Mill Tragedy (photo: grist mill)

When he was 39, Moss’s wifeWhen he was 39, M Elizabeth died. They had 5 children, George, William, Charlotte, Elizabeth and Lydia. Two years later, tragedy struck. Joseph Currier’s young bride, was killed while inspecting the mill. Her long dress became caught in the whirling machinery and she was dashed against a pillar. Joseph could not bear to continue with the enterprise and Moss bought him out.

In 1864, when Moss was 42, he became Mayor of Ottawa. Among his achievements were the construction of a horse drawn, 20 passenger tram car service, which operated on rails for 4 miles across the city, and placing the city on a secure financial basis. He served for two terms of one year, but declined to run for a third.