T. S. HOSLER, horticulturist, P. O. Villa Ridge, was born in Lancaster County, Penn., April 12, 1840, to Israel and Sarah (Everet) Hosler. Both died in Pickaway County, Ohio, where they moved when our subject was small. In 1861, Mr. Hosler enlisted in Company K, Fifty-fifth Ohio Infantry, Col. Lee. He went out as a private, but was promoted successively to First Lieutenancy. He veteranized and served for four years and three months. He was in some of the hardest fights that occurred during the war. At the battles of Bull Run and at Chancellorsville, Va., and was there captured and taken to Libby Prison, but after thirty days got out on an exchange. He was in Gen. Hooker's Corps that charged the summit of Lookout Mountain in the fog, and was with Sherman on the march to the sea, and at the grand review in Washington at the close of the war. During a transfer from Louisville to Nashville, he was severely injured by falling under the cars, and the injury resulted in the loss of sight in the left eye. His occupation since being mustered out of the service has been quite changeable, for four years in the grocery and feed business at Upper Sandusky, Ohio, then as builder and contractor at Ft. Wayne, Ohio, such being his trade; afterward doing carpenter work in the car shops at Terre Haute, Ind. and Mattoon, Ill. He then went to Chicago, where he again engaged in contracting and building. After the last big fire in Chicago, he came to this county and bought his present farm, and has been engaged in fruit and vegetable growing since, and has been very successful. He has twice been married, first in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, in 1861, to Martha Midlam. She was born in Pennsylvania, near Harrisburg. Two sons were the result of this union, viz., Harland and Pliny. In Chicago, he was married to his second wife, Mrs. F. W. Savage. Mr. Savage was a son of F. W. Savage, commission merchant of Chicago. By her first husband, she had one daughter, Lottie Belle. Mr. and Mrs. Hosler have four children — Daisy May, Ernest Hayes, Nellie and Gracie. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics, he is Republican, casting his first vote for A. Lincoln.
Extracted 02 Nov 2014 by Norma Hass from 1883 History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part V - Biographical Sketches, pages 288-289.
| Union | Johnson | |
| Alexander |
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Massac McCracken KY |
| Ballard KY |
