I walk around like everything’s fine, but deep down, inside my shoe, my sock is sliding off. ~ Anonymous
When we were young, with bright pink lungs pumped up by heavy doses of fun, everything was fine. We skipped, ran, biked, built forts, told stories, played games, and laughed until dark.
When my siblings and I were little children living on an Air Force base, I learned that other children playing down the street from our house were digging a big hole in the sand when suddenly, a wall of sand collapsed inward, burying a boy. He came out to play one day and never went home again. I think about how his death must have buried his mother and father too.
Deep down inside our tiny souls our innocence was sliding off. Whether we knew it or not, the seed of loss was planted, and from then on, the seed would always live within us.
There are guaranteed conditions of the human experience—old age, illness, accidents, crime, war—the ripping away of loved ones from our arms. The hardest thing ever, it requires strength—taking off our shoes and pulling up our socks, until the time comes when we can collapse into ourselves and cry.
I think about others who are on a path in their lives right now where they feel the seed of loss fully grown. I see them looking at photographs, remembering happy times, smiling, like everything is fine, but deep down, inside their shoe, their sock is sliding off.
A little about me
I love researching our family histories! We learn so much about our ancestors, their neighbours, and the times and places in which they lived. I believe it’s important that people be celebrated and remembered.
I’m grateful to all the people and institutions that make this research possible. Family Search and WikiTree, both free of charge, have been tremendous resources. Find My Past is great for records of the United Kingdom and reasonably priced membership.
I’ve researched thousands of people to whom I’m not related. It gives me the same sense of accomplishment and caring as my own family. It’s a privilege.
DNA
A descendant of James E Jones’s son, Spurgeon Jones of Nova Scotia, is connected by DNA, 3rd - 5th cousin, to siblings of Sara V Mosher. Sara and siblings triangulate with a dozen or more Jones descendants, including descendants of Catherine Jones of Glamorgan, Wales and on another segment Samuel Jones of North Carolina. The Mosher’s are descended on their mother’s side from David Jones, born in 1766, in Breconshire, Wales.
Research Notes
Huguenots
Lewis Mosher — Sons Nicholas, Lewis and Reuben Mosher were referred to as “originally Huguenots who had come to Wolfe Island from Landsdowne, Ontario in Glengarry County after their journey northward prior to 1800.”[1][2]
Judge Lafayette Howe Mosher — “While the Webster family were among the early settlers of Rhode Island, the Mosher family was established in New York by French Huguenots who crossed the Atlantic in the early part of the seventeenth century and for generations their descendants were prominent citizens of the lake region of New York.” [3]
See Research Notes under John Moger. In 1544, “John Moger” was a member of “Saynt Anne and Agnes. Straungers.” See Returns of Aliens dwelling in the city and suburbs of London from the reign of Henry VIII to that of James I : The Publications of the Huguenot Society of London.[4] St Anne and St Agnes Church is located in the centre of London.
Descendant of the above-noted John Moger — Although this family in England are not known relatives of our Moshers, there are four books mentioned in the Will of William Mosyer (aka Mosier) : Booke of English Concordants and a book called Statutes went to brother Thomas. Actes and Monuments by John Foxe (known also as Foxe's Book of Martyrs) was donated to The Church of Manchester with elaborate directions as to how it was to be displayed, readable but in an iron cage. This two volume set chronicled the history of Protestantism. Beginning in 1583 revisions of the book contained a section on the 1572 Massacre of Huguenots in France. Another book related to Protestantism was Calvin's Harmonye which William willed to his brother Stephen. John Calvin was a leader of the French Reformed Church whose members came to be referred to as Huguenots. While mostly in Geneva, Calvin spent three years ministering to French speaking refugees at Strasbourg. The possession of such a book suggests the Mosyer family may have some association with the French Reformed Church.
Note: Many years in the future there would be a family tradition that the Mosyer/Mosier/Mosher family had French Huguenot roots from Strasbourg. William's care to note these books in his Will, combined with the fact a number of Huguenot families were named Mosier, lends some credence to the tradition, though it is not proven.
