From a Pioneer Album - Matt and Mollie Fosher

by June Willson

Mr. and Mrs. Matt Fosher were married in 1893, in southwestern Nebraska. Matt Fosher came to Wyoming early in 1896, in a covered wagon. In December of that same year Mollie joined him at Lander, with Allen, their youngest son, who was about seven months old.

They got off the train at Rawlins, late afternoon. There weren't many people around and certainly no one they knew. They spent the night in a nearby hotel. It took from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. the next day to go 125 miles from Rawlins to Lander by stage. There were about eight stations where the stage stopped to change horses.

In 1915, they homesteaded southwest of Manville. The next year, as Mr. Fosher and another son Harold were working in the garden, a hailstorm hit the country. Seeing the dark storm clouds they put the horses in the shed. As they were unhitching the team a large chunk of hail hit the roof with a loud bang. Another large piece made a big hole in the roof of the house. The storm lasted for about half an hour not doing much damage because it was early in the season.

One summer, soon after they came, they decided to collect all the rattles from the rattlesnakes killed, to see just how many they did kill in one season. They filled a large matchbox with the rattles and then gave it up. Rattle snakes aren't nearly as numerous now as they were then.

The Foshers hauled water for about four years before they could get a well. Much of the water was brought from the woods ranch about four miles away. It seemed they always ran out of water just before a storm or when it was cold and miserable.

In 1935, the Foshers sold the ranch and moved to town. Their homestead is now in possession of Mrs. Edwin Brooks. They are living in a pleasant home in Lusk with a garden and flowers around it. Ill health has kept Mrs. Fosher indoors for the past several years.

Their sons, Allen and Harold are both living south of Manville. Allen is on his own homestead and Harold is on the old "Chauncy Onions" homestead. For several years, one grandson, Dan, stayed with them and attended grade school in Lusk. The family tree of Matt and Mollie Fosher includes two sons, four grandchildren and one great grandchild.

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