M. Ressler Genealogical Database

Anna Foit married William Koster November 20, 1900. Her sister, Margaret, married William's brother, George, on May 2, 1906

Reception to Mark 100th Birthday Of Anna Foit Koster, Hamburg Native

November 1, 1981 will mark the 100th birthday of Mrs. Anna Foit Koster. She was born in 1881 in a small farmhouse on Rogers Road, Hamburg (now the Wanakah Nursery). Her father, Frederick Voit (later changed to Foit} came to this country by boat in 1852, when he was eight years old. He was born in Bavaria, then a state in southern Germany. After coming to this country, his parents, George and Elizabeth Voit, settled on a 12 acre farm on Smith Road, Hamburg (Now the Vincent Rosiek residence).

(findagrave note: NOTE: This date does not seem to be correct as I show Nov. 19, 1846 as he appears on the 1850 Census of Hamburg, Erie, NY, USA - Jill Feb. 10, 2015)

Mrs. Koster's mother, Elizabeth Schmidt, was born in 1850, on a farm, also on Smith Road. This home is now occupied by a descendent, Gerald and Jane Schmidt). Frederick and Elizabeth Voit, Mrs. Koster's mother and father, were married in 1868 at SS Peter and Paul Church in Hamburg. They settled on a 40 acre farm on Rogers Road, where they raised eleven children, George, Nicholas, Katherine, John, Mary, Anna, Elizabeth, Joseph, Margaret, Frederick and Albert. Two of the children died in infancy.

Anna and her brothers and sisters, attended the neighborhood school. District 9, on Amsdell and Schoolhouse Roads, now a historical site. As was the custom in those days. Catholic children were required to attend SS Peter and Paul school before receiving their first Holy Communion, or before being Confirmed. So there were many days when the Foit children had to walk four miles to attend the Catholic school in the village. Mrs. Koster recalls those winter days when the cold winds swept across Copper Ridge Road (now Pleasant Avenue). When they left home they tied newspapers around their legs to protect themselves from the cold, but they would remove the papers when they reached the railroad tracks.

When Anna was 19 years old, she married a neighbor farm boy from Pleasant Avenue, William Koester. They were married on November 20, 1900 in SS Peter and Paul Church by Father Scheffles. They moved to Buffalo where Mr. Koester worked as a teamster for the Buffalo Tile, Marble and Slate Company.

Mrs. Koster has five living children: Clarence Koster of Philadelphia, Alfred Koster of San Diego, California; Sister Julia Agnes, Order of St. Josephs assigned to St. Matthew's parish on Wyoming Street in Buffalo; Beatrice Knoblock of Cheektowaga and Rita Yaeger of Buena Park, California. There are 8 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. When asked what she attributed her long and healthy life to, Mrs. Koster quickly replied, "No running around. 1 stayed home and kept myself busy raising my children." Mrs. Koster lives with her daughter and son-in-law on Cleveland Drive in Cheektowaga. William G. Foit, a former- Hamburg Patrolman, who died in 1979 was her nephew. A family celebration is planned in honor of Mrs. Koster this coming Sunday.

Thursday, October 29, 1981 - The Hamburg Sun • Page 5