Robert E Gosser
ROBERT E. GOSSER, of Leechburg, Armstrong county, where he is engaged as sheet roller at the American Sheet & Tin Plate Company�s plant, is a son of Daniel Gosser, the leading grocer of that borough, ad was born July 29, 1873, in Gilpin township, near Leechburg.
Adam Gosser, his great-grandfather, moved from Northampton county, Pa., where he was born, to Westmoreland county, and later to Erie, Pa. There he remained for a short time, removing thence to Pittsburgh and eventually returning to Adamsburg, Westmoreland county. He followed farming and did construction work on the Greensburg and Stoystown turnpike. He lived to old age, dying at Adamsburg. Adam Gosser was twice married, and had 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.
William Gosser, son of Adam, was born Nov. 11, 1803, in Northampton county, Pa., and was a boy when his father settled at Adamsburg. He learned blacksmithing, 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. He was a Lutheran and a Democrat, and served as burgess and councilman in Leechburg.
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; Adam, May 18, 1836; William, Oct. 10, 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; Franklin P., July 7, 1852; Anna M., April 18, 1855; Sarah E., April 5, 1858; Harry, May 1, 1861; Amanda, Nov. 16, 1864.
Daniel Gosser, son of William, attended public school at Adamsburg and Leechburg. He was 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 engaged in manufacturing salt, after which he settled on a farm in what is now Gilpin township, Armstrong county. He lived and farmed there for twenty-three years, meantime also becoming interested in oil wells. Removing from his farm to Leechburg, he built a store there in 1892 and had since been engaged in the grocery and feed business. He is in partnership with his sons Frank and John. Mr. Gosser is a member of the Lutheran Church.
On Feb. 15, 1855, Mr. Gosser married Elizabeth Hill, daughter of Hiram and Margaret (Shaeffer) Hill. She died Sept. 18, 1911, the mother of the following children: Hiram H., now of Pittsburgh; Catherine, deceased, who was the wife of George Riggle; Margaret, who married George Ehrenfield; William, who was killed by lightning when young; Jefferson, now of Pittsburgh; Frank S., a member of the firm of of D. Gosser & Sons, who married Laura Kepple, Aug. 14, 1894, and has five children, Paul H., Clarence E., Kathryn M., Roy P., and Margaret F.; Cora, who lives at home; Robert E.; and John L., a member of the firm of D. Gosser & Sons, who married Alfreda Pfeffer, daughter of Augustus Pfeffer, of Armstrong county, and has one child, John Lewis.
Robert E. Gosser attended public school in Gilpin township and assisted upon the home farm during his youth. Coming to Leechburg, he began work at the sheet mill, and by industry and efficiency advanced himself to his present position, which he has held since 1897. He is a skilled workman and trusted by his employers. Like his family generally, he is an active member of the community in which he lives, and is at present serving as a councilman of Leechburg, to which office he was elected in 1909. In politics he is a Democrat, in religion a member of the Lutheran Church. Socially he belongs to Leechburg Lodge, No. 577, F. & A.M.
In 1807 Mr. Gosser was married to Margaret Irene Perviance, daughter of Lemuel Perviance, of Armstrong county. They have the following children: Velma, Lucile, Alberta, Lillian I. and Robert G.
Source: Pages 699-700, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed September 1998 by Carl Waltenbaugh for the Armstrong County Beers Project
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