Delaware County NY Genealogy and History Site

The family of John and Celia Foster is listed as being in Roxbury for the 1880 U.S. Census, so I hope others can make use of this info. --Joann Bonnville, 29 August 2006

My sister has an old Bible that was given to her by my grandmother (Theo Hastings) who was born and raised in Roxbury. After researching, I have found that we are in no way related to any of the family members listed in this Bible. Based on conversations with other family members, we believe that my grandmother may have purchased the Bible at an antique store or flea market. A lot of it is difficult to read and the pages are very fragile, but here is the best guess at the info listed:

The Bible was published in 1864. However, under the preprinted "Family Record" heading, someone wrote in very tiny script what looks like the year "1802." Other entries follow:

Hellen Foster born (date missing)

Johney Foster born October 23, 1881

Hellen Foster died February 13 (the "3" is written backwards) 1882

Johney Foster died March 1, 1884

Jannis (or James? or Jarvis?) Foster February 21, 1876 (?)

Johnie Girsth (?) born October 18, 1891

John Foster died May 4, 1899
age 56 years, 8 months, 9 days

John (last name missing) born March 6, 1865 (or 1895?)

John (?) Foster born August 25,(could be 29th; part is cut off) 1843

Celia (Cecelia?) H. Foster born July 27, 1898 (1848?)

William Edward Foster November 7, 1868

Emma (?) E. Foster born July 31, 1872

James Foster born August 3, 1874

Rosey B. Foster born September 22, 1876

Also, pinned with a straight pin to the last part of Genesis, Chapter 24 was the following obituary:

"John Coons, brother of Mrs. Addison Scrom, of West Middleburgh, died on Saturday last, aged about 67 years. He was born at Prattsville, but for many years has lived with his sister, who has been faithful in caring for him, as he has not been rugged for many years. For the past year he has been failing in health, and his death was not wholly unexpected. John possessed a kind heart, and in his sphere did what he believed was right, and if he erred it was not of the heart, but of judgment. Funeral services from his late home, on Tuesday at 3 o'clock, and interment in Middleburgh Cemetery."

Inserted between the same pages as the obituary is a small card (4 in. wide, 2 1/4 in. tall) with a scalloped edge. On the front is a colorful printed picture of a hand feeding birds and preprinted text that reads, "Sweet dreams and glad awakenings be thine!" The picture is smaller than the rest of the card. When it is lifted up (the picture is glued to the backing on the left) the name "Nellie Haynes" is handwritten.

On the inside back cover of the Bible is some kind of handwritten address:

Mt. Pleasant -- M.S. Hospital
Ward 16 Tent (?) 38
No. 14