Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 746 - 748 

LEROY FOSDICK, who is extensively engaged in farming, stock-raising and in the dairy business, in Grant Township, is the owner of 160 acres of fine arable land on section 14, all of which is brought to a high state of cultivation, and improved in a superior manner. It is well fenced off into fields of a convenient size, and has upon it a handsome and comfortable residence, and a neat, roomy and convenient barn. An orchard of nearly 500 trees, apple, peach and cherry, all of which are healthy and in bearing, adds materially to the value of the property. Mr. Fosdick gives a large share of his attention to stock, having upon his place a number of high-grade, Norman-Percheron horses, and Short-horn and Jersey cattle, nearly all of which are full-blooded, and pure-bred Poland China hogs.

            Mr. Fosdick is a native of Geauga County, Ohio. and was born May 13, 1835. He is the eldest in a family of twelve children, six boys and six girls, who were born to his parents, Harry and Martha (Francisco) Fosdick, both of whom were natives of New York. His grandparents, John and Mary (Swift) Fosdick, were also natives of the Empire State, whose ancestors came from over the sea previous to the Revolutionary War. His maternal grandparents were John and Elizabeth (Near) Francisco, and were both born in the State of New York, descended from one of the old Holland Dutch colonies, which settled on the North River at a very early date.

            Harry Fosdick, the father of our subject, was a farmer for many years in the State of Ohio; and emigrated to Illinois in 1844, settling in McHenry County, near Woodstock. He purchased a tract of eighty acres of partly improved land, and 160 acres from the Government, on which he made his home until his death, which occurred March 28, 1885, when he had attained the age of seventy-five years. His estimable wife still survives him, and is a resident on the old homestead, with her youngest son.

            Leroy Fosdick was reared upon his father's farm, and received his education in the district schools of Illinois and Ohio. Being early initiated into the labors attendant upon agricultural pursuits, he remained at home engaged in assisting his father, until he had attained the age of twenty-two. March 25, 1858, he was united in marriage, in McHenry County, Ill., with Miss Frances B. Grace, who was a native of County Kilkenny, Ireland, born Dec. 25, 1834. She was the eldest in a family of four children born to her parents, John and Catherine Grace, who were also natives of the Emerald Isle. When she was but seven years of age her parents left their home in the old country, and-crossing the ocean settled in Canada, where they remained until their death.

            After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Fosdick settled down in life on a farm in Illinois, where they remained two years, and then emigrated to Texas. One year later they removed to Iowa, having left Stephenville, in the Lone Star State, on the 3d of July, 1861, and arriving in Story County, Iowa, in August following. They drove the whole distance in a wagon, spending some twelve weeks on the road, and during that year passed some twenty-one weeks under the canvas of a covered wagon, camping by the roadside at night.

            After his arrival in the Hawkeye State, burning with patriotism, Mr. Fosdick enlisted in Company A, 10th Iowa Infantry, and was mustered into the United States service for three years, at Des Moines, Sept. 12, 1862. He participated in most of the engagements in which that noble regiment to which he was attached carried the flag of Iowa to the front. At Corinth, Iuka, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hill and the siege of Vicksburg, he bore a gallant part, and in the march of Sherman to the sea, was found in the ranks of his company, who were participants in that matchless expedition. After having passed through the streets of Washington at the time of the grand review he was honorably discharged from the service, June 23, 1865, and returned to McHenry County, Ill., whither his family had moved. He engaged in farming in that locality, and followed the business for a number of years. In the spring of 1871 he came to Kansas, and settling in Grant Township, took up 160 acres of land, where he now lives, under the homestead act. He put up the buildings upon it during the same year, hauling the lumber and other material from Burlington, Coffey Co., Kan., a distance of 125 miles. For the first year after settling here he was engaged in freighting and in breaking up the prairie sod, and in otherwise improving his place, where he has since resided. In the last few years he has given much attention to the dairy business, disposing of most of the product of twenty-five cows the past year.

            The subject of our memoir is a Republican politically, but is not very active as a politician, nor does he seek public office. His wife, a most estimable Christian woman, is a communicant of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at Sunny-dale. The first religious services ever held in Grant Township were at the residence of Mr. Fosdick, at which time the Rev. Mr. Ashley, a Congregational clergyman from Sedgwick, officiated, and for one year thereafter services were held at his house as often as circumstances permitted. Although not connected with any church society as a member, Mr. Fosdick takes great interest and an active part in all religious matters. He and his family were among the very earliest settlers in Grant Township, and have endured many of the hardships of pioneer life. Having spent much of his time on the buffalo range he has suffered from the inclemency of the weather, and still carries the marks of it.

             Mr. and Mrs. Fosdick have been the parents of four children, three girls and one boy, as follows: Frances Luella, who died at the age of six years and eight months; Mary Alice, Mrs. B. C. Burnley, a resident of Chase County, this State; Ida Grace, who died at the age of nine months; and William Arthur, who is attending school in the district where his home is located. His father intends to place at William's disposal all the facilities for acquiring a superior education, feeling convinced that he can leave no better heritage to his only son.

[ Home ]