Readers Comments and Queries


I hope you have found this ramble through Foster history informative and interesting and would invite any comments or queries you may have.

Please email me if you have your own Foster family history to relate, if you have genealogical inquiries that can be pursued here, or if there are any particular Foster stories that you would like to pass on. We will post them all here.

Colin Shelley

nottshell@btinternet.com


Comments and Queries


25 February, 2010.  Foster Brothers in Australia 

My great great grandma Martha married a Joseph Foster after her first husband, Mark Ogley, died.  He and two of his brothers went to Australia (New South Wales) in about 1800 (?).  He died there in 1884.  As far as I know brothers James and William lived and stayed there.  If anyone knows any information regarding James, William, or Joseph, it would be of great interest to myself. 

One more bit of information is that they sailed from England to Australia on a ship called the March of Londonderry under assisted passage. 

Thanks
John Edward Holroyd (spikeandstanthedogs@hotmail.com)


11 February, 2010.  Fosters from England to Tasmania   

I have searched each year for Fredrick Foster, married in the 1820’s to Eliza Watson, born 1804 in England who was my ggg grandma.  Fredrick’s daughter was Sarah Amelia Madelina Foster, born 1828, who died in Tasmania.  Do you have any Fosters that fit this family? 

Mrs. Gallaghan ((pattymg43@yahoo.com)


30 January, 2010.  Fosters from Maryland to Indiana 

Looking for information on a Jessey Foster that married a Nancey Lowry.  I have no idea where Jessey was born but Nancy was born in Westmoreland County (now Indiana County) Pennsylvania in 1767.  Their son, Thomas Jacob Foster, was born in Maryland in 1783-86.  Thomas Jacob Foster married Margaret Schough (she was born in Maryland).  He and his wife moved to Dearborn County, Indiana between 1820 and 1830. 1820 shows them living in Fayette County, PA.  Their children were born in Fayette County, PA. 

Lynn Foster Wilson (rewilson@ktis.net)


10 January, 2010.  Forsters of Germany and Pennsylvania 

Please be patient with me, while I share a couple stories with you and you can see what you think. 

My mother was Reva Ruth Forster (1937 - 1975).  She was born in Wisconsin.  My mother was a parapsychologist - a much renowned psychic – which is very interesting considering all the witch accusation and so forth that you have gathered.  Her father Raymond Charles Forster (1903 -1988) was born in Oil City, Penn.  His father was Charles A Forster (1879 – 1908).  And his father was Henry Forster or Foster (he seems to have spelled it both ways) and he was reportedly born in Hamburg, Germany in 1848, but died in the US in 1919. 

The family story on the Forsters goes like this (I am coping this word for word from a letter my grandmother, married to Ray, wrote to my mother in the 1960’s): 

“In the early 1700’s one man of Forster was a captain in the English and Irish army and had a most prominent place but turned traitor under pressure when he was supposed to take command of a certain battle situation.  Can’t remember whether he was stripped or branded.  Anyhow he landed in Northern Germany and began persuing a family of his own on German soil.” 

Humm? 

1.    Your website stories made me think this could be a reference to the Jacobite Forster, except he went to France not Germany.  Of course, family stories can be inaccurate to say the least and France is not far from Germany, so maybe the family moved on. 
2.    I vaguely remember another family story, I think it was the Forster branch as well, that said that the Forster who went to Germany had a wife and family in Ireland/England.  That he went to Germany and got a new wife and had children and then went on to America….but I’m fuzzy on that. 
3.    This whole side of my family is basically deceased, so there is no one to ask.  I do have pictures of each of the members I mentioned in the first paragraph and lots of stories about each.
4.    Does any of this seem to match up to anything you have come across? 

Thank you for your time and patience with this rambling letter.
Take good care, 
Robin Ziebert (rziebert@wowway.com)


26 October, 2009.  Lincolnshire Foster 

My earliest Foster ancestor was Thomas Foster, born about 1774 in Careby Lincolnshire I think (though on some census he is stated in Stamford in Lincolnshire).  He married Elizabeth Clear in 1795 in Collyweston (which was then in Northamptonshire and is now in Cambridgeshire). 

Does anyone have any clues or knowledge of this Thomas that might point me in the right direction of where to look next please?  

