REGISTER OF
OLD SETTLERS
BOOK ONE
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MUSCATINE COUNTY IOWA REGISTER OF | |
Source: REGISTER OF OLD SETTLERS , BOOK One, page 485 & 486a
submitted by Charlene Nichols Hixon, December 4, 2007
OBITUARY.
George A. Foss.Brief mention was made in the Journal of Wednesday evening of the death of George A. Foss, an old resident of the Island, living about four miles from the city. Mr. Foss died yesterday morning at 9:30 after an illness of only four days duration of pleuro-pneumonia.
George Augustus Foss was born Nov. 30, 1835, and consequently had attained the age of 66 years. The place of his birth was Boston, Mass., he being the only son of Stephen L. and Sarah Foss. He was united in marriage September 13, 1871, to Ella H. Robinson, who died May 15, 1892. Two daughters survive Mr. Foss, Mrs. Carrie Cross and Mrs. Georgia Austin, both of this city. Mr. Foss was one of the early settlers of this county having come here nearly fifty years ago, and has watched the development and progress of the community since that time. He united with the Island Methodist Episcopal church in 1886, and since that time has been a faithful and consistent worker. He came to this section of the country and has long been identified with its development. His acquaintances have always counted his friendship as of special significance to them. For 60 years Iowa has been his home and Muscatine has been under his notice from its early days to its present day development.
The funeral will take place Friday afternoon at 1:30 from the Island M. E. church, the services being conducted by Rev. W. L. Clapp, the pastor of the church and interment will be at Greenwood in this city.
*** article below found on Page 486a *** IN MEMORIAM
As we listened to the remarks of Rev. W. L. Clapp at the funeral of the late GEORGE A. FOSS, of Muscatine Island, we thought of a chapter in the book of his life that had not been noticed, and which should not pass unheeded at this time. It was the home missionary work that he did, preaching in Hopewell school house for at least two or three years faithfully, without money and without price, simply for the love of god and his fellow men. After his conversion he turned his talents to bringing the gospel within the reach of those who gathered in the little country school house, until the death of his wife and a serious nervous disease compelled him to avoid going into crowds of people. Through summer’s heat and facing winter’s chilly blasts he would go a distance of five miles on Sunday afternoons to tell of Christ’s undying love. On one occasion the people to whom he thus administered raised a sum of money to present to him. He received it with great pleasure for the encouragement it gave to him. “Now,” said he, “the first thing I am going to do is to get my dear wife the best oil stove I can find.” The angels came soon after and called the dear wife home. Then with tears streaming down his face, he said to us: “She never got the good from her stove that I had planned she should.”
As we think of this one, who has so lately passed over the river to join his dear ones gone before, we see the contrast between this life of one who tried so faithfully to make the world better around him, who tried to bring others into the light of life and to help them see the good path and walk therein, and of the lives of those who plan to bring souls down to death and to destruction, who for the sake of gain care not how much sorrow and suffering is caused thereby, or who make their livelihood by creating strife. As we reflect upon this, we can say in all sincerity: “A good man has gone home,” and as the choir so expressively sang, is resting from his work.
Alice W. Beatty. Muscatine Island.
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