Lockley, Fred.  "History of the Columbia River Valley, From The Dalles to the
Sea." Vol. 2.  S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1928.  p. 770.
Includes portrait

WILLIAM WEBSTER FOSS

William Webster Foss, who died in 1903 at his farm home one and a half miles
south of Hood River, Oregon, was one of the pioneers of this locality and was
regarded as one of the community's most worthy citizens. He lived an upright and
consistent life, characterized by persistent and well directed industry and
sterling integrity in all of his affairs, so that he well merited the high place
which he held in the esteem of those who knew him. Mr. Foss was a native of
Massachusetts, born on the 10th of September, 1844, and was a son of Silas M.
and Sally B. (Webster) Foss, the former born April 25, 1809, and the latter
January 20, 1819. He was educated in the public schools of his native state and
eventually moved to Illinois, where he was living at the outbreak of the Civil
war. He enlisted in Company K, Thirty-seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer
Infantry, with which he served three years, and at the close of the war was
honorably discharged at Houston, Texas. Returning to Illinois, he engaged in
farming, which he followed there until 1874, when he came to the coast, locating
in Portland, where he worked for about three years. He then came to Hood River,
in what was then Wasco county, Oregon, and took up a homestead about one and a
half miles south of the town. After erecting a small board house, he entered
upon the task of clearing the land and getting it under cultivation, but there
was no market in those days for what little he raised and during the first year
here the family endured great privations and hardships. They used but fifty
cents worth of sugar during that year and were not able to purchase any kerosene
oil, doing their cooking and other household duties by the light of the fire.
In the course of time Mr. Foss cleared about fifty acres of the land, the
greater part of which he planted to orchard and eventually abundant success
crowned his efforts. He was a ceaseless and untiring worker, doing well whatever
he undertook, and gained recognition as a good farmer and a man of sound
business judgment. He remained on the home farm until his death, and his passing
was deeply regretted throughout the community, for his high character and fine
personal traits had won for him a large circle of warm and loyal friends.

In 1871, in Illinois, Mr. Foss was united in marriage to Miss Phoebe Purser, who
was born in Bedfordshire, England, and is a daughter of Thomas and Martha (West)
Purser, both of whom were natives of that country. The family came to the United
States in 1850 and settled at Danville, Illinois, where the father engaged in
farming, and also established a brickyard on his place, which proved a
successful venture. In 1874 he sold out there and moved to Portland, Oregon, but
later came to Hood River, where both parents died, the father in 1877 and the
mother in 1887. They became the parents of six children, namely: David and Lucy,
who are deceased; John, who lives in Everett, Washington; Joseph, and Mrs. Mary
Noble, both deceased, and Mrs. Foss. John Purser took up a preemption claim of
eighty acres, adjoining the city of White Salmon, Washington, in 1876, the land
being densely covered with timber. After building a small house, he cleared off
about twenty acres of the land and lived there until 1897, when he sold part of
the land and is now retired and he and his wife are living at Everett,
Washington. They became the parents of five children, namely: George T., who
lives in California, and is married and has four children, Elliot, Geraldine,
Harold and Cleburn; Mrs. Annie Rankine, deceased; Mattie, who is employed as a
bookkeeper by the Standard Oil Company in Seattle, Washington; Ada A., who is
the wife of Dr. Howard, of Everett, Washington, and has a son, Pope; and Fred,
who is married and has two children, Mary and Albert. Mr. and Mrs. Foss became
the parents of five children, as follows: Mrs. Lucy Haskin, who died leaving two
sons, Dale M., of Hood River, who owns the largest fox farm in the United
States, and Frank, of Milbrae, California, who is married and has two children,
Eugene and Carol; Ida May, who was a school teacher and died in 1900; Arthur
Lester, who remains on a part of the home place at Hood River; William Webster,
Jr., who is referred to in a later paragraph; and Lillie May, who died in
infancy. The mother of these children still lives on the homestead, which has
been divided among the children, and, because of her hospitable and kindly
manner and her many excellent personal qualities, is held in high esteem
throughout the community where she has lived for fifty-four years.

William Webster Foss, Jr., who was born on the old homestead at Hood River,
received his elementary education in the public school at Hood River and
attended Willamette University, at Salem, Oregon, two and a half years, since
which time he has devoted his attention closely to the operation of his fine
ranch. He owns twenty-five acres of the home farm, with about fifteen acres
planted to apples, comprising one of the best orchards in the Hood River valley.
He uses a tractor and employs modern methods in the cultivation of his place and
has proven a thorough and practical farmer and a good business man. He was
married to Miss Ruth Viola Coon, who is a native of Hood River and is a daughter
of Thomas R. and Delia (McNeal). Coon, both of whom are now living in Portland,
Oregon. Mr. Coon, who owns a large fruit ranch in the Hood River valley, was a
pioneer of this locality and became prominent in public affairs, having served
as a member of the state legislature, and was one of the organizers of the State
Teachers Association. Mr. and Mrs. Foss have three children, William Webster
III, Francis Robert and Mildred Esther, all of whom are attending school. By his
industrious and successful career, as well as by his stanch personal qualities,
Mr. Foss has ably sustained the prestige of the family name, and is regarded as
one of Hood River's most worthy and substantial citizens.

 
*******************

Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2006 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.