Youngest son of George W. Foos and Rebecca Dorsey Foos.
Emerson's childhood was marred by his father's violence and drinking, and the poor decisions made by his father which placed Emerson in situations that a child should never have to deal with. At the age of thirteen, Emerson's father made the boy accompany his severely injured older brother to Columbus for medical treatment, alone. When his brother died, Emerson was bereft but he also lacked the experience about what to do. George Foos sent Emerson on this trip without train fare enough back to Marion for himself and his brother's body. The railroad that mortally injured his brother allowed Emerson to ride in the freight car with his dead brother's body (which was shipped COD) back to Marion. His niece said years later that had he known to bring up the cause of the accident, they mostly would have given him a seat.
He was married to Mamie Zimmerman, who rightfully divorced him when he failed her, and their infant daughter. Father of Vera Foos; he failed her as well.
Worse still was the ultimate curse - he was like his father in that he drank and was abusive to his spouse. His only hope amounted to the strict rules his sister Emily placed him under. She would guarantee him an income if he remained sober, and he kept himself employed at something, anything.
Ultimately, Emerson spent his adulthood and last years living in a converted chicken house on land near Harvey Station that his niece owned. When he died, he left debt and an ancient car. His eldest niece Rebecca paid for the basic funeral, but no money was given to a headstone. Only his niece Vera Smith had kind things to say about him.
A life lived in failure should find redemption in heaven. Emerson's problems were not entirely his fault. He was a child forced to grow up too soon, with an alcoholic father, and on his own under extreme conditions; this imprinted on him and provided him with limited skills for adulthood and a penchant for drinking. These are not the fault of any child. But Emerson could never lift himself up as an adult, and all too often it isn't a story that usually comes to a happy ending.
On some legal documents, his middle name is listed as Glatfelter, which is the married surname of his mother's beloved half-sister.
Death verified against ODC 1963-147992
Youngest son of George W. Foos and Rebecca Dorsey Foos.
Emerson's childhood was marred by his father's violence and drinking, and the poor decisions made by his father which placed Emerson in situations that a child should never have to deal with. At the age of thirteen, Emerson's father made the boy accompany his severely injured older brother to Columbus for medical treatment, alone. When his brother died, Emerson was bereft but he also lacked the experience about what to do. George Foos sent Emerson on this trip without train fare enough back to Marion for himself and his brother's body. The railroad that mortally injured his brother allowed Emerson to ride in the freight car with his dead brother's body (which was shipped COD) back to Marion. His niece said years later that had he known to bring up the cause of the accident, they mostly would have given him a seat.
He was married to Mamie Zimmerman, who rightfully divorced him when he failed her, and their infant daughter. Father of Vera Foos; he failed her as well.
Worse still was the ultimate curse - he was like his father in that he drank and was abusive to his spouse. His only hope amounted to the strict rules his sister Emily placed him under. She would guarantee him an income if he remained sober, and he kept himself employed at something, anything.
Ultimately, Emerson spent his adulthood and last years living in a converted chicken house on land near Harvey Station that his niece owned. When he died, he left debt and an ancient car. His eldest niece Rebecca paid for the basic funeral, but no money was given to a headstone. Only his niece Vera Smith had kind things to say about him.
A life lived in failure should find redemption in heaven. Emerson's problems were not entirely his fault. He was a child forced to grow up too soon, with an alcoholic father, and on his own under extreme conditions; this imprinted on him and provided him with limited skills for adulthood and a penchant for drinking. These are not the fault of any child. But Emerson could never lift himself up as an adult, and all too often it isn't a story that usually comes to a happy ending.
On some legal documents, his middle name is listed as Glatfelter, which is the married surname of his mother's beloved half-sister.
Death verified against ODC 1963-147992
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