The Moser , Mosser , Musser Families of Pennsylvania :Information about Sebastian Mosser
Sebastian Mosser (b. January 03, 1760, d. November 29, 1829)
Notes for Sebastian Mosser:
Sebastion served in the Revolutionary War according to 1966 DAR PatriotIndex of revolutionary soldiers .
From Linns History :
He moved to Centre County in 1787with his brothers Philip and Michael . Prior to 1728 only the Delware Indians lived in this area ,later they moved west . In 1698 sixty families of Shawnees first came to Pennsylvania and settled at Conestoga and they were under the domain of the Iroquois Six Nations. The earliest land purchases were in 1754 and was done thru the Six Nations Council . Therefore all future purchases and treaties were done thru that council . The relationships between whites and Indians were friendly except for one situation . In 1774 when 2 white men murdered a group of helpless Indians including women and children . Chief Logan went on a revenge raid of whites . At his trial he gave such an eloquent speech about the justice of all actions that he was set free . Thomas Jefferson was so impressed that he reproduced the speech in his Notes on the State of Virginia . The hostile environment continued and settlers all left Penns Valley and did not return. In 1784 new settlers started settling in the area . Sebastion and his brothers arrived 3 years after the start of resettlement.As of 1789 he owned many acres at the line of Gregg and Penn Twp . He had visited the county in 1778 and made the purchase , however ,depreciation of Continental money interfered with the purchase and it took him till 1784 to get the resources to complete the purchase .
Gregg Township Taxes Records : In 1827 he paid taxes on 144 acres to Gregg township .
Name Change :
Sebastion first dropped an S from his name and then changed the O to anU and put back the second S back into the name to make the name of Musser . Family legend says he changed his name over a fight about land . This legend also states that there were seven brothers and the father gave all his holdings to only 2 of the brothers . The fight over this situation about land and he changed his name to MusserIf the legend is true it must have involvedthe brothers who stayed in Lehigh County since all the Musser's in Centre County appear to have ended up changing their name to Musser . If you read about the mill and holdings of Somerville and learn about or before 1790 David and Daniel were given the considerable holdings of their fatherthis seems to support the legend . On the other hand Sebastion and his 2 brothers seem to have come to Centre County with considerable assets for the time .
So they do not seem to have been disinherited from their father .
More About Sebastian Mosser:
Burial: 1829, Heckman Cemetery Centre CountyPa.
More About Sebastian Mosser and Anna Maria Miller:
Marriage: May 12, 1783
Children of Sebastian Mosser and Anna Maria Miller are:
- +Philip Bastian Musser, b. August 27, 1785, Linn TwpNorthampton County, Pa, d. November 29, 1874, Spring Mills, Centre CountyPa.
- Hannah Mosser, b. November 28, 1792, d. March 13, 1819.