William Foushee
{{short description|American physician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|image = William Foushee crop.jpg
|image_size =
|birth_name = William Foushee
|order = 1st
|office = Mayor of Richmond, Virginia
|term_start = July 3, 1782
|term_end = June 30, 1783
|predecessor =
|successor = John J. Beckley
| birth_date = {{birth date|1749|10|26}}
| birth_place = Northumberland, Virginia, British America
| death_date = {{death date and age|1824|08|21|1749|10|26}}
| death_place = Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
| resting_place= Shockoe Hill Cemetery, Richmond
| spouse = Isabella Harmondson
|residence=
|children =
| alma_mater = University of Edinburgh Medical School
| party =
| religion =
| profession = Physician
|signature = Foushee signature.png
}}
William Foushee Sr. (October 26, 1749 – August 21, 1824) was an American medical doctor, politician, and socialite. After serving with distinction as a surgeon in the American Revolution, he entered into local Virginia politics, notably serving as the first Mayor of Richmond.{{cite book |last= Christian|first= William Asbury|title= Richmond, Her Past and Present|url= https://archive.org/details/richmondherpastp01chri|quote= William Foushee 1782 July.|access-date= 18 March 2013|year= 1912|publisher= L.H. Jenkins|location= Richmond, Virginia}}{{cite book |last= Nuckols|first= Robert R.|title= A History of the Government of the City of Richmond, Virginia and a Sketch of Those Who Administer Its Affairs|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=UkkUAAAAYAAJ&q=%22David+J.+Saunders%22+richmond+mayor|access-date= 18 March 2013|year= 1899|publisher= The Williams Printing Co.|location= Richmond, Virginia}} He went on to become a political, social, and commercial leader in Richmond for the next half century of his life.
Early life
Foushee was born to John Foushee and Winifred (Williams) Foushee on October 26, 1749, in Northumberland County, Virginia.
A third-generation Virginian, Foushee's paternal grandfather James immigrated from France.
Marriage and children
On March 6, 1775, Foushee married Elizabeth Isabella Harmanson in Northampton County, Virginia.
The couple had seven children:
- Dr. John Harmanson Foushee (c.1776–1812), unknown if married
- Nancy Foushee (c.1779–1796), never married
- Dr. William Foushee Jr. (1784–1835), married Lucy Lawrence
- Elizabeth Foushee (1786–1859), married Richard E. Parker, who was at various times a Member of the Virginia House of Delegates, a Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court, and a U.S. Senator
- Charlotte Foushee (c.1787–1822), married Williams Carter, a son of Charles Hill Carter of Shirley Plantation and brother of Anne Hill Carter, who was the mother of Confederate General Robert E. Lee
- Isabella Foushee (1789–1865), married Thomas Ritchie, who was the founded of the Richmond Enquirer
- Margaret Foushee (c.1794–1822), married William C. Parker, a brother of the aforementioned Richard E. Parker
Career
=Physician=
Foushee was highly regarded in the medical profession. He was a surgeon during the American Revolutionary War.{{cite news|last1=Kollatz Jr.|first1=Harry|title=Checking Up on the Doctor|url=http://richmondmagazine.com/news/richmond-history/william-foushee-richmond-first-mayor/|access-date=25 December 2015|work=DBA Richmond Magazine|publisher=Target Communications, Inc.|date=1 July 2014|ref=richmag}} He was at one time President of the Medical Society of Virginia. He was also a first mover in the newly discovered smallpox inoculation.{{cite web|title=Dr. William Foushee – Remarkable Richmonders|url=http://www.richmondtourguys.com/dr-william-foushee-remarkable-richmonders/|website=The Richmond Tour Guys|access-date=25 December 2015|ref=trtg}}
=Mayor of Richmond=
Later years and death
File:Shockoe Hill Cemetery - William Foushee.jpg in Richmond]]
For the last sixteen years of his life, Foushee served in the capacity of Richmond's postmaster. He was appointed to that position on June 20, 1808, by President Jefferson.
On August 21, 1824, Foushee died in his home. His body is interred at Shockoe Hill Cemetery on Shockoe Hill in Richmond.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=None}}
{{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Richmond|years=1782–1783}}
{{s-aft|after=John J. Beckley}}
{{s-gov}}
{{s-bef|before=Marks Underhill}}
{{s-ttl|title=Postmaster of Richmond|years=1808–1824}}
{{s-aft|after=James P. Preston}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Foushee, William}}
Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Category:American people of French descent
Category:Mayors of Richmond, Virginia
Category:Physicians in the American Revolution
Category:People of Virginia in the American Revolution
Category:People from Northumberland County, Virginia
Category:18th-century American physicians
Category:People from colonial Virginia