My Genealogy Hound

DAVID KOSER, SR., After a long, useful, honorable and helpful Christian life, David Koser, Sr., died Jan. 1, 1904, at his home in Shippensburg. He was born July 2, 1825, in Franklin county, Pa., son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Plasterer) Koser, and grandson of Jacob Koser, who came of Holland ancestry.

Jacob Koser, father of the late David Koser, was born in 1781, in Lancaster county, Pa., and he died July 26, 1850. He married Elizabeth Plasterer, born in 1784, also in Lancaster county, and these children were bom to them: Margaret, who married William Green; George, deceased; Elizabeth, who married John Reside; William; Mary, who married Samuel Rank, and removed to Ohio in 1855; Samuel, deceased; Sarah, who married William Martin; Lydia, who married John Etter; David; and Jacob Jr.

The late David Koser grew through boyhood on his father’s farm and attended the subscription school held near his home in the old log school-house, this training ending at the age of fourteen years. From then until his marriage he remained at home, assisting his father on the farm, learning all the details which helped to make his own farming successful. In the spring of 1849 he settled in Southampton township, Cumberland county, and engaged in farming and stock raising on a farm belonging to his father. Later he purchased the farm in Southampton township, where he spent so many years. It contained 140 acres which he placed under a fine state of cultivation, as he also did another farm in the same township, which contained eighty acres and was long known as the old Kanagy farm. All of his property was accumulated by Mr. Koser, through his own efforts, the reward of his industry, thrift and good management. Mr. Koser improved his property with excellent dwellings and bank barns, and had accommodations for the sheltering of his large amount of stock and cattle. He had demonstrated the value of the best breeds and long was recognized as a successful grower of fine stock of all kinds.

In 1848 the late Mr. Koser was married to Margaret C. Hoover, daughter of Jacob and Mary (Smith) Hoover, of Franklin county, and a family of five children was born to them, as follows: George A., a successful farmer; David C., a resident of Shippensburg; Joseph, residing near Newburg; Benjamin F., of Strasburg, Va.; and Mary C., wife of William Coffey, of Shippensburg.

In early life, Mr. Koser was a Whig, but later became identified with the Republican party. Through life he felt a lack of education which made him frequently anxious to decline political honors offered him, Although his fellow citizens recognized in him the sturdy qualities which no amount of mere book knowledge could have alone given him. They prevailed upon him to serve two years in the city council, where his excellent common sense and practical ideas were beneficial to the municipality. All his life he favored legislation for the advancement of education, and for a time was one of the directors of the Cumberland Valley State Normal school. Both he and wife were early members of the Lutheran Church, and for twenty-four years he served as an elder in that religious body, having been elected when but twenty-eight years of age. Prior to his decease he had refused re-election to this honorable and responsible position, claiming that younger men should assume these duties. For a number of years he served as director of the First National Bank of Shippensburg. Few men of his city enjoyed more fully the respect and esteem given to age, than did Mr. Koser.

The death of Mr. Koser was not altogether unexpected as the vital forces had been failing for about a year previously, but an apparent improvement had caused his kindred and friends to hope for a longer survival. To a remarkable degree Mr. Koser had retained his vigor and mental faculties, a condition which he ascribed in part, to an exemplary and temperate life. He will long be recalled as one of the honorable men of this community, one whose departure from it left it better than at his entrance, and one whose influence was always directed to the advancement of what was highest and best, what was charitable and kind, what was generous and Christ-like.