Kost, William bio

History of Fulton County, Illinois; together with Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious, Civil, Military, and Political History; Portraits of Prominent Persons and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Chas. C. Chapman & Co., Peoria, Illinois, 1879, page 442-443, Astoria Township
William Kost, miller and stock dealer, is a native of Cumberland Co., Pa., where he was born in 1830; his father, John Kost, was by occupation a farmer and blacksmith, who moved to Knox Co., O., in 1832; his wife was Mrs. Elizabeth (Wolf) Kost. During the infancy of William Kost his father died, leaving to the care of Mrs. K. 10 children. In a new country with so large a family we well know she had a hard struggle, but was never discouraged. She labored faithfully and in the declining years of life she lived in affluence. She died near Mt. Vernon, O., at the age of 77. Early in life William learned the trade of carpenter, and in 1850 concluded to come west, and accordingly came to this county, where he erected many buildings. In 1856 he was married to Miss Martha M. Bottenberg. After a residence of 12 years in Vermont and vicinity he settled at Astoria, where he erected in conjunction with others the Fulton Flouring Mills, which has 3 run of stone on local trade. Associated with him is Mr. Nicholas Hipsley. In 1874 he erected his present handsome residence.
submitted by Carla Finley