Daniel Gosser
DANIEL GOSSER, of Leechburg, the leading grocer of that borough and a citizen who has been identified with its business life in various other connections, was born Feb. 18, 1832, at Adamsburg, Westmoreland county, Pa., son of William Gosser.Adam Gosser, his grandfather, a native of Northampton county, Pa., emigrated thence with his family to Westmoreland county, at an early date. Later he removed to Erie, Pa, where he remained for a sh9ort time, removing from there to Pittsburgh and eventually returning to Adamsburg, where he had a contract for construction work on the Greensburg and Stoystown turnpike. He also followed farming, and he lived to old age, dying at Adamsburg. Adam Gosser was twice married, and he was the father of the following children: Jacob, a soldier of the War of 1812, who died in Missouri; William; Daniel, who located at Baltimore; Henry, who died in Pittsburgh; Isaac, who went to Nebraska; Adam; Frederick, who died after reaching maturity; Ann Mary; Susanna, and Catherine.
John Gosser, brother of Adam Gosser, was also a resident of Westmoreland county, Pa., and died near Adamsburg. He left a large family.
William Gosser, one of the sons of Adam Gosser, was born Nov. 11, 1803, in Northampton county, Pa., and was a boy when his father settled at Adamsburg. He learned the trade of blacksmith, which he first followed at Adamsburg, in 1840, removing thence to Leechburg, Armstrong county, Pa., where he continued in the same line of work. He retired from active labor about eight years before his death, which occurred in 1888, when he was in his eighty-fifth year. Mr. Gosser became a well-known and much respected citizen of Leechburg, where he served as burgess and councilman, giving great satisfaction to his townsmen. He was a lifelong Democrat, and in religion a member of the Lutheran church.
On Nov. 27, 1827, Mr. Gosser was married to Susanna Kistler, who was born July 4, 1808, and died Nov. 29, 1838, at Adamsburg. She was a member of the Lutheran church. Five children were born to this union: Louisa, June 28, 1830; Daniel, Feb. 18, 1832; Albert M., Jan. 14, 1834 (now engaged as a merchant at Leechburg); Adam, May 18, 1836; William, Oct. 10, 1838 (died Dec. 8, 1838). By his second marriage, to Lucy Punt, Mr. Gosser had the following children: Jacob, born Nov. 22, 1842; Commodore Perry, Feb. 2, 1845; David, Sept. 4, 1847; Darius, Dec. 29, 1849 (died Dec. 12, 1852); Franklin P., July 7, 1852 (died Oct. 9, 1860); Anna M., April 18, 1855; Sarah E., April 5, 1858; Harry, May 1, 1861; Amanda Nov. 16, 1864.
Daniel Gosser son of William Gosser, attended public school at Adamsburg and Leechburg. He remained with his father in the blacksmith shop until of age, and then for four years followed boating upon the Pennsylvania canal. He then removed to the Allegheny river, and for eleven years was engaged in the manufacture of salt, after which he settled upon a farm in Armstrong county, in what is now Gilpin township, having a tract of 150 acres where he carried on general agricultural pursuits for about twenty-three years. Meantime Mr. Gosser became interested in oil wells, in 1862, in company with others, starting the first oil well at Parkers Landing, in Armstrong county, which was known as the Hovey well. Later they sank shafts at different places for oil, and Mr. Gosser was also interested in two natural gas wells at Leechburg.
Removing from his farm to the borough of Leechburg, he built a store there in 1892 and engaged in the grocery and feed business, one of his sons, Frank, entering the business at the same time. In 1902 his sons John was admitted to the firm, which is known as D. Gosser & Sons. In 1909 Mr. Gosser was made a director of the First National Bank of Leechburg and continued to serve as such. He is a member of the Lutheran Church.
On Feb. 15, 1855, Mr. Gosser married Elizabeth Hill, daughter of Hiram and Margaret (Sheaffer) Hill; the ceremony being performed by Rev. G.F. Ehrenfeld. Mrs. Gosser died Sept. 18, 1911, the mother of the following children: Hiram H., who is now living in Pittsburgh; Catherine, deceased, who was the wife of George Riggle; Margaret, who married George Ehrenfield. William, who was killed by lightening when young; Jefferson, now of Pittsburgh; Frank, a member of the firm of D. Gosser & Sons; Cora, who lives at home; Robert E., of Leechburg; and John, a member of the firm of D. Gosser & Sons.
Source: Pages 648-649, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed September 2001 by Lisa Strobel for the Armstrong County Beers Project
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