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CALCUTTA - William S. Foulks Jr. shares his name with his great-great-great grandfather, one of the the original founders of Calcutta. On a historical monument just south of Calcutta Park a brief inscription declares William Foulks and Michael Shirtz co-founders of what was then known as West Union in 1810.

Foulks Jr. said he and his sister Martha purchased the monument for a piece of land that he owned. The piece of land is just south of what is now Calcutta Park. Foulks Jr. also used to own the land where Calcutta Park is located but sold it to the township nearly 20 years ago.

"Before selling the land to the township I had surveyed out a small piece to put the monument on. I was very glad to have the land when the township needed a place to put a park," he said.

According to Foulks Jr. everything on the monument is supported by a book entitled "History of Columbiana County" that was printed in 1879 by D.W. Henson Ensign & Company.

On the monument one can see that before the area became known as Calcutta, it was first known as West Union in 1810. West Union was later renamed Foulkstown, after William Foulks.

According to information provided by Foulks Jr., William Foulks built the first brick house in Foulkstown and was a prominent citizen of the area, including serving three terms in the Ohio Legislature.

Aside from being a prominent citizen, Foulks was also generous. Around 1810, Foulks donated some land to the Longs Run Church for the purpose of erecting a second log church. According to an excerpt from "History of Columbiana County," religion was a public observance in St. Clair not long after the earliest settlements in the township. The excerpt also reinforces that the land was donated by William Foulks during that time. Foulks Jr. said the Longs Run Church is still using that piece of land to this day.

Williams Foulks Jr. now lives in Chagrin Falls and his sister Martha Foulks Binsley lives in Santa Paula, Calif., but on Oct. 29 Foulks, Martha and her two sons Michael and Andrew, made a trip to Calcutta Park on their way to see the monument. Michael and Andrew are also from California. While visiting, the Foulks family also met with St. Clair Township trustee James Sabatini II at the park.

"It was very nice to meet them all. I am very appreciative to the Rotary and the Township for their efforts also (on the park). The Foulks family thought it looked beautiful and that it was a good testament to the area," Sabatini said.

Sabatini added that it was nice to take a trip down memory lane. "We recalled a lot about the area, and how Calcutta has changed over the last 50 years. They are aware of the history and proud of it. I thank them for their support and cooperation," he said.

The Foulks family also visited the Longs Run Cemetery where Foulks Jr.'s wife is buried. "My wife died some number of months ago, and we had a tombstone placed for me and my wife in Longs Run Cemetery," he said. Foulks Jr. added that the land for the cemetery was donated by his great-great-great grandfather in 1810 as well.

Foulks also served as a Captain in the war of 1812. Foulks Jr. provided a list of names of men who made up Foulks' company for the war of 1812. These men included Jacob Crouse, John Huston, John Charing, Addison McKinnon, James Anderson, John Burkdale, John Hester, and John Chaney, to name a few.

William Foulks wasn't the last person in the family to make a big difference in the area, however. According to Foulks Jr., his paternal grandfather, Edwin S. Foulks was a US postmaster and Justice of the Peace in Calcutta. The post office used to be located where the Calcutta Park is now. Edwin Foulks also owned a general store. He was married to Grace Foulks and he died in 1932. "I knew him and my sister knew him, of course," Foulks Jr. said. The house owned by Edwin and Grace Foulks is still located near Calcutta Park.