BIOGRAPHY OF OLD MICHAEL FOUKE

Source: Hand typed document: Some Individual Foukes by Richard MATTESON matteso@idt.net

Some Individual Foukes - by Richard Matteson

"Old Michael [also shown as Michal] Fouke"

[Michal was Richard Reynolds Fouke’s great grandfather and our most distant known ancestor]

Old Michael Fouke is said to have been born about 1737 – although I noticed many other nearby dates such as 1740 but no one has a definitive date available. We have no idea whether or not he was born in Frederick County, VA or if his parents brought him to Fred. Co. (Orange county then) or whether he came alone or married or alone, married and with some of his children.

Michael and his wife Sophie (Sophia in Lutheran Church records – but all attendees had German translation names whether or not they were German! Heinric for Henry, Sophia for Sophie, and etc.) with him – perhaps up to [the time of] the first home sale in 1809 where she is not listed as co-owner. Michael may have sold Shepherdstown [, VA] lot #17 because his wife died and he could not take care of the fairly large brick home on German and Church [Streets]. Note: this home was bought later by Conrad Shindler – copper smith [,] and modified to allow Conrad to work his craft in the basement – at least some parts of his work. It should be pointed out that many of Shindler’s copper pieces now sell for gold prices today! Conrad Shindler married one of Old Michael’s granddaughters ([the] name shows up in [the] Maryland Foukes, i.e., George Shindler Fouke). [An] Interesting connection with Mary Tyler Moore exists and she has visited Shepherdstown in 1995 looking for Shindlers! [M.T.M. proved to be descended from a different marriage of Conrad Shindler, and so is not our blood relative].

Sophie died before 1809 and Old Michael died in 1839 – living with his son Michael ([he was] 102 years old or so!)[.] Old Michael is immortalized in [Ms.] Danske Dandridge’s book, "Historic Shepherdstown" published in 1910. Her father (Bedinger [Danske]) was the Ambassador to Denmark and her husband was a relative of Martha Washington. She relates the events surrounding Rumsey’s first public demonstration o0f his steamboat. Crowds gathered and important people were allowed to be aboard as the boat successfully went against the current and all over the Potomac River beside Shepherdstown. General Gates exclaimed, "My God! She moves!" and continued, "and when she moved [,] the destiny of the world, too, moved this day!" "Old Michael" Fouke (who was a guest aboard) used to say, "Why sir, she could navigate through the Straights of Gibralter!"

[Old] Michael sold his property to his children in 1809 but retained rights of habitation! His children proceeded to sell their interest in lot #17 in 1815 to Shindler. Old Michael seems to have held on to his rights of habitation when they sold to Shindler. Perhaps Shindler was already engaged to marry "Old" Michael’s granddaughter and she could tolerate his staying on! [Old Michael’s son,] Christian Fouke was the last male Fouke to use the home and he left Shepherdstown to establish a hotel in Harper’s Ferry so perhaps that is when they all decided to sell also.

Old Michael went to live with his son Michael who had moved over to Maryland. He died in his son’s home at the age of 102 or so. Nothing attributable to him appears to exist today – nothing in the daughter’s or son’s [sons’] family possessions as best can be found out.

Several of Old Michael’s sons sign in as mechanics and carpenters in the early 1800 censuses. As the main railroad moved over to the other side of the Potomac, so did most of the Foukes and those in/near Hagerstown claim to have strong affiliation to railroading there and still "hold the tradition" (Shirley Fouke of Hagerstown reports, "You can say that we are mostly blue collar folks here ([in] Hagerstown) – [We’ve] worked in railroading for years and years!")