My Genealogy Hound

DR. DAVID F. MOSS, physician and surgeon, post-office Carthage. Subject of this sketch is one of the oldest physicians now resident in the county, and is a native of Indiana, born in Washington county, Oct. 6, 1813. He was educated at Bloomington, in that state, and adopted the study of medicine at the age of twenty-three, in the office of Dr. Talbot, of Greencastle, Ind., and attended lectures at the Eclectic School of Physicians and Surgeons at Cincinnati, Ohio. Commenced practice under his old preceptor at Greencastle, Ind., and then in Clinton county, Ind., in 1842. He was married in Montgomery county, Ind., Feb. 30, 1839, to Miss Margaret A. Daugherty, a native of Kentucky. Immigrated to southwest Missouri in 1852, and located in the northern portion of Jasper county, and engaged in the practice of his profession in this and adjoining counties, investing largely in real estate, so that at the breaking out of the civil war his landed interest was considerable. He was a Union man in principle, and suffered many indignities and severe loss of property, and was present on the field during the battle of Carthage, but not an active participant. He was taken prisoner three different times, and his life repeatedly threatened. He fled to Kansas for an asylum for his family, going himself into the service as assistant surgeon of the Sixth Kansas Regiment, and was a very valuable adjunct to the command, being familiar with the entire southwestern country, and was frequently called upon to act as guide in the movement of troops, in addition to his duties on the medical staff. Was also connected with the United States Army hospital at Fort Scott, Kan. Participated at the battles of Newtonia, Cane Hill, and many skirmishes and forages; was ever present at the call of duty, and was indefatigable in his exertions in behalf of the cause and his professional attendance upon the men. He was mustered out in the spring of 1865, and returned to Jasper county in September of the same year, finding his property here in a distressing condition, his buildings, fences, etc., burned and destroyed. To add to these discouraging circumstances, previous to the war he had been security for many of his neighbors in large amounts of money, loaned out by the county known as the “Swamp Land Fund.” During the war period the principals having scattered to all points many of them were killed during the troubles. The Doctor was obliged to refund to the county as security, which circumstance embarrassed him greatly, coming, as it did, at that particular time, and in connection with other important losses. Notwithstanding all these reverses, the Doctor is possessed of a fine property. The homestead consists of 440 acres, delightfully and healthfully situated near the confluence of Jenkins and Jones creeks, A fine spring of water gushes forth within a few feet of the house; the soil is unsurpassed for fertility or productiveness, and sheltered on all sides by groves of native timber His son Samuel L., the only one of his offspring now living, is a farmer and respected citizen of the county, and is enterprising, public spirited, and prosperous. He was married Nov. 12, 1876, to Miss Georgia Elliott, a native of Missouri. They are the parents of two children: Murtie E. and Gertie I. The Doctor, during his long residence in the county, has been identified with every move that tended to its progress or improvement. Though one of the heaviest tax-payers he took an active interest in obtaining railroad aid for the first railroad to pass through the county.