With many thanks. 
Sandra (nee Foster) Lee (sandra.lee607@ntlworld.com)


19 May, 2009.  A Painting by Vere Foster 

I noted that you include Vere Foster among your distinguished Foster relatives.  I have an oil painting signed by Vere Henry (Foster's middle name).  I wondered if you have any information on how Vere Foster signed his own work.  This piece, signed with an accent over the final e in Vere bears considerable similarities to a watercolor by another artist included in Vere Foster's Simple Lessons in Watercolor.  It is quite a nice painting of the sea, almost impressionist in execution. 

I assume that Mr. Foster himself was at least an amateur painter. Please let me know if you have any information on Foster as a painter. 

Thanks and best wishes, 
Karin Ringheim (


30 January, 2009.  Fosters in Arkansas 

My father knew very little about his family except they moved here to Arkansas from Missouri.   My grandfather was John Foster who married Molly Newton.  She gave birth to twin boys, William Bryan and Virgil Brown. Along with other children, Molly died when the twins were eight years old.  Virgil Brown Foster was my father.  He grew up in Maple Springs, AR.  Both he and his twin brother Bryan were farmers.  Bryan never married.  But Brown married Josie Pruitt and they had seven children. 

All the Fosters I have ever known like the beer and whiskey.  That is about all I know about my family.  I have enjoyed reading on this site.  I knew the family originated from Ireland.  I also know my great grandfather was a John Foster. 

Thanks 
Montine Branscum (
 


11 January, 2009.  Fosters in North Louisiana 

Great website!  It was a lot to “swallow,” considering I had just linked my mother’s paternal grandmother’s line within the last two days.  It explains so much.  My grandfather was a musical genius, but was demographically challenged in North Louisiana.  He started playing the piano before he could reach the pedals.  He composed music and taught music in the early 1900’s and was a local gospel musical legend. We have one cousin that inherited his incredible ability.  And everyone has some musical talent.  We have all been strangely insightful. 

My mother always suspected we were related to the past Governors.  However, the salve stories are terrible.  Mother never knew anything about her grandmother.  I believe we are connected to the Edward Powell Foster - which would explain why I couldn’t find any documents on her family in the local court houses!

Where does the talkative gene come in?  Thank you for all of your great research!
Charleen Kennedy (cskennedy@suddenlink.net)


12 July, 2008.  Foster Loyalists Fleeing to Canada 

Great website! I wonder if you know anything about Fosters in New York and Mass. that fled to the Maritime provinces of Canada when the revolution broke out?  My family has stories floating around about the exodus of several branches of the family, particularly from up-state NY and the Hudson River valley, fleeing to New Brunswick where they set-up shop as mill workers and merchants in the growing timber trade for tall-ships that was emerging in St. John and much of Nova Scotia. There are even family rumors that the strip of land that Sing Sing prison is built on once belonged to Fosters but was commandeered when the American Revolution drove the loyalist family off the land.

Does anyone know the connection? Also, what line and region of European Fosters would this line of Fosters trace their lineage back to? 

Brian Foster  
Carleton University, Ottawa (bfoster@connect.carleton.ca) 


24 June 2008.  Fosters in Cumberland 

I am interested in finding more on this Foster/Bell family which are my husband's ancestors.  

John Foster and Mary Bell married 19 November 1820 in Stanwix, Cumberland
they produced:
Sarah, christened 16 January 1825 Stanwix
John, christened 28 October 1827 Stanwix
Joseph, christened 7 July 1833 Stanwix
James and Jane, christened 5 March 1837 Stanwix

Joseph Foster immigrated to Orangeville, Wellington, Ontario, Canada, but I have found nothing on the rest of this family.  I would appreciate it if you would also post my query on your Foster website. 

Fred Heater (adfsparky@yahoo.com)
 


27 April, 2008.  African American Fosters

 
My brother, N. Thomas Foster, was the first African American appointed as City Attorney of Camden, New Jersey in 1980.  He is a graduate of Rutgers Law School.  Tom gave oral argument before the United States Supreme Court in November of 1983, shortly before his untimely death of a heart attack the following year. 

