MOBILE REGISTER - 23 SEPTEMBER 1908

DEATH OF MRS ANNA M FOSDICK

Mrs Anna M FOSDICK, whose death occurred yesterday, was in many respects a most remarkable woman. The offspring of good, moral, and intelligent people, she was true all her life to the best traditions. Endowed by nature with a fine intellect and a heart of unbounded generosity and sympathy, she helped as much as any other to sustain the good reputation of this community in all kinds of charitable work. She had this noteworthy characteristic: that she completed whatever she began. If it were a simple charity she gave of her own means, and if that were not enough she was ready to go out and ask the aid of others. She never baffled nor discouraged, but proceeded with a confidence and determination that removed all obstacles to the success of her undertaking. She was charitable almost to a fault, and she was attentive to all claims presented to her. When she was poor, by reason of unforeseen misfortune, she worked most bravely supporting burdens that would have daunted others, and when again in good circumstances she never forgot those in need. Her gifts, her tokens of friendship, her thoughtfulness for others were the little incidents in her life, very dear to her, and winning the affection of hundreds who will ever remember her both for what she did and the kindly thought that prompted the doing.
In the larger things she was equally efficient and helpful. Of those, the most important was her work for the home for old and dependent women. After years of service as a member of the Female Benevolent Society, she, as president, conceived the plan and carried it out for the establishment of the home on a better basis than it then was, and the home on Government Street is her enduring monument. Another public work was her canvass of the state for an Alabama exhibit at the World's Fair in Chicago, wherein she displayed great energy and met with more reward than afterward attended efforts made by others at later expositions. She served also as one of the lady managers of the Chicago exposition, and was much complimented for her judgement, especially in the department of women's work in art. Yet another public service was in organizing under the auspices of a local newspaper and in superintending for many years a Christmas celebration for poor children, whereat hundreds of the little ones were made happy by the receipt of gifts appropriate to the season. For eight years she was connected with the Erwin Ledyard Christmas tree festival. For several years the deceased was president of the women's auxillary of the Young Men's Christian Association. At the time she took charge there were fifteen members and when she resigned 160 members.
Mrs FOSDICK had good taste in all matters, was especially fond of good and handsome books, was a great reader and most interesting talker on all matter of subjects.
The lady died after an illness of some three weeks. She was a native of Mobile, and born October 19, 1838. Her father was Charles Gascoigne of Sheffield, England, and her mother was prior to her marraige, Miss Deborah Post Douglas of Edenburgh, Scotland. She was married to the late Sylvestor U FOSDICK January 30, 1859, in this city. She was for many years a member of the old Bee Hive church. When the St Francis Street Methodist Church was rebuilt in 1895 she was appointed chairman of a committee to select the handsome stained glass windows which adorn that structure now.
She leaves two sons, Robert C and Sylvester D FOSDICK of Mobile, and other relatives.
The remains will be laid to rest in the grave alongside of her husband, who preceded her many years ago. The funeral will take place this afternoon at 4:30 o'clock from the family home. Rev D A Planck, pastor of the Central Presbyterian Church will officiate at the funeral, this being one of the last requests made before her death.

Not my family, just sharing from the newspaper archives of the Mobile Public Library.