Alfred Edward Foshay was the son of Garret Foshay and Elizabeth Bronson Foshay,
both of NY., NY. He was born 20 Dec., 1849 in Singsing, Westchester County, New York,
but in 1853 his family moved to Patch Grove, Grant County, Wiscounsin where he grew to adulthood.
He had varied exosure to business, his father divided his time between a hotel, a livery stable
and farming. Alf was eduated at the Patch Grove Academy.
Alfred was the oldest son, in picture to the left, and his youngest brother,Stephen in the picture to the right.
(close up picture of Alfred)
The two brothers came to Kansas in 1869, Alf at the age of 19, with younger brother Stephen Foshay. He settled in Ridgeway, Osage County,
where for 14 years he made his home with George Bronson (maternal uncle) having full charge of
the farm. When he came to the county, he had $600.00 which he promptly lost the first season,
feeding hogs. Not daunted, he resolutely set to work. He met and married Ellen Kinney,
in Ridgeway, Osage County, Kansas, May 29, 1874.
Ellen was the oldest daughter of Aaron Kinney and Elizabeth Oliver Kinney.
Alf and Ellen had five girls who lived to adulthood. Three infant children did not survive, and they are buried with one stone in the Ridgeway Cemetery, with the dates 1875, 1877 and 1880. (2 boys and a girl)
In 1886 the Foshays moved four miles west of Overbrook, where he purchased 240 acres of land. The home place became 560 acres, and another tract, four miles north of Overbrook, 400 acres which was used for pasture. The home place was well improved and had 5 miles of rock fence. There also was 200 acres of tame grass (timothy, clover, blue grass, etc.) At one time they owned the largest home in Osage County, built in 1892, at the cost of approximately $3,500.00. Was leading stock breeder and feeder in Osage County, frequent exhibitor at the Topeka State Fair. Owned more than 1,000 acres of land near Overbrook, most being used for stock raising. Also was engaged in the shipping business. Handled and ran in a year between 200 and 300 cattle, 30 or 40 head of horses and mules, and kept 100 to 150 head of hogs.
Alfred and Ellen in later years.
In Burlingame was a depositor and in later years, stockholder in the Pioneer Bank of Burlingame
and the First National Bank of Overbrook. He was a Democrat, and was elected County Commissioner in
1904.
Alf was something of a bon vivant. He was a good man and enjoyed life. Liked his tipple. It was
said that all of the girls (daughters) loved Alf. Each seemed to think she was his favorite. - There
must be a gift for being able to do that. 5 girls, no less.
Grandson Don Records had some beautiful silver teaspoons that Alf brought home from a trip to
Kansas City
as some sort of peace offering to Ellen. (Ellen had given them to daughter Nellie, then to her son Don)
In 1996, Don gave them to me when I was visiting him in California. I carried them home on the plane
with my 8 month old son. There are 6 of them, they are sterling, they say "Olmstead" on the back
of the handle, and the front of the handle is decorated with leaves, flowers, Lily of the Valley
that I can identify, and they have Ellen's initials on them: "E.F."
Alf and Ellen lived with their daughter Anna and March the last year of Alfred's life, to be near his doctor. He died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. M.E. (Anna) Urie, 1516 W. 6th Street, Topeka.
Per Don Records: Daughter Dode (Dora Ellen Foshay Karlan) owned the house in 1941 when he visited it.
The house was rented out, to a couple who had worked for Ellen and Alf.
They may have later bought the place. The lady had helped Ellen with the house and had met and
married her husband on the farm. Don said they were a nice couple and recognized Nellie,
"Oh look, it's Miss Foshay and her husband". They let them look around. The beautiful porch had been taken off and it was a little bare. The longhorn steer horns that Alf had installed over the door to the dining room were still in place. (The longhorn steer horns were taken out of the house, given to Bill Deardorff and now son Mike Deardorff has them in Tulsa, Oklahoma.) Nellie said that the wallpaper in the hall was the same she remembered, silver foil fleur-de-lis on a mauve ground. It looked remarkably good for fifty years of wear.
Per our local Kinney cousin Al Herlan, in the 1960's the house was so dilapidated that it was torn down. The rubble was still present in the 1980's with a lot of the rock fence still in tact,
when Lori and her parents Bill and Nadine (in picture) were there,
and in the 1990's when Lori and her dad went back, a new ranch home was built near the site.
Lena Eliza Foshay Deardorff
4 generation picture - Grandmother Elizabeth Oliver Kinney,
Granddaughter Lena Eliza Foshay Deardorff with
mother Ellen Kinney Foshay and baby girl is Lena's daughter Bernice Elnora Deardorff Poston.
Lena Eliza Foshay Deardorff (later years)
John Alfred Deardorff
Bernice Elenora Deardorff Poston
Steven William "Bill" Deardorff - 1952 Wichita High School North graduation
Family pictures and portraits were handed down from Bernice Poston and Regina Stevens Deardorff. Send any comments or inquires to:
lorimarquette@sbcglobal.net
