My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Clark County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Benjamin Foust was born in Carter County, East Tennessee, in 1836, and is the son of Zachariah Foust, a native of North Carolina, and of German descent. His wife, and the mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Sarah Kneidefer, was a native of Tennessee, and of German descent. The father and mother were married in Tennessee, where the father followed the occupation of a shoemaker. This trade he followed for about twenty-five years. During this time he also followed agricultural pursuits. To his marriage were born nine children, six of whom are yet living. After the war he immigrated to Scotland County, Mo., where he resided on a farm for some time. In 1880 or 1881 he moved to Clark County, Mo., and there he now resides, and since his wife’s death in 1884 he has resided with our subject. He is a man seventy-seven years old, and is vigorous in mind, but feeble in body. He is a Republican in politics, and a member of the Dunkard Church. Our subject is the eldest son of a family of nine children. He remained at home until his marriage, when he took for his life companion, Miss Julia Hays, a native of Tennessee. This union resulted in the birth of nine children, seven now living: Nancy, Peter W., William T., George B. McClelland, Cora, Henry and Daniel. In 1877 Mr. Foust lost his wife. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was much liked and respected by all who knew her. Mr. Foust afterward married Miss Nancy Hamby, a native of Tennessee, and the daughter of James Hamby. To this marriage were born five children, four now living. They are named as follows: Maudie, Benjamin, Robert and Beatrice. Mr. Foust is a Democrat in politics, and was in the war in Company A, under Capt. Dalton. He owns a good farm, and is an enterprising, successful farmer.

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This family biography is one of 232 biographies included in the Clark County, Missouri portion of the book,  The History of Lewis, Clark, Knox and Scotland Counties, Missouri published in 1887.  For the complete description, click here: Clark County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Clark County, Missouri family biographies here: Clark County, Missouri Biographies

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