Corilla / Cordelia Foss

Corilla / Cordelia A. Foss was born April 29, 1849 in Elmore, Lamoille, VT.   The youngest of the 11 children of farmer, Luther Foss (1799 - 1879) and his wife, Minea Atwood (Andrews) Foss (1806 - 1880)

Early census records indicate that when Cordelia was living in her parents household she was identified as Corilla.  Later records, after her marriage, show her name as Cordelia.  

For the sake of consistency and because the tintype I have identifies her as Cordelia, I will refer to her as Cordelia.

Cordelia’s ten older siblings were:

• Mina Amelia Foss (1826 -1896)
• William Andrews Foss (1827-1893) 
• Luther Hale Foss (1829 - 1848) died at age 18 and before Cordelia was born
• Thankful Atwood Foss (1831 -1900) 
• Harriet Malvina Foss (1833 - 1908) 
• Benjamin Perry Foss (1835 - 1865).  A farmer in Hyde Park, he died at 29 of typhoid fever.  
• Ellen Louise Foss (1839-1907) whose tintype was found with Cordelia’s will be the subject of a separate blog. 
• Martha Ann Foss (July 4, 1841 - Feb. 9, 1844) died at age 2 yrs. 7 mos.  
• Mary Jane Foss (1843 - 1926)
• George Washington Foss (1846 - 1930)

Cordelia A. Foss (17)  married John Merrill Foss (21) on Nov. 25, 1866.  John, the son of William & Mary A. (Fellows) Foss was born in Whitefield, NH, Dec. 1, 1844 and served his country during the Civil War, being a member of Co. M, 11th VT. Heavy Artillery.

His record … according to various sources, list his service as …

Foss, John M., age: 18, cred.  Eden, VT; service: enl 9/1/63, m/i 10/7/63, PVT, Co. M, 11th VT INF, pr SGT 11/29/63, red 1/11/64, pr Hospital Steward 1/1/65, m/o 8/25/65

1st Regiment, Vermont Heavy Artillery
Side: Union
Company: A,M
Soldier‘s Rank In: Private
Soldier‘s Rank Out: Corporal

My original information said that Cordelia and John were cousins and because both of their last names were Foss, it did seem likely but I haven't been able to find the connection.

Cordelia’s older sister Ellen (Foss) Andrews (who did marry her 1st cousin, C. A. A. Andrews) moved from Charlestown, MA to Wolcott, VT in 1867.

The tintypes I purchased of Cordelia and Ellen were taken at E. N. Porter’s New Gallery, Morrisville, VT.  The  embossed design on the sleeves is identical, making me think they were taken at the same time, possibly as early as Nov. 1866 when Cordelia and John were married but more likely in 1867 after Ellen moved back to Vermont and before Cordelia‘s death in February of 1868.

Which would make Cordelia and Ellen about 18 and 28 years old at the time these photographs were taken.

I wasn't able to uncover any information as to Cordelia’s cause of death.  I did find mention of her in the obituary for her husband, John Merrill Foss, who remarried later the same year.   He married Harriet Louise Masure of Concord, N.H. on Dec.1, 1868 (his 24th birthday), and to their union were born six children, three of whom died young and three who survived to adulthood.

The Morrisville Messenger obituary, dated April 16, 1910 describes John Merrill Foss (65) as “very well known hereabouts, having been a resident of this town since 1894, coming from North Hyde Park, and having acted as traveling salesman and school teacher in different towns in the county.”

But of Cordelia herself and a life that spanned a mere 18 years, there is very little to mark her time on this earth ...

Cordelia A. Foss
Born Apr. 29, 1849 Elmore, Lamoille, Vermont
Married John Merrill Foss on November 25, 1866
Died Feb. 26, 1868, age 18 years, Morristown, Lamoille Co. VT