OK, so we have some DNA exact matchs, I see some similarities but only a couple.
Our ancestor is Richard A. Foster, b. abt 1825-1830 we know not where he was born or died for sure.
He married as his first wife, Nancy Marie Woods in 1849 Jasper Co, Illinois, they had 4 children, Thomas D. Miles, Louisa, and John Foster. Nancy died abt 1858 after the birth of John. He married as his second wife Margaret Rawlings Pierpoint, widow of Charles. We know he purchased 40 acres in Wade Twp, Jasper Co, Ill in 1848, sold it with Nancy's release of dower in 1851. He does not show up on any of the census, neither is he related to the other Foster familys of Jasper Co. All of his children are born in Newton, and by 1867 he is listed as dec'd by the guardianship records of Thomas D, and John Foster. He served in the Civil war (have photo) but the NARA has no listings for him. Dixon Woods is the grandfather who had guardianship. Miles and Louisa are not listed on grandfathers estate records while Thomas D and John are, so assuming they either died or ran away. I do find a Miles Foster living with a George Woods in California about 1880. In 1860, I find Thomas D Foster age 10 living with a Levi Conner in Gibson Co IN, in the 1860 Census, a shirt-tail relation of the Woods family. Gibson Co Indiana was the home site of the Woods family before moving to Jasper Co, Ill in 1843. That is about all we know or have to work with, exceptions being family legends; they were of Irish extraction, parents were from Indiana, may have had a "mill" in the Rockford Illinois area. (There was also a Rockford Indiana)
There is "one" POW record of interest for a "Richard A. Foster"; Prisoners recieved at the Alton Illinois Prision a Pvt Co A 46 Ala Captured a Port Gibson on May 1 1863 and exchanged on June 12 1863. Although a soldier could sign up for service in any state, "our" Richard was on the Union side, and we believe this soldier was a confederate. I doubt he would go all the way to Alabama to sign up.
So having 3 exact DNA matchs, we began researching those families in hopes we could make a connection by working backwards, to a Foster male who moved to Indiana/Illinois.
There is an exact match with this ancestor at 37 markers. Descendant of Drury have a 1 marker difference than my ancestor at 67 markers. There is a 100% probability of sharing a common ancestor within the last 250 to 500 years, or 24 generations. Still, considered a very close relative.
#1. Drury D. Foster; cannot prove his ancestry, but have evidence based on the migration patterns of other possible Foster males, and naming patterns that he "may" have been the son of James Foster Jr and Elizabeth Wigginton. After the death of his father in 1813, he stays in the Allen Co KY area until about 1838 where he is found in Marshall County, Mississippi, he removes to Sevier Co, Arkansas where he dies.
Very little is known of his family and it appears that no-one has done much research on him. We can follow James Jr, (son of James Sr and Mary Pratt) through Amelia Co, Va, Bedford Co, and Pittsylvania Co, into Kentucky Warren Co, until his death. We think that Drury D. was old enough (just barely) to possibly have been the administrator of James Jr. With Drury Sr, (Drury D's uncle in the lists,) it is hard to distinquish which are which. Anyway, so far have only been able to come up with the following;
James Foster Sr. married Mary
Their children; (there could be more however, not listed together in the tax lists as these are)
James Jr. married Elizabeth Wigginton
Abner Foster married first Drusilla O'neil 2nd Judith Lane (moved to Hamilton Co Ill)
John Foster married unk, he stayed in Bedford Co all his years and had many children.
Drurester Foster Sr. married Mary Pratt. (descendants move to Washington Co, Ill)
Elizabeth Foster married Thornton O'Neil
Polly Foster married John O'Neil
(see James Foster Sr tab of this blog, for more information )
Drury D's decendants to the matching doner; are Living; Albert Cleveland, John Monroe, John H, Elias, Drury D, James Jr., James Sr. Foster.
Since I believe Martin is a very close relative to Drury D, and shares the same ancestors; the above DNA anaylsis would be the same. (we just need to proof this ancestry)
#2 Martin Foster, Drury Sr, moves to Giles County Tennessee. His numerous court records mention a Martin Foster who lives next door to him. We think this Martin is the one who married Jane Ginsy Gibson.
Martin moves along with this family until the 1860 Census of Robbeson Green Co, MO where he appears with his wife Jane age 60, she was older than he age 58. He is listed as a Stone Mason b. abt. 1804 VA in the 1850 Lawrence Co, Tn Census, age 46, wife Jane age 50 b. 1800 VA. Their children listed as; John F. age 25 b. Tn., Catherine age 20, b. TN, Elizabeth age 18 b, Tn Manerva, age 15 b Tn, Frances (female) age 14 b. Tn, Sam'l M. age 12 b. Tn., Mary C, age 5 b Tn, and Margaret I age 3 b. Tn.
We do not know the exact connection into this family but suspect it could either be James Jr, or Drury Sr.
