A.C. Foust lived at 420 Poplar in spacious house that matched the one next door
photo by From the Pat St. Charles, Jr., Collection scanned by Sam Hall, Chattanoogahistory.com
A.C. Foust had a high rank in the Masons
His Chattanooga Garage was on Pine very near his Poplar Street home
Addison Carey Foust, co-founder of the Chattanooga stockyards and a pioneer in the auto garage business, lived for many years on Cameron Hill.
The Fousts were a German family that were early settlers of East Tennessee. John Foust in December 1843 left Sullivan County and floated with his family down the Tennessee River to a new home near the foot of Walden's Ridge. One of his sons, William Henry Foust, was the father of A.C. Foust, who was born in 1862 in the midst of the Civil War. W.H. Foust was married to Elizabeth Wisdom.
A.C. Foust married Nina Williams, daughter of Taylor Williams, on Sept. 10, 1901. Their son was Tom C. Foust.
The A.C. Fousts first lived in the south part of town at 420 W. Frank St., which was just off Montgomery Avenue (Main Street). Liking the house number 420, they moved around 1908 to 420 Poplar St. It was a substantial two-story brick house with a front porch and several tall chimneys. It was a mirror image of the house next door at 418 Poplar.
These two brick homes were built around 1900 and first occupied by William J. Hartley (418) and Robert A. Bettis (420). Hartley was a commission merchant in space at 17 W. Fifth St. Bettis was chief clerk in the transcript department at the Southern Express Co. His mother, Fannie M. Bettis, also lived with him at 420 Poplar. She was the widow of A.C. Bettis.
A.C. Foust lived in the same house on Poplar Street at Cameron Hill until his tragic death in 1933.
He was involved in the Foust Land Company with his brothers, John E. Foust and James Leonidas Foust. The latter, known as Lon Foust, was a prominent attorney. Lon Foust served two terms in the state Senate and later was a judge in Chancery Court. Properties of the Foust Land Company included the Chattanooga Garage on Pine Street at the site of the old Abner Wisdom livery stable. This garage featured parking as well as gasoline and vehicle service. Tom C. Foust was involved in the operation of the garage.
The Foust brothers also developed the Foust Addition on a farm they owned in Rossville. Unfortunately, this early subdivision suffered much damage in the flood of 1917.
A.C. Foust was a co-founder of the Foust-Yarnell Stockyard that long operated on St. Elmo Avenue.
A.C. Foust was one of the higher ranking Masons. He drove an auto in August of 1932 to take part in the Masonic convention at Atlantic City, N.J. He was also an elder of the Third Presbyterian Church.
Just before Christmas in 1933, there was "a trivial wreck" involving a tourist who slid off Cummings Highway at the base of Lookout Mountain. The Chattanooga Garage was called to go to the scene. It was a dark night with heavy fog, but A.C. Foust insisted on riding the wreck and directing the vehicle recovery. He was 71 at the time.
As the recovery was being carried out, a truck came around a curve and struck the wire by which the car was being lifted out. In the ensuing crash, A.C. Foust was thrown to the ground. His left leg was broken in two places and his right hip was crushed. He died from the wreck injuries.
The Foust home at 420 Poplar and its neighboring twin were still standing as the Urban Renewal bulldozers arrived. Mrs. J.S. Moore lived there at the start of World War II, and she rented the second floor to Luther Wilson and M.A. Blackburn.
In the 1950s, James A. Thomas and his wife, Lena G. Thomas, presided at 420 Poplar St. James A. Thomas was a store manager for Red Food Store.
The Chattanooga Garage was also demolished as the hill and all its storied history were wiped clean.