My Father's World

The photos on this page represent my father and the world in which he lived - his parents and grandparents and other close relatives.  His name was Ralph Herman Bost (b. November 30, 1922)

My parents went to be with the Lord before they could meet my first grandson, Julien Ethan Bost.  My grandfather (Clyde Herman Bost) had 6 children and lots of grandchildren, but I am one of only three grandsons who carried the surname, Bost.  Of the three of us, I am the only one who had sons, so mine are the only great grandsons named Bost.  Now my son Joel has a son to carry on our name to yet another generation.  Julien was born on August 19, 2009, which was Joel's 28th birthday.



My parents' wedding picture:  Ralph Herman Bost and Mildred Lois Whitworth Bost


Here is my dad (left) and his first cousin, Woodrow Bost who flew in the war and then later for Piedmont Airlines.  They had some interesting stories about their joint experiences with airplanes and the airport that Woodrow used to run.

My dad with his parents and siblings.
back L to R:  Margaret, Jeanette, Charles, Ralph, Phil, Ruth.   Front L to R:  Dewey, Ina Henkel Criddle Bost, Clyde Herman Bost, Carroll



Ralph Herman Bost c.1930

Clyde Herman Bost
Newlyweds Clyde and Ina Bost - photo Feb. 1911


Daddy got his middle name from his father, Clyde Herman Bost.  Clyde's middle name was his mother's maiden name, Herman.
Clyde Herman Bost as a young man.



Clyde's parents, Philip Elcanah Bost and Alice Genelia Herman Bost

Home of Philip Elcanah and Alice Herman Bost near Newton, NC.  All of their children were born here.  Later this became the home of Clyde Herman Bost and Ina Henkel Criddle Bost, and all of their children were born here (including my father, Ralph Herman Bost).  One interesting thing is that each couple had 8 children and the birth order for both couples was the same in terms of boys and girls.  The homeplace is no longer there.  (Photo 1965 by Ralph H. Bost) 


Alice Genelia Herman Bost with her mother, Orpha Mahala Isenhower Herman (wife of Franklin L. Herman)
Aunt Mamie Hahn holding daughter Zelda, Great Grandmother Herman, Claude Hahn (Aunt Mamie's son), Grandmother Alice Bost

Grandparents of Clyde Herman Bost
William Robert Davidson Bost and Ann Angeline Coulter Bost
WRD Bost died as a result of injuries sustained in the Civil War Battle of Seven Pines near Richmond, VA.  The family has letters that he wrote to Ann and their children after his injury.  Ann traveled to Richmond to nurse him back to health, but he died while she was still in route.  Our family has a legend that Ann Angeline Coulter was half Native American.  I am trying to find evidence of whether or not this was true.  She was the daughter of Daniel Coulter and Nancy Ann Stilwell.  There were Stilwells in Burke County (where Nancy was born) who claimed to be Native American (source: Cherokee by Blood volume 7 case #19470 - here is a link to the book on Amazon: Cherokee By Blood v.7).  My father's first cousin, WR Lutz, Jr. pointed to the above photo of Ann Angeline and said, "My mother told me that she was half Indian."  His mother was my grandfather's (Clyde Herman Bost's) sister and was a granddaughter of Ann Angeline.

This pre-Civil War Bost homeplace near Newton, NC is still standing.  It was built around 1810-1820 by Elias Bost, son of Pioneer William Bost and Catherine Goodhart Bost.   It later became the home of WRD Bost and after he died in the war, it became known as the Ann Bost Place (after Ann Angeline, his widow).  When I was growing up it was the home of "Cousin Bruce" (Burris) and his wife "Cousin Flora."  (Photo 1965 by Ralph H. Bost)