company, 1888.




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