Adam Foss

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Adam Foss, 1851-1879

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Adam Foss, 1851-1879

About

Name

• Adam Foss

Born

• 15 August 1822
  Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

Residence

• Wooster, Ohio

Died

• 9 January 1907
  Wooster, Ohio

Resting

• Wooster, Wooster Cemetery, Ohio

Occupation

• Founder & President (Wooster Brush Company, The, 1851–1879)

Family

Partners

• Louise Sarah Schafer Rhoads ()
  1893
• Mary Fortney ()
  1849

Spelling Variations

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Biographical Sketches

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Obituary of Adam Foss

• Adam Foss Is Dead: One of Wooster's Citizens Passes Away

Adam Foss, one of Wooster's old citizens, paid the debt of nature at 4 pm Thursday at his home on South Market street, after a sickness of a few days the result of a complication or disease incident to old age. The funeral will take place at 3 p.m. Saturday. Interment in Wooster cemetery.

Adam Foss was reared in Franklin county, Pa., coming of German parentage, born on August 15, 1822, and came to Ohio alone when at the age of 18, walking the entire distance over the mountains, and carrying his earthly possessions in a small bundle. Mr. Foss was a brushmaker by trade and locating in Licking county followed his calling there for a short time and then took up his residence in Cincinnati, where he lived for a time until coming to Wooster early in the forties.

Mr. Foss engaged in the manufacture of brushes, and following the custom in those days drove from place to place disposing of his goods establishing what is now one of the city's leading industrial establishments the Wooster Brush Works in 1851, remaining at the helm until February 1876 when he was succeeded by Walter D. Foss and George J. Schwartz.

Mr. Foss was wedded April 30, 1949, to Miss Mary Fortney a native of the county. To this union came four children, three of whom are living Mrs. George J. Schwartz and Walter D. Foss of Wooster and Mrs. Walt Mason, of Beatrice, ____. The mother of these children died October 4, 1891.

About 13 years ago Mr. Foss took for his second wife, Mrs. Louisa Rhoads, of Bellville, Ohio, who with one child, Margaret, survives. Mr. Foss was a Republican in politics and had served his party and city as a member of council from the Fourth ward in 1870.

Adam Foss was a man who made a success in business and in life by his own efforts. He had but little advantage in the way of securing an education and coming to Ohio, when still in his teens began the battle of life alone and without financial assistance. He was ______ workman and thoroughly honest in the product of brushes so that when he once secured a customer he held his trade by the excellence of his manufacture. This element in his character he inducted into the establishment which he founded, and it was his cherished claim that the reputation which eh had gained for brushes bearing the name of Foss was a guaranty of their excellence.

Mr. Foss during his long life in Wooster did much to advance the material prosperity of the city, having build a number of residences in addition to two business blocks. The first of these was that portion of what is known as the Oddfellows' Block and for many years used as the factory and office of the Wooster Brush Works, the second building the structure on South Market street known as the Foss and Lee Block. Mr. Foss was long a great sufferer with rheumatic troubles yet with that persistency which was a dominant trait in his character __ ____ his calling with success. To those who knew him as a neighbor he was ever kind and thoughtful in sickness and distress, and as a citizen he was ever in favor of those things which tended to the advancement of the welfare of all.

• FOUNDER of Wooster Brush Works Passes Away - Adam Foss, Prominent Wooster Citizen Died Thursday

Adam Foss, one of Wooster's oldest and most respected citizens, died at his home on South Market street this morning at 4 o'clock. His death was caused principally by old age,. Mr. Foss was born near Harrisburg, Pa., August 15, 1822.

Mr. Foss was one of Wooster's foremost citizens for many years, having come to this city, about 60 years ago. He founded the Wooster Brush Works and saw that institution rise from a small plant to what it is today. He was married to Miss Mary Fortney, when a young man and three children were born of this marriage. Walter D. Foss, present superintendent of the Wooster Brush Works, Mrs. Geo. Schwartz, of Wooster and Mrs. Ella Foss Mason, of Beatrice, Nebraska. He was married for the second time in 1893 to Mrs. Louis Rhoads, who survives him. One child, Margaret, of Wooster, was born to this union. There are also other relatives surviving.

The funeral services will be held from the resident, on South Market St., Saturday at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The funeral will be private with the exception of relatives and the intimate friends of the deceased. Rev. Frank Hellman, of the Lutheran church, will preach the funeral sermon.

Obituary of Mary Fortney Foss

• Mrs. Adam Foss

Mrs. Adam Foss, aged 67 years and 9 months and 8 days, died Sabbath noon at her home on South Market street. Mrs. Foss has been ill for several years with a complication of diseases that baffled medical skill, but was able to be up and ___ as usual. She was taken worse on Saturday morning, and in spite of all that could be done for her the fell destroyer conquered and the end came about 12 o'clock Sunday. She was a daughter of Samuel Fortney, an early settler of Wayne County (where she was born) and was married to Adam Foss, April 30th, 1849, Four children blessed the union, three of whom are living, Mrs. George J. Schwartz, Walter D. Foss and Miss Ella Foss of this city, who with their father survive. The funeral will take place from the residence at 3 p. m. Tuesday. (The funeral took place Tuesday afternoon with services by Rev. J. W. Cracraft and Rev. David Kammerer.)

Obituary of Sarah Louisa Foss

• Sarah Louisa Foss Dies, Funeral Tuesday

Mrs. Sarah Louisa Foss, aged 87 years, five months and 15 days, widow of Adam Foss, died late Saturday at Pomerene Memorial Hospital at Millersburg, where she had been receiving treatment. Her homes was at 538 Spruce st.

Mrs. Foss is survived by one son, Lewis M. Rhodes Wooster; and two daughters, Mrs. Minnie Laper and Margaret Foss, both of Wooster. A son and a daughter preceded her in death.

Funeral services will be held at the McIntire Funeral Home Tuesday at 2 p.m., a Christian Science service with Mrs. M. J. Boosz officiating. Burial will be at Belleville, O. Friends may call at the funeral home Monday from 7 to 9 o'clock.

Family

List the husband, wife and children of the family. Include the childrens' maiden name in parentheses followed by the married name(s). If more information is known on the wife and children, a new page should be created.

• Husband: Adam Foss
• Wife: Mary Fortney Foss
  • Children:
    • Walter D. Foss
    • Mrs. Geo. Schwartz
    • Mrs. Ella Foss Mason
• Wife 2nd: Sarah Louisa Rhodes Foss
  • Children:
    • Margaret Foss

Vital Records

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Birth

• 15 Aug 1822 Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

Marriage

• 1st Mary Fortney 30 Apr 1849 Ashland County, Ohio
• 2nd Louise Sarah Schafer Rhoads 1893

Death

• 9 Jan 1907 Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio

Burial

• Wooster Cemetery, Wooster, Ohio.

Census Records

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Places of Residence

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• 0000 S. Market St., Wooster, Ohio

Court Records

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Tax Records

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Land Records

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Military

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Occupations

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• Founder, Wooster Brush

Community Involvement

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Awards and Recognition

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Notes

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What Links Here

Adam Foss founded Wooster Brush Works, now known as Wooster Brush Company, The in 1851.