Sources
↑ Searchable version (Google Books) : LaRocque, Barbara Wall. Wolfe Island: A Legacy in Stone, 2009. Mosher (Moshier, Mosier), pg. 77
↑ Rootsweb : citing History of Oregon, Vol. III (biographical). Judge LaFayette Mosher : accessed 28 Jan 2024
↑ R . E. G. Kirk and Ernest F. Kirk, editors. Returns of Aliens dwelling in the city and suburbs of London from the reign of Henry VIII to that of James I Part I 1525-1571. The Publications of the Huguenot Society of London Volume X, Part I, Aberdeen, 1900. John Moger, pg. 84 : accessed 29 Jul 2021
The effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistorical acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs. ~ George Eliot, “Middlemarch”
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Sara's formal name
full middle name (V.)
e-mail address
exact birthdate
birth location
private siblings' names
For access to Sara Mosher's full information you must be on Sara's Trusted List. Please login.
DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships.
It is likely that these
autosomal DNA
test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Sara:
Sara, I hope you don't mind.. I have joined an Alexander MacDonald onto the Denoon MacDonald family tree.. I am unsure where he fits (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/MacDonald-18566). But in Mabou Pioneers it clearly states he was of the Denoon MacDonalds.. if you have any info on how he ties in please move his profile to the correct line!
Hi, Sara. I believe you and Susan McDermott added a section to the profile of Johannes Vincent (bef 1651-bef 1705) (Vincent-5365) titled "Confusion of Dutch Jan Vincent and French Jean Vincent." I believe I am a descendant of the "other" Jean Vincent. I was wondering if you would be willing to add the same type of warning on the other page so people don't confuse the two men from "my" side. Thanks! Dana
Your research has given me the “relentless enthusiasm” needed to explore 400 years of Mosher ancestors. Within the 8,000 words in my profile, I referenced your amazing work numerous times. I’ll never be able to say thank you enough. With a tip of my hat, I’m showing you the respect and admiration you deserve! A Mosher genealogist in training.
Thanks Mike for the compliments. Very much appreciated! I read everyone of the 8,000 words on your profile. I actually am a blood descendant of the Royal Stewarts. You have some great family photos. Will read your ancestors’ profiles.
Thank for the work on Rebecca Goulding's profile. Since she's a 5th. great grandmother to you, I'll orphan the profile so you can manage her. Thanks again, Mark
I didn't ask for a mentor but that is what Sara has been to me. WikiTree has a wealth of good information and Sara has pointed me in the right direction to where I can find it. For someone new like me, it is not always evident what questions I need to be asking. I am writing this comment because I want others to know that she has been helping me privately with emails and is not getting the dozens of thankyous that she would be getting from me if I asked all my questions publicly. I really appreciate Sara's advice.
Sara has worked tirelessly on my family tree. Her contributions and changes have also shown me better ways of doing things and formatting. She inspires me to do better. In her own way she is a wonderful teacher. She deserves more than just a thank you.
Thanks for breaking down the brick wall with Joseph Fabien Melanson. I was confused early on by his use of Joseph on some records and Fabien on others. Now I know for sure it is the same person. Thanks.
This week's connection theme is Saints.
Sara is
18 degrees from Marguerite D'Youville, 26 degrees from Birgitta Birgersdotter, 19 degrees from Marguerite Bourgeois, 17 degrees from Katherine Drexel, 23 degrees from Philippine Duchesne, 18 degrees from Isaac Jogues, 21 degrees from Mary MacKillop, 39 degrees from Zélie Martin, 23 degrees from John Newman, 27 degrees from Lorcán Ua Tuathail, 14 degrees from Elizabeth Ann Seton and 30 degrees from Edith Stein
on our single family tree.
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Your research has given me the “relentless enthusiasm” needed to explore 400 years of Mosher ancestors. Within the 8,000 words in my profile, I referenced your amazing work numerous times. I’ll never be able to say thank you enough. With a tip of my hat, I’m showing you the respect and admiration you deserve! A Mosher genealogist in training.
Thank for the work on Rebecca Goulding's profile. Since she's a 5th. great grandmother to you, I'll orphan the profile so you can manage her. Thanks again, Mark