BIOGRAPHY: Henry J. FOSNOT, Mifflin County, PA

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The Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley, Comprising 
the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, and Perry, Pennsylvania.
Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, Volume I, pages 416-417.

  HENRY J. FOSNOT, Lewistown, Mifflin county, Pa., was born March 29, 1850, in a 
little country settlement known as Green Spring, Cumberland county, Pa.  His 
parents were Jacob and Mary (Vanderbilt) Fosnaught.  No effort has been made to 
trace his ancestry to any extent beyond these, and there is no evidence that any 
were distinguished in the military, scientific or literary world.  His mother 
was indeed related to the Vanderbilts of New York City, but was not burdened 
with that which has been their most distinguished characteristic.  The subject 
of this sketch was therefore not reared in luxury.  His education was received 
principally in the public schools, where he proved an apt scholar, encouraged by 
his tutors' predictions of future possibilities that were never realized, and by 
advice which was little heeded.  At an early age he was thrown upon his own 
resources, and after various engagements at manual labor, he served as clerk in 
a country store.  In 1871 he entered a printing office, assisting in 
establishing the Enterprise, a newspaper at Oakville, Pa., which a few years 
later was removed to Newville, Pa., and is still published there by an older 
brother.  In August, 1879, he was engaged to edit the True Democrat, at 
Lewistown.  A month later he secured control of this newspaper, and in October 
consolidated it with the Democrat Sentinel, adopting the name Democrat and 
Sentinel, of which newspaper he has been editor and publisher ever since.  He is 
a plain, forcible and pleasing writer, and his paper is popular and widely 
circulated.  It is credited with having contributed very largely to the material 
advancement of Lewistown.  A little book entitled "Lewistown as It is," issued 
by him in 1895, was well received.  He was at the head of the centennial 
committee in 1895, is chairman of the Mifflin County Soldiers' Monument 
executive committee, and president of the local board of health.  He is a 
director and secretary of the Lewistown Foundry and Machine Company.  In 1892 he 
was the Democratic candidate for member of the legislature, and received more 
than his party vote, but was defeated by a majority of 102.
  On January 26, 1850, two months before Henry J. Fosnot was born, his father 
died, at the age of fifty-one years;  his mother died August 3, 1871, aged 
sixty-seven.  He was the youngest of twelve children, four of whom died at an 
early age:  W. C., the eldest, died at Harrisburg, February 23, 1894, aged 
sixty-four years;  Mrs. Mary J. Wagner, widow of Jacob M. Wagner, died at 
Harrisburg, November 24, 1886,aged fifty-four years, leaving a daughter, M. 
Alice (Mrs. John G. Stouffer), of Harrisburg;  Martha M. Fosnot, died in 
Harrisburg, December 5, 1894, aged fifty years.  The surviving brothers are:  
John C., editor of the Star and Enterprise, Newville, Pa., married to Elizabeth 
Ferguson, and after her death to Belle Rutherford, has children, Laura (Mrs. 
Harry Hoch), Maggie, widow of J. Kenyon Fishburn, Ella (Mrs. Abram Myers), 
George B., and William J.;  Joshua V., of Harrisburg, married to Margaret 
Martin, has five children;  Edward W., of Lewistown, married to Jennie S. Mell;  
Lew C., editor of the Record and Star, Watsontown, Pa., married to Lera B. 
Westafer, has one son, John Clyde, aged sixteen years.  Four brothers, W. C., J. 
V., E. W. and L. C. Fosnot served in the Union army during the Civil war.
  Henry J. Fosnot was married to Jennie H. Walker at Oakville, Pa., January 27, 
1874, and to them one son, Walter, was born October 22, 1879.  Mrs. Fosnot was 
the daughter of Ezekiel Walker, who died at Shippensburg, Pa., April 11, 1893, 
aged seventy-six.  Her mother, Harriet Row Walker, now resides at Shippensburg.  
Her brothers and sisters are:  W. M., with the Lindner Shoe Company, Carlisle, 
Pa.;  Simon H., of Altoona, married to Edith Culp, has one son, Edward, aged 
seventeen;  Samuel C., of Altoona, married to Carrie Keesbury, has one son, 
Claude, aged three and one-half years;  Sarah H., of Shippensburg;  Susan S. 
(Mrs. Fred G. Knisley, of Wiconisco, has five children, Eugene, aged ten years;  
Florence, aged eight and one-half;  Devona, aged six;  Helen, aged four; and 
Paul, aged nineteen months;  and Carried E., of Shippensburg.