Moss Family History: Herbert Julius Moss, continued
Grandfather was a warden in Saint Peter's Church, and was probably one of the most active church members in his younger life. In 1923 a check of the church records showed that a Moss in our direct line had been a warden continuously for 120 years, often both wardens were Mosses. Unfortunately, Grandfather's character changed in the last years of his life. I can remember that he lost his sense of humor and the friendly, affable, (though strict) manner and acquired a frustrated, rather heartless, and often unpleasant attitude toward people. I feel that it was due to the fact that he had to work too hard too late in life. For him, there was never any retirement as his father, Julius, had enjoyed. This was entirely the fault of Louise who, when the Old Moss Farms property became available insisted on Grandfather's giving up his house and business in West Cheshire and taking on the hard, discouraging labor of dairy farming when he was already in his seventies. It was just too much, too late, but he went on to the end of his life vainly trying to make a living and in the end lost everything except the original Moss Rock Lot.
He left three children by his first wife: Mildred, Walter and Beatrice.
Mildred married Grosvenor Buck, son of the then pastor of Saint Peter's Church, and they lived in St. Paul, Minnesota, where Grosvenor was professor of English at the University. Their children were Nancy, Barbara, Harriet and Margaret Ann.
Walter was my father.
Beatrice married Howard Andrus, and they lived in Cheshire until shortly after World War I when they settled in Cleveland, Ohio. Their children were Harlan and Miriam. Miriam married well and was living on her estate in the suburbs of Cleveland the last I heard. Harlan was a desk clerk in a bus terminal and was married twice that I know of.
Grandfather died May 1, 1943, and his stone is in Saint Peter's Episcopal Church Cemetery, Cheshire.