The website of
The Baileys (Drury Sr's dtrs, Lottie and Lucy) have a Martin Bailey, and Martin appears as middle names in descendants children. The gut feeling is Martin or Mastin is a very close relative and ties in somehow with the Drury Foster ancestors.
(see people of interest tab of this blog for more information)
#3 John Foster; This John is in the same area almost as the above Fosters. He is first found in Rutherford Co, Tn, but has ties to Wilson Co which was formed from old Sumner Co in 1799.
John had perhaps 3 marriages, First; ? Anderson
his second was to;
Foster John Wright Mary 2 Jan 1836 Rutherford, Tennessee
His third marriage;
16 Sep 1845 John was listed in 1850 Wilson co, Tn as a land owner. |
find him first buying land early in 1824 in Rutherford Co., TN |
John had a brother named Henry, (Peter Ransome Foster sold land to Henry, John's younger brother.)
Henry W. Foster who stayed in Davidson Co., TN. He had no children
RUTHERFORD COURTBOOKS INDEX 1803-1880
Last Name | First Name | Entry: Book/Page |
Foster | ? | 22/348-349 |
Foster | Anthony | 1a/8-9 |
Foster | | 8/262-263 |
Foster | G.M. | 8/323 |
Foster | John | 22/346-348 |
Foster | John | 24/275 |
Foster | John | 23/370 |
Foster | John | 24/365-366 |
Foster | John | 24/380 |
Foster | John | 24/407-408 |
Foster | John | 25/167 |
Foster | John | 25/486 |
Foster | John | 25/371 |
Foster | Jonathan | 23/205 |
Foster | Maranda | 23/377-378 |
Foster | Maranda | 24/366 |
Foster | Moranda | 23/166-169 |
Foster | Richard | 6/127 |
Foster | Richard | 6/282-283 |
Foster | Richard | 5/287-288 |
Foster | Sarah | 17/531 |
Foster | Sarah | 17/632 |
Foster | Sarah | 25/12 |
Foster | William | 7/215 |
Foster | William | 7/241 |
Foster | William | 7/140-142 |
Foster | William | 7/109 |
Foster | William | 8/259-261 |
Foster | William | 8/239 |
Foster | William | 7/315-317 |
John and his first wife children are;
James Anderson Foster. He came to Marshall Co., KY in early 1860, fought in the Civil War for the Union from there and then came to Franklin Co., IL., when he was discharged.
(NOTE) Some of Abner's children also moved into Franklin Co, Ill and owned land there) In 1850 census James & Martha lived next door to her mother.
#4 ISAAC FOSTER close relative within 1; 36/37 marker match
Isaac Foster born about 1794, South Carolina?
Married Elizabeth Simpson, October 12, 1811, Fayette, KY
1850 census: District 91, Schuyler, Missouri
1860 census: Fabius, Schuyler, Missouri
Died after 1860 Milton, Van Buren Co, Iowa
Fountain Tinsley Foster b. 03 Apr 1815 Kentucky
married Melinda White about October 1839
1850 census: District 91, Schuyler, Missouri
died 2 Jan 1853
#5 WILLIAM FOSTER not exact but close. My ancestor has a 3 marker difference at the 37 marker test. Which means that after 24 generations we have a 99.71 % chance of sharing an common ancestor.
William Foster b. ca. 1770-1780 probably VA married Nancy Young (daughter of
John Young, Sr. and Frances Margaret Wood) in Spartanburg, SC ca 1800+.
Children were:
Isham Foster
William W. Foster
Moses Foster
Ezekiel Foster moved to NW GA
John Young Foster m. Mary Ann Nichols moved to NW GA
Issaic Foster
James Young Foster* m. Martha Wade Booker 1st child William Booker Foster b.
Spartanburg, SC 9/5/1846 moved to NW GA
Eliza Foster m. Elias Wall remained in Spartanburg, SC
Frances Foster m. William Wilkins remained in Spartanburg, SC
Sarah Foster, moved to NW GA
Real Estate papers show he owned 225 acres on the South Pacolet bounded by
Pacolet Moses Foster, Daniel White and perhaps others. The acreage was sold
in 1843 to settle the estate. The couple raised 10 children on the So. Pacolet bounded by Pacolet Moses Foster, Daniel White and others.William died ca. 1840 and his So. Pacolet property sold in 1843 to settle his estate.
(see the William Foster tab, of this blog for more information)
#6 BARTLETT FOSTER; 37 MARKER MATCH 35/37 CLOSE RELATIVE;
Foster, Bartlett & Elizabeth (Harris)
Louisa Co. VA>KY
1787 m. Elizabeth Harris 19 Dec 1787 in Louisa Co. VA
Elizabeth Harris who married Bartlett Foster 1787 witness, John Timberlake
(NOTE) MANY OF THE BARREN CO KY, FOSTERS ARE OF THIS LINE FATHER JOHN FOSTER
Bartlett Foster (b. 08 Jun 1763, d. 1830)
Bartlett Foster (son of James Foster and Elizabeth Parish)67, 67, 67 was born 08 Jun 1763 in Goochland, VA, USA67, 67, 67, and died 1830 in Lawrence, Bedford, IN, USA67, 67, 67.