In an effort to develop our family genealogy, I am looking for any or all information related to our grandfather, Arnett or Arnette Foster, (7-4-1883 or 1889 are the two birthyears) of Madison County, Florida's forebears.  If you have any information, (i.e. family trees,) I would most definitely be interested!! 

Thank you so very much! 
G. Ann Foster (Gafoster719@aol.com)
 


5 April, 2008.  Richard Foster of Virginia 

Let me introduce myself.  I'm William L Foster, descendant of John Foster who was the brother of Robert Foster who married Elizabeth Garnett, both the sons of Richard Foster. 

You mentioned the Richard Fosters of the 1600s whom my mentor Dr. Billy G Foster wrote about.  I would like to point out that Richard, brother-in-law of Richard of the "Safety," is the Captain Foster who later was Major Foster who moved from the south Norfolk area to the Albermarle Colony.  Richard of “The Safety” moved to Mockjack Bay and it was he who married Susannah Garnett. 

The third Richard moved to Maryland.   Captain Foster was a lawyer and represented his younger brother- in-law who went back to England for five years in college (probably to study law). Dr. Bill Foster's narrative is confusing and must be read over and over again but no assumptions should be made. 

My Fosters ended up moving southeast from Essex Co Va and into Rowan Co NC where they settled at the Forks of The Yadkin River in what is now Davie Co NC just below Winston Salem.  This is where the wagons formed to move west to Kentucky and Tennessee or south to Georgia and Mississippi.  Squire Boone and his son Daniel lived there also. 

Bill Foster (iwasa43fan@yahoo.com)


9 February, 2008.  Knight Forster at Bamburgh? 


I have been looking at your Foster family website and wonder if you have any information on the monument of a knight at Bamburgh. I am presuming he is one of the Forster Lords of Bamburgh.  I have been told that the armour is around 1350 which is too late for the original Lord, unless it was erected later in his memory.  Or does it relate specifically to a later Lord?  Any information would be very much appreciated.

Thanks. 
Jean (jeannemccreanor@yahoo.co.uk)


27 November, 2007.  Theodosia Foster in Australia?

Looking for any information on Theodosia Alice Foster, born Feb. 1, 1868, in Sunderland, England.  She was the daughter of James Foster.  She was also the niece of Joseph Foster, the genealogist who wrote of the Foster family history.  Family rumor has it that she went to Australia to escape her stepmother.

Don and Carol Clement (thdon@aol.com)


25 November, 2007.  Thomas Foster from Cumberland

 
Your Foster website is very nice.  I especially like the page with stories.  Thank you for posting it to Cyndi's list to let people know about the site.  Could you please add my information to your Queries page?

Thomas Foster/Forster was born about 1800 in Cumberland, a brick maker in Carlisle, then a publican near Liverpool.  He married Ann Bouch 7 Jul.1821 in Warwick, Cumberland.  They had at least 8 children.  Their daughter Jane (born 1831 in Stanwix, Carlisle, Cumberland) is my great grandmother.  She married William Kirkby (a railway engine driver) 14 Sep.1851 in Preston, Lancashire, and died 19 May.1916 in Bury, Lancashire.  Jane's grandson was my grandfather, William Percy Hardman.  He said his Fosters were from Scotland, but I haven't found that connection yet.

Jane Fraser (janernfraser@hotmail.com)
Pueblo,Colorado


22 November, 2007.  The Story of Arthur Foster


One point that I wonder about is the story of Arthur, because as a child (1930's or early war years) I knew a man named Arthur Foster who lived in a little house in Shoebury not too far from us and who came to our house to do simple jobs for my parents.  I remember he used to clean the knives in the kitchen (no stainless steel in those days!).  He was considered a little simple and spoke with a slightly 'funny' voice (a cleft palate perhaps?).  But he was always happy and smiley and nice to us children and sometimes brought along little 78 records for us to play, though I don't think my parents approved of his choice of music!

I had no idea who he was until I discovered the Elizabeth/Joseph Foster marriage just a few years ago.  The name Foster rang a bell and I looked for his possible birth ib Brighton and obtained the birth certificate for Arthur Harold Foster on 22 April 1901, just too late for the census.  His parents were Elizabeth and Joseph.  It seems certain that this is the same man that your Uncle Geoff remembered.  How and when did he come to Shoebury?

Geoff Mann (geoff.mann@btinternet.com)