'Mose' Looks Back Over 90 Years

It was a cold, wintry day Jan. 24, 1885, when Charles Orba Mosher chose to make his arrival into this world. Snow was some 15 inches deep around the Morrow County farm home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mosher, between Cardington and Fulton, and a woman doctor, Dr. Smith-White of Cardington rode out on horse-back to attned to his birth.
"My family was not rich in this world's goods," Mosher recalls, "so I attended school on until I was 12 and then wen to work."
"in Those days you didn't select your place of employment, you did what there was to do to earn money."
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In succession Mosher's work and business experiences included farming, learing the butcher trade in his father's meat shop at Fulton, employment by street railway and several railroad lines, and again as a meat cutter. These were puntcuated with bad times and reversals; such as the 1913 Flood, a hand injury while employed by Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railrod, and the Depression of the 1930s.
For a time he had his own business, the Home Meat Shop in Caledonia where he prepared specialties, ring bologna and sausages and other smoked meat products. Associated with Geddis Meat Market on W. Church Steet (acresso from the Masonic Temple) 13 years, "Mose" later worked for Ohio Market at both the W. Center and S. Main locations, retireing from the business at the age of 75.
"The railroad work was my favorite, especially as conductor on the 'Owl Car' run for Columbus Street Railway," volunteered Mosher, "probably because I was young and it was exciting to be in the city at night." The population of the Capital City then, he recalls was 125,000.
Another experience vivid in his memory is that of being a member of the "Harding Class" of 150 intiates in the Marion Elks Lodge in January, 1921. It is his recolleciton that Warren G. Harding, then president-elect, said in his address to the group, "I know I have a big job ahead of me but if I do what I think is right I shouldn't go very far wrong."
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"Mose" is also a past member of Marion Aerie of Fraternal Order of the Eagles and the Knight of Pythias Lodge.
Baseball is his favorite sport. Once a Cleveland Indians fan, he has changed his allegiance to the Cincinnati Reds admittedly because "they were winning."
Tall and slender, the white-haried Mosher may be seen on daily walks to the drug store and supermarket several blocks from his comforatble home on Linden Place except in inclement weather. Mrs. Mosher, the former Frena Stokley, died las Nov. 11. They observed their 52nd wedding anniversary in 1974, and attended Prospect St. United Methodist Church.
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Mosher limits his reading to avoid eyestrain, having undergone cataract surgery some time ago. Otherwise he enjoys good health and notes that he is "a good eater," savoring all foods except macaroni and cheese.
In celebration of his birthday today, the 90 year-old Mosher is being honored by his family. He has three daughters three daughters, Mrs. Victor (Norma) Aughenbaugh, of Westerville, Mrs. E.E. (Gloria) Merchant of Cridersville and Mrs. John (Betty) Boyd of Marion, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren

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