This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Bell - TO - Zach Classification: Biography Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/ok.2ADE/1560 Message Board Post: THE SIDNEY ARGUS - HERALD. Nov. 5, 1931. "Four Score and Ten For a Civil War Vet".-- Monday was the 90th birthday anniversary of A. J. Focht, and a large number of friends and relatives gathered at his home Sunday in observance of the event. "Jack" is one of the few remaining earlyday pioneers of Fremont county, he having spent all but fourteen years of his life in this section, coming here with his parents from northern Ohio at that age. As was the customary mode of travel at that time, the journey was made in a covered wagon, crossing the larger streams on a raft, which frequently required a full day to construct. The family home was on a farm just north of Sidney, and Mr. Focht recalls that buffalo in great herds came to the Missouri river on the Nebraska side for water and darkened the banks for a considerable distance up and down the stream. Another event he recalls very plainly is the passage of John Brown's "army" through this section. He himself is a civil war veteran, one of the few left in this section. He spent almost four full years in the service. Those who gathered with him Sunday, bringing many baskets to furnish dinner in his honor, were Mr. and Mrs. Brice BELL, E. J. BLAKELY and family, Vern BOLDING and family, E. C. DeVALL and family, Glen DYKE, Mrs. Susanna DYKE, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce FOCHT, Dale FOCHT and family, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer FOCHT, Perry FOCHT and family, Mrs. Bertha LEWIS and daughter Madge, Mr. and Mrs. E.S. LUCAS of Randolph, Ida LUCAS, Clifford NORMAN and family, L. L. VANATTA and family, Wilbur ZACH and family. Mrs. Susanna Dyke and Mrs. E.S. Lucas are sisters of the honoree.