An American Family History

"...never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced...-- Abraham Lincoln 1863

Josiah B. Fox was born about 1837 in St. Clair Township, Butler County, Ohio. He was the son of Levi Fox and Eliza Yerkes. 

He was thirteen when the 1850 census was taken. He was still living at home in 1860 when he was 22.

He married Emaline Nickum about 1862. Emaline was born about 1845 in Wayne County, Iowa. Her parents were Joseph Nickum and Amy Walker.

Josiah and Emaline's children were:
William E. (Willie) Fox (1863), and
Marshall Fox (1865)

In 1863, Josiah's father, Levi, sold him sixty acres of land for $50.  The deed to Josiah B. Fox, was dated and recorded March 11, 1863, and was for the NE¼ of the SW¼ and the E ½of the NW¼ of the SW¼ of Section 35. It was located due east of  John N. Fox's 60 acres, but separated from it by 40 acres.

He was a soldier in the Civil War and died shortly after on July 27, 1867 at age 30. Josiah is buried in Lot 152 in New York Cemetery in Millerton, Wayne County, Iowa. This is the same lot as his father-in-law, Joseph Nickum and his father and step-mother, Sarah Hartley Teas Fox.

After he died, Emeline Nickum Fox married Henry Clay Olmstead (Olmstie, Almstead, Almsted) on October 7 1868. 

Henry was born in 1841 in Ohio. He was a private in Company F, 66th Illinois Infantry, Union Army in the Civil War. He enlisted as private on February 20, 1864 and was mustered out on July 7, 1865 at Camp Logan, Kentucky. His first wife was Celestia Aten (1840-1860). Henry and Celestia were married on October 29, 1859 in Stark County, Illinois. They had one child, Florence Olmstead (1861, married Charles Manley).

Emeline and Henry's children were:
Charles Sanford Olmstead (1870),
Edward V. Olmstead (1874),
Grace Olmstead (1876, married Ira Gilham), and
Josie Olmstead (1878).

The Olmstead (Harry Almstead or Almsted) household appeared in the 1870 census in Benton Township, Lucas County, Iowa.  The household consisted of Harry who was a farmer, Emeline age 25, Florence age 9, William Fox age 7, Marshall Fox age 5, and Charles age 1.

In 1873, Willie and Marshall attended school at Myers school with their Aunt Nebraska Fox and their cousins, John Fox's children.

The heirs of Josiah B. Fox (by guardian) sold 60 acres to James Parsons on September 15, 1880.

The Olmstead (spelled Olmstie) household appeared in the 1880 census in Union Township, Wayne County, Iowa. The household consisted of Henry Olmstie (Olmstead) age 39 who was a farmer, Emiline Olmstie age 35, Charles Olmstie age 10, Edward Olmstie age 6, Grace Olmstie age 2, Amy McKune age 69 who was the mother-in-law and two Fox boys who are described as sons-in-law:  William E Fox age 17 and Marshall Fox age 15.

William E. Fox, died April 9, 1881 at age eighteen years, three months and thirteen days. His tombstone inscription reads son of J. B. & E. Fox. 

Emeline died on April 26, 1889 and is buried in the same cemetery with her first husband, Josiah, and son Willie.

Marshall died On January 29, 1918.

Marshall Fox, of near Millerton, died in the hospital at Davenport, with pneumonia, Tuesday, January 29th. The remains were taken to Millerton, Wednesday, and funeral service will be held at New York today.

St. Clair Township, Butler County, Ohio was organized in 1803. It included the present townships of Oxford, Milford, Wayne, Reily and Hanover and was bounded on the north by Preble County, on the east by Lemon Township, on the south by the Miami River and Ross Township, and on the west by the State of Indiana.

Children of: Levi Fox and Eliza Yerkes William Pierce Fox Josiah B. Fox John Newton Fox Anne E. Fox Sarah Hartley Joseph Teas John Tease Barbara Hannah Tease Tuttle Levi Fox and Sarah Hartley Teas Missouri Fox Clowser Levi Fox, Jr. Nebraska Fox Stephens