Children of Bartlett Foster and Elizabeth Harris are:
- +Robert Mitchell Foster, b. 06 Mar 1779, KY, USA67, 67, 67, 67, 67, 67, d. 22 Oct 1861, Sugar Creek, Benton, AR, USA67, 67, 67, 67, 67, 67.
- Micajah Harris Foster, b. 23 Jun 1806, Butler, KY, USA67, d. 09 Mar 1883, Douglas, MO, USA67.
- Bartlett Foster, b. 1795, KY, USA67, d. 1840, Lawrence, Bedford, IN, USA67.
- Samuel Foster, b. 1793, KY, USA67.
- James Foster, b. 1791, KY, USA67.
- William Foster, b. 1797, KY, USA67.
- Susanna Foster.
- Mercy Jane Foster.
FATHER JAMES FOSTER
James Foster (son of John Foster)67, 67, 67 was born 1725 in Essex, VA, USA67, 67, 67, and died 1795 in Albermarle, VA, USA67, 67, 67. He married (1) Elizabeth Parish on 28 Oct 1759 in Goochland, VA, USA67. He married (2) Susanna Armstrong on 1754 in Louisa, VA, USA67.
Children of James Foster and Susanna Armstrong are:
- John Foster, b. 1756, Louisa, VA, USA67, d. 1824, Barren, KY, USA67. (THIS HAS TO BE THE WRONG JOHN FOSTER. AS THIS JOHN MARRIED LUCY SMITH AND COMES FROM A DIFFERENT FAMILY)
John Foster (son of Richard Foster and Susannah Garnett)67, 67 was born 1665 in Gloucester, VA, USA67, 67, and died 1734 in Essex, VA, USA67, 67.
More About John Foster and <Unnamed>:
Marriage: 1685, Gloucester, VA, USA.67
Children of John Foster are: +James Foster, b. 1725, Essex, VA, USA67, 67, 67, d. 1795, Albermarle, VA, USA67, 67,
Louisa County, Va. Deed Records - Book H
Book: H, Page: 391, Grantor: James Foster and Elizabeth his wife and John Foste, Grantee: William Duval, Date: 13-Jun-1784James Foster and Elizabeth his wife and John Foster son heir at law of Susanna Armstrong who intermarried with the said James Foster to William Duval of Henrico Co. +30 all the land where Daniel Hubbard now lives in Louisa by est. 108 acres adj. to west by John Richardson, north by Jesse Hoggard, east by Christmas and Joseph Isbell, south by Mary Foster. Sig. James Foster, John (X) Foster. wit. David Anderson, Aaron Fontaine, Richard Anderson, Jr., Zach. Cosby.
Book: I, Page: 59, Grantor: John Foster, Grantee: William Patman, Date: 30-Mar-1795John Foster of Louisa to William Patman of same +52 12 for tract on waters of Roundabout Creek with same boundaries as in deed Patman to said Foster. In trust to secure +52 12. sig. John (X) Foster. wit. John Nicholson, Abeshrai? Pemberton.
Book: I, Page: 61, Grantor: Nelson Foster, Grantee: William Patman, Date: 30-Mar-1795Nelson Foster sold land 30 Mar 1795 to William Patman in trust to pay by 25 Dec 1797 +38 for 171 1/2 acres adjoining John Foster, George Johnson, John Hunter, Thomas Littlepage.
Book: I, Page: 75, Grantor: William Shelton, Grantee: Jesse Shelton, Date: 26-Aug-1795William Shelton of Louisa to Jesse Shelton of Goochland for 5s and natural love William bears his son, Jesse, and for his support and maintenance all of tract I purchased of David and George Hudson on Owens Creek Louisa County containing 394 acres. Also land I now live on reserving my life in same. Sig. William Shelton. wit. Wm. Lovell, Wm. Foster, James Addams.
1800 William & Amy Crooks of Bullitt Co. sell to Bartlett Foster of same 96 1/2 acres for 100 pounds
land was on Floyds Fork bordering John Rizley's (Risley) survey. Wits: Thomas Burk & Alexander
King (Bullitt Co. Deed Bk A2 p. 182)
1800 tax list of Bullitt Co. KY. 1 white male over 21. 199 acres on Broad Run, Bullitt Co. KY
1803 tax list of Bullitt Co. KY 1 white male over 21, 1 black over 16 / 2 total. Also taxed for:
2000 acres in Muhlenburg Co. KY, first entered in the name of John Hanley
