Griffith Foos (1772 - 1859)

Born Mar 1772 in Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Whiteside) Foos — married 23 Dec 1795 in Harrison County, Kentucky, United States

Husband of Nancy Winans — married 23 Oct 1834 in Clark Co., Ohio, United States

Descendants

Died 5 May 1859 at age 87 in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Michael Foos [send private message]

Biography

After Benjamin Foos' death in 1814 Griffith Foos adopted the children of his nephew Benjamin Foos.

Griffith Foos Birth: Mar., 1772, Pennsylvania, United States^[1]

Death: May 5, 1859, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Co-founder of Springfield, OH. Originally interred in Greenmount Cemetery, Springfield, Ohio; later at Ferncliff Cemetery, Springfield, Clark, Ohio.^[2][3]

In 1801, Griffith Foos brought several families to Ohio from Kentucky. The Scioto Valley at first attracted them, but, finding it malarious, they determined to seek a more congenial locality. In March, 1801, they came to Springfield on horseback from Franklinton, near Columbus, following Indian trails as their guides.

They had heard from hunters that the Mad River Valley was a healthy and beautiful region, and, when near what is now the county seat, they entered upon an Indian trail which they followed until they reached Mad River. They passed up the valley without observing the Humphrey's settlement, going in the direction of Urbana, until they reached "Pretty Prairie," then changing their course southwestward they followed Buck Creek until they came to James Demint's cabin. The party enjoyed his hospitality for several days, and, after an inspection of the country, expressed themselves well pleased, and as Mr. Demint offered them valuable land at very low prices and stated his intention to lay out a town as soon as competent surveyors could be procured, Mr. Foos and party concluded to return to Franklinton, where they had left their families and household goods and bring them to Springfield. Four days and a half were requred to move from Franklinton, a distance of forty miles. They made the first wagon track into Springfield from that direction. They were compelled to cut down trees to make a roadway and ford streams. They transported their goods over the Big Darby upon horses, and then drew their wagons over with ropes while some of the party waded and swam by the sides to prevent them from upsetting.

The First Tavern

We now enter more directly into the history of the development of Springfield, as a distinct feature of the county. Prior to June, 1801, the town plat as laid out by Demint was without an occupant. The log cabin on the bluff north of the creek was the only tenement visible, but as Mr. Foos had expressed a desire to locate here for the purpose of going into business soon after his return from the Scioto Valley, he began the erection of a house to be used as a tavern. It was a double log house, and was located on the south side of what is now Main street, a little west of Spring street. In June, 1801, he opened it to the public, and continued it until the 10th of May, 1814. Those were the days of magnificent distances, and the patrons of Mr. Foos lived within a radius of forty miles. On the day announced for the raising of Mr. Foos' cabin, the settlers came from all directions to participate in the festivities of the occasion. A "log cabin raising" was an event of the season. Plenty to eat and to drink, especially the latter, was furnished by the proprietor to all who chose to attend, with or without an invitation, the climax attained by a dance in the evening which continued until the dawn began to glimmer through the trees. Mr. Foos died in 1858, having lived in Springfield over half a century. He saw it develop from a single house to a rapidly growing and flourishing inland town, and peopled by a class of men who were remarkable for their industry, enterprise and culture.^[4]

Research Notes

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KFC5-BPK

Sources

1. ↑ United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX3L-3QX : 4 April 2020), Griffith Foos, Springfield, Clark, Ohio, United States; citing family 702, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. ↑ Schanher III, Paul W. and Anne E. Banston. 2008. Beautiful Ferncliff: Springfield Ohio’s historic cemetery and arboretum. Orange Frazer Press. Wilmington, Ohio. p. 141-143.
3. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #41541139
4. ↑ Oscar T. Martin. 1881. The History of Clark County, Ohio. W.H. Beers & Co., Chicago. Page 432

• Bailey, Rosalie Fellows. 1951. The Foos Family of Pennsylvania and Ohio. The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine. 18 (2): 87-117.
• "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5ZC-X4K : 17 May 2018), Griffith Foos and Elizabeth Whitesides, 23 Dec 1795; citing Marriage, Harrison, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 216,878.
• "Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDFZ-JXG : 25 March 2020), Griffith Foos, 1834.

Acknowledgments

• Thank you to Michael Foos for creating WikiTree profile Foos-84 through the import of JHFoos.ged on Dec 8, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Michael and others.