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DANIEL
OSTER |
Daniel was born March 9, 1833, in Washington County, Missouri, the son of immigrants Daniel and Catherine Oster of Bavaria, probably of the Pfalz-Rheinland in present day Germany. Daniel had at least three brothers, possibly five. His older sibling John and youngest brother Joseph had no known progeny; George Washington Oster set up household in the general area of Washington County. There could have been two older brothers.
At the age of 17, Daniel was living with his mother Catherine and brother George on the farm of Jeremiah and Elizabeth Oliver. Both young men were adopted by Jeremiah and Elizabeth on March 13, 1853. Daniel served in apparent indentured servitude to the Olivers. James Collins of Potosi, Missouri recalls his great grandfather saying Jeremiah falsified his birth date in order to obtain an extra year’s labor from the young man. Judging from several land transactions between Daniel and Jeremiah, his age was misrepresented.
Daniel married Eliza Caroline Staples, daughter of John Staples of Kentucky (Virginia), on November 4, 1859, at Fourche a Renault by Justice of the Peace C.B. Lumpkin. He and Eliza had three children before he enlisted in the United States Army during the Civil War. John G. was born November 2, 1860, Mary Jane was born May 25, 1862, and Benjamin F. was born October 7, 1864.
He enlisted in the Union Army on September 20, 1864, at Pilot Knob in Iron County, Missouri. Daniel was a private in Company F of the 15th Regiment of Missouri Infantry Volunteers. His enlistment papers describe him as 5’ 6" tall, light complexion, light hair and blue eyes. His occupation is listed as farmer. (Pilot Knob is only about 40 miles south of the old Oster farm in Oster Hollow, Liberty Township.)
Seven days later his company under General Thomas Ewing was attacked by Confederate forces led by General Sterling Price. The Union forces were defeated by the Confederates and the enemy overran the area. Dan Oster recalled the sound of gunshots throughout the night of Price’s Raid as the invaders destroyed all the local horses. Daniel was later discharged at Nashville, Tennessee on June 16, 1865.
Daniel and Eliza raised five more children -- Andrew Jackson born February 27, 1867, Joseph P. born October 10, 1872, Martha Virginia born February 25, 1875, Margaret Lee born December 25, 1878, and Lytle Stanley born January 6, 1882. Over the years, he earned a reputation as an excellent farmer of fruit and citrus. His distilled cider helped establish him as a popular local. Daniel Oster was known for his honesty throughout the area of Old Mines, Cadet.
Daniel died April 18, 1921, in Washington County, Missouri. He is buried in the Burgowich Cemetery north of Potosi. He was preceded in death by his wife Eliza Staples and his son Benjamin.