MUSCATINE COUNTY IOWA REGISTER OF OLD SETTLERS BOOK ONE

Source: REGISTER OF OLD SETTLERS , BOOK One, page 345
submitted by Jo Ann Carlson, October 21, 2007

DIED

Sunday, Feb. 7, 1892, at 7:030 a.m., at his home on Muscatine Island, of la grippe, after six days’ illness, STEPHEN L. FOSS aged 85 years on the 16th of last December.

Thus there passed away from this community one of its oldest and best citizens. Mr. Foss was born near Grafton, N.H., Dec. 16, 1806. When 21 years of age he went to Boston, where he secured employment for about fourteen years. He left there in 1842, coming directly to Muscatine, (then Bloomington) where for a number of years he was in the mercantile business with his brother-in-law, John Bennett, the firm name being J. Bennett & Co. From 1844 to 1846 Mr. Foss was president of the Board of Trustees (or Mayor) of Bloomington. In 1851 he removed to a farm on Muscatine Island, three and one-half miles from the city, which was his home till the day of his death.

On the 8th of March, 1800, the deceased the wife of his youth, which was a great grief to him. On her death, his only son, George A., removed with his family to the paternal home to take care of his father in his declining years.

Mr. Foss was one of nature’s noblemen, an honest man. During his long business career in this community his reputation was never tarnished by a dishonest act, nor was there even a suspicion of intentional wrong-doing on his part. For more than twenty years he had been an exemplary member of the Methodist church. He died peacefully,

“as one who wraps the drapery of his couch around him,” and went hence in firm faith in the merits of a crucified Redeemer. With such a one “Death is the crown of life; Where blooming Eden withers from our sight. This King of Terrors is the Prince of Peace.”

He calmly looked into eternity and care, fully and with full possession of his mental faculties made arrangements for the end of his earthly existence. He particularly expressed a desire to be buried by the side of his wife in the Island cemetery.

The funeral will take place to-morrow (Tuesday) from the Island church, at 10:30 o’clock a.m.

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