Ira Mosher, who resides off Cherokee Lane about eight miles from Stockton, came to San Joaquin county in 1859, and is one of the well known and highly prosperous old settlers of this locality. He has long figured as a man of influence and worth in his community, and besides looking out for his own welfare and providing ample material circumstances for himself and family he has also taken a public-spirited interest in local civic matters.

Mr. Mosher was born in Oswego county, New York, April 25, 1838, being a son of Lemuel and Lydia (Lincoln) Mosher. At the age of twelve years he was made an orphan by the death of his father, his mother having died several years previously, so that from that time he has been practically dependent upon his own resources. From this independent career he has developed the powers of self-reliance and energy which have always been marks of his character, and as a practically self-made man he has hewn out his own prosperity from his circumstances and environments. When thirteen years old he, with other members of the family, moved to DuPage county, Illinois, and there grew up to manhood. In 1858 he went out to Marengo county, Iowa, and after a few months, in the spring of 1859, started for California across the plains, arriving in San Joaquin county in the same year. He subsequently traveled about a great deal, in Oregon, British Columbia, Washington, Idaho and Nevada, and he took up his permanent abode on his present estate in 1866, where he has been a resident for nearly forty years. In this home place he has one hundred and forty-five acres of land. He has a fine vineyard of thirty acres extent, and in this grows fourteen different varieties of grapes. In Calaveras county he also owns two other small farms, consisting, together, of one hundred and sixty acres. He has thus been well prospered in material affairs, and is in comfortable circumstances for the declining years of his life.

In October, 1866, while at Walla Walla, in the then territory of Washington, Mr. Mosher was married to Miss Emma Baur, a native of Denmark. She died in San Joaquin county, in January, 1877. At the present writing Mr. Mosher is serving as road overseer of Cherokee Lane from the eight-mile house corner to East street in Stockton, and he has made a creditable record in maintaining this well known road in an excellent condition. He is a Republican in politics, and in all matters is public-spirited and generous. Fraternally he is affiliated with Truth Lodge No. 55, I. O. O. F., at Stockton, and though not a member of any church organization he supports by his means and influence the various institutions and charitable works undertaken in the name of Christianity.

Source: History of the New California Its Resources and People, Volume II

The Lewis Publishing Company - 1905
Edited by Leigh H. Irvine