The obituaries of our pioneer ancestors can be a rich source of local history --- providing whoever wrote them set out to put the lives of their loved ones in a context broader than basic names, dates and lists of survivors. Multiple obituaries --- and Ephraim Foster had three, one in each of the Chariton newspapers being published when he died at 74 on Jan. 17, 1902 --- offer multiple opportunities.
We learn from Ephraim's, for example, that he and his wife, Isabell, were the second couple to settle permanently in Lucas County's Pleasant Township (the first family was that of Thomas and Mary Margaret Strong), that they donated to the public the land for Zion Cemetery, where they are buried; and that he also donated the land for and helped to construct two churches on his farm --- Zion Methodist, just across the road north of the cemetery, and Sinai Chapel, located briefly just to the west of Zion.
I've done a bit of blending to produce the obituary that follows, but you can find the originals in The Chariton Democrat, The Chariton Herald and The Chariton Patriot, all published on Jan. 23, 1902. Here's the obituary:
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Another landmark for almost half a century has been removed by the hand of death from our county. In this instance, Ephraim Foster, the second settler in what now is Pleasant township, having succumbed to the Grim Reaper after a brief illness of only four days.
The deceased was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, on the 2nd day of July, 1826. Here he resided until grown to man's estate, and in 1851 he came west as far as Chicago, remaining there a short time, after which he came to Iowa, stopping in Jefferson county. There, on March 1, 1853, he was married to Miss Isabell Harding, near Fairfield. The same year, Mr. and Mrs. Foster came to this county and entered 200 acres of land in the northeast corner, the only other settler being Thomas Strong, who had located on his claim about two years before.
Two years later, that corner of the county was organized and named Pleasant township by the February term of court, 1855. Thus, it is seen that Mr. and Mrs. Foster have been identified with the history, and contributed to the prosperity of Pleasant township from the time of its organization, braving the hardships of pioneer life.
To them were born seven children, one son, Henry dying in infancy. John Y., Albert A., Ezra E., Mrs Cornelia Fluke, all of Olmitz, Iowa; George W., of Akron, Colorado; Mrs. Sarah Miller of Marceline, Missouri; Mrs. Mary Weiford of Chariton, with the mother, survive him, whose death occurred Friday morning, January 17, at 9:50 after a brief illness from blood poisoning.
On Monday, Mr. Foster me with a slight accident which cost him his life. He was doing some work about the barn and ran a nail into his thumb, and almost immediately blood poisoning began its fatal work.
Early in life the subject of this biographical sketch became a member of the M.E. church, in which faith he remained until death. For 60 years he took an active part in the affairs of the church, and spared no time or money for the upbuilding of the cause. He donated the land for two church sites and one cemetery, and assisted in the erection of the two churches. His body now rests in the cemetery he gave.
He was a believer in the Wesleyan document of Sanctification as a second definite work and professed the experience and lived it. During the later years of his life he was identified with the Holiness movement that is rapidly spreading over the country. During his sickness he was entirely resigned to the will of the Lord and the last sentence he was heard to say was, "Praise the Lord." He was a splendid citizen, a kind neighbor, a devoted husband and father. He was beloved by all who knew him and his death is mourned by a large circle.
On Sunday forenoon, after funeral services conducted by Mr. Carlisle Stout from Sinai Church, at 11 o'clock, the body that had been permitted to remain on earth for three score and fifteen years was laid to rest in Zion cemetery, which was his own gift to the community.
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I found references to Sinai Chapel and the Holiness movement especially interesting because Old Olmitz and the Zion Methodist congregation were at the epicenter of the Wesleyan Holiness Movement in Lucas County thanks in large part to Ephraim's son-in-law, Oliver Fluke, and Ephraim himself.
Holiness camp meetings were held every summer for several years in Olmitz Grove, on Fluke property just north of the Foster farm, and in 1900 Ephraim and Isabell donated an acre just west of Zion Church to the Fire-baptized Holiness Association --- organized during an Olmitz Grove Holiness meeting --- for construction of a second church in the neighborhood, Sinai Chapel.
Sinai Chapel remained active for about 10 years, but began to fade after Oliver and Cornelia (Foster) Fluke moved first to New Mexico and then to Texas to work as missionaries after jumping from the frying pan of Wesleyan Holiness into the fire of full-fledged Pentecostalism.
If you're interested in reading a little more about Wesleyan Holiness in Lucas County, here's a post about the Rev. Phineas F. Bresee, former pastor of Chariton's Methodist Church, who went on to become a principal founder of the Church of the Nazarene, the largest denomination to emerge from the Wesleyan Holiness Movement.
And you'll find more about Thomas and Mary Margaret Strong, the first settlers in Pleasant Township, here.
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