John Fuss, father of William H. Fuss, was born nine days after his father’s death, in the year 1825, in Frederick County, Md. He grew up on the farm and devoted himself to husbandry. In early manhood, Mr. Fuss hired by the month as a farm laborer, but after his marriage, began farming for himself on rented land. He was industrious and thrifty and finally was able to purchase the farm on which his son, Asbury, now resides. In 1877 he moved to the farm now owned by his son Mead, where he died in 1890. His wife died in 1888, aged fifty-nine. 

They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Fuss was a Republican, interested in public affairs, but never held office. The children of John and Hettie (Fuss) Fuss are: 1, William H.; 2, Kite (Mr. B. F. Edwards), of Los Angeles, Cal 3. Ezra. married Sarah Mickley, resides in Perth Kansas: 4, Albert, of Glenden, Baltimore County Md., married Miss Woods; 5, Virginia (Mr. Henry Troxell), of New York N.Y. 6, Edward Meade (who, born nine months the battle of Gettysburg, was named after the union General Meade), married Kate Baumgardner (Mrs. Charles Cork), of Brooklyn NY. 8, Asbury, a farmer of the Emmitsburg district. married Carrie Haak; 9, John T died at the age of twenty-one.

William H. Fuss was ten years old when his parents removed to the farm in Emmitsburg District now the property of Asbury Fuss, a younger brother of William H. Fuss. Here he passed his youth and here he received his education in the Ridge School under Linnie Sproukle, her brother Isaac C. Spronkle, Jerry Demuth. Harry Six. Jonathan Allison, James A. Golding. and Daniel P. Honkey. Mr. Fuss remained at school until he was twenty-one, giving his leisure time and all his vacations to assist his father with the farm work. After leaving school, lie remained at home working for his father until 1873. 

When he began farming for himself on rented land and, after six or eight years of patient toil was able to purchase the property. The farm consisted of 147 acres for which he paid $5,500. When Mr. Fuss took the farm it was considered the poorest place in that section of the State. When he left it after thirty-five years of intelligent care, it was rated as one of the best, giving one season 888 bushels to thirty-one acres. In 1908 Mr. Fuss retired from active farm life on account of ill health, which was caused by injuries received some years before when he was thrown from a wagon in the wagon shed, and died April 24, 1909.

William Fuss was married. February 10, 1873 to Maria Louisa Overholtzer. Their children are: 1 Annie (Mrs. Mahlon Stonesifer) of Keysville, Md. John I of Frederick Md. married Miss Bertie Clutz. Mr. Fuss was a stanch Republican and served for one term as register and judge of election. He was a member of Toms' Creek Methodist Episcopal Church in which congregation held the office of steward, and of which also the family are members.

Read the life and time of John and Helen Fuss

Return to index on Emmitsburg names in William's History of Frederick County

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