Joseph Henry Moss was born in Jacksonville, Illinois on October 6, 1855. He attained his education in the public schools of that city and attended Normal Illinois University at Normal, Illinois. In the 1870 federal census, Joseph was 16 years old and found living in the home of Sarah A. Smith, 35 along with his brother James R. Moss aged 18 in Lovington, Moultrie County, Illinois.

On December 3, 1876 he married Miss Harriet Griggs in Mackville, Illinois and by the 1880 census they were found to be living in Mackville in Piatt County, Illinois. In that census, Joseph, 25, listed himself as a mill worker.

When the 1900 federal census was taken the family was found to be living in Unity in Piatt County, Illinois, 44 year old Joseph listed himself as a grocer. His 44 year old wife Hattie indicated that the couple had birthed 6 children with 6 of them still living. In the home were the following children; Charles, 18 and working as a barber, Alfred 15, Leta 10, Pearl 7, and Don aged 5.

An obituary for Joseph printed in the Marion Evening Post indicated that, ”In 1900, he moved from Mt. Vernon, Illinois to this city (Marion), having been charged with the duties of station agent here by the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Company. He worked in this capacity for some time resigning in order to enter business with C.G. Wilson. For a while, they conducted successfully a second hand store, discarding some lines and adding other lines, until they had become proprietors of one of Marion’s largest and formerly popular stores. It was during this time that he with his partner erected the Marion Opera House on North Market Street in which they did business and which they later sold.”

The newspaper obit coincides with mortgage records found indicating that Joseph and Hattie Moss along with their partners C.G. & Carrie Wilson pulled several morgages related to property located at 400 N. Market St. and another piece of property located at 400 W. Jackson St.  The first joint mortgage was for $3,000 in March 1904, another for $4,000 in May 1904 and yet another for $11,800 in November 1904. Presumably these were to cover the purchase of lots and building of the Opera House. More morgages were pulled jointly on the same properties again in 1906, 1907 and 1909. A photo of the Marion Opera House shows that it was also the home of the Variety store and a furniture store which is the business Moss operated with Wilson.

Joseph was elected as Marion city alderman under Mayor Charles H. Denison in 1906 and it was this group of city leaders who passed Ordinance 60 which allowed for the possibility of developing a city library, later to become the Marion Carnegie Library. Joseph was re-elected again in 1907 under Mayor J.C. Mitchell.

A 1907 Marion city directory listed Joseph as living at 415 E. College Street and working as manager of the Marion Opera House.

By the 1910 federal census, Joseph was 55 and self-employed and Harriet was 54. They lived at 415 E. College Street which they owned free of a mortgage. The children still living with them were Burton B., a 33 year old telegraph operator, Leta 20, Pearl W. 17 and Don C. 15. Harriet reported having had 6 children with 6 children still living.

The Marion Evening Post obit article stated that Joseph retired from the mercantile business and entered the retail coal business in Marion until “not a great while ago.” During the previous few weeks before his death he had been in no business, “his time being occupied with arrangements to move from Marion. His plans were to seek a more healthful climate in the southwest for the benefit of Mrs. Moss’s health.” In fact, Joseph made out his Will on July 24, 1913 in preparation, leaving most of his estate to his wife, including his property on N. Market Street with the rest going to his children.

According to the Post obit article, “On the morning of his death he was stricken, he had practically settled on a business change of importance and had he not become afflicted would probably have closed up the deal before the close of May.”

Joseph H. Moss died at his home at 415 E. College Street due to a paralytic stroke on November 14, 1914. The death of Mr. Moss was the first illness he had ever suffered in his life. He had always enjoyed perfect health and during the 58 years of his live had been an impulsively active man. Funeral services were held in the family home and burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery where he had already bought a family burial plot.

The following children survived him: Rev. Burton B. Moss, pastor of the M.E. Church at Casey, Illinois, Charles Cameron Moss of Omaha, Alfred Lee Moss of Connersville, Indiana, Miss Leta LeCigale Moss, Mrs. G.H. Thomas and Don Moss, all of this city.

Joseph’s wife Harriet A. was born February 18, 1856 and passed away in 1930 at Atwood, Piatt County, Illinois. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery, Marion.

(Sources: Marion Evening Post, Federal Census records, Marion Street Directories, FindaGrave.com, Marion City Cemetery, Williamson County Mortgage Records and Wills. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 10/25/2023)

Notes on Children:

Burton Benjamin Moss, 1856-1932

Charles Cameron Moss, 1881-1955

Alfred Lee Moss, 1885-1949

Leta LaCigale Moss, 1889-1931, married James O. White in May 1915, lived in Chicago

Winifred Pearl Moss, 1892-????, married Homer H. Thomas in March 1912, lived in Harrisburg

Don Celos Moss, 1894-1949