From the book, Bunches of
Barlows written by Elizabeth O. Michaels and John
O. Hawkins pages
46 - 50
The Foster Family
Transcribed by Sheila Hudson Purdum
In 1678 James
Foster and John Garnett were neighboring landowners in Kingston Parish
Gloucester / now Mathews Co, Virginia, and for generations
afterward their descendants were closely associated and
intermarried in the newer counties of Essex, Caroline,
Spotsylvania, Orange, and Culpepper.
James Foster’s sons Robert and
John purchased adjoining lands in Essex County in
1692 and afterwards settled there.
Robert Foster,
the elder brother, died 1716 in St. Anne’s Parrish,
Essex County, leaving a will which names his wife Elizabeth, eight sons and three daughters:
Robert, James, John,
Barbary, Loveing / Lovern, Richard George, Thomas,
William, Margaret, Elizabeth and Anthony.
His widow Elizabeth, shortly afterward married Robert
Charlesworth and moved
to King William / now Caroline County, and later to Amelia County, where
many of her Foster children also settled.
Robert Foster
Sr. was probably the
grandfather -or possibly great-grandfather of George
Foster -ca 1745-1817- who settled in Wilkes County by
1782, on the Yadkin River near Holman’s Ford --at
Goshen--
He had three sons:
Robert married Mary Allison
George Jr. married Amy Gray
Thomas B. Foster married Frances Triplett
Daughters of George Foster Sr. included:
Edith who
married Thomas
Ferguson and lived
at the mouth of Stony Fork Their son: John
Foster Ferguson married Eleanor
Triplett
John Foster,
the younger of the two brothers who settled in Essex County,
married Sarah
Garnett, daughter of John
Garnett.
In his later years, he moved to Caroline
County, where he died in testate in 1736; his estate was
administered in both Essex and Caroline Counties, presumably
because he owned property in both. As he left no will it has not been possible
to determine the identity of all his children, but on the basis of strong circumstantial
evidence, they appear to include sons:
John, Anthony,
Thomas, Robert and perhaps
William and Achilles -
the last two may be grandsons-
and at least one daughter:
Philadelphia,
who married John
Snell and
lived in Spotsylvania and Orange Counties
John married Isabella
Haskew / Askew, lived
in Spotsylvania, Orange and Albe- marle Counties, died
1764 in Albemarle, leaving a will which names seven
sons and four daughters including:
Sarah Garnett Foster
Philadelphia Foster
Anthony married twice and died in 1763 in
Spotsylvania County, leaving a will
Thomas married Ann
Garnett, his first cousin
and died 1790/91 in Orange County, leaving a will.
Anthony Foster - died 1763-
first appeared in Spotsylvania in 1725, when as Anthony
Foster of St. Anne’s Parish, Essex County,
he bought 100 acres on the River Po - one of the forks
of the Mattaponi River; his brothers John and Thomas also acquired lands
in the same neighborhood.
Anthony married first, Martha _____, second, Mrs.
Sarah Sparks, a widow
Had four sons and three daughters - most
by the first wife.
The sons were:
Edmund - died
1748 Thomas -
died 1764 John -
died 1763 Anthony -
1741-1816
All were married, but the three eldest died
in early manhood, leaving small families.
The eldest, Edmund,
married Tabitha
Collins
-a sister of Mrs. Ann Wisdom-
One daughter: Mary His
widow remarried twice afterwards.
Thomas married before 1750 Dorothy Gatewood
John married ca 1761 Elizabeth Elley
Anthony married Rose
Coleman, and died in
Logan Co Kentucky.
Thomas Foster -ca
1710/15-1790/91, a younger son of John
Foster and Sarah 'Garnett', is mentioned briefly in the Caroline County
records as a young man, serving on a jury. In 1736, he
witnessed a deed for his brother Anthony in Spotsylvania,
and on 01 June 1741 he received a patent for 400 acres
in Spotsylvania, among the branches of the Mattaponi River.
In 1744 he and John
Coffey -whose widow
and many of his children came to Wilkes witnessed a deed
in Spotsylvania for Anthony Garnett -probably
his brother-in-law. As Thomas Foster of St. Mark’s
Parish, Orange County, he sold his Spotsylvania land on
01 May 1744; one of the witnesses was Edmund
Foster, his
eldest nephew, then about 19 years old.
Thomas Foster was
married about 1741 to his first cousin Ann
Garnett, probably in Essex or Caroline Counties;
their children with the possible exception of Sarah,
the oldest, were born in Orange County where Thomas Foster
lived for the remainder of his life. He died in 1790 or
early 1791, leaving a will dated 3 November 1779, which
names his wife Ann, but mentions
only four of their eleven children by name, referring only
to his “other children” who
had already received their shares of his property. Those
named are:
John, Lucy and Milly, the three who were
unmarried at the time, and Ann Robins, a widow.
| 1-1 |
Sarah
Foster -ca 1743-1829/30- Married
ca 1764 William Kindall -died
ca 1777-
Lived in Orange County until about
1788 when she and her six children removed to
Wilkes Co NC, where she purchased a plantation
on Elk Creek.
Issue: four sons and two daughters.
|
| 1-2 |
Ann Foster -ca
1745-14 June 1833- Married ca
1766 William Robins -died
1773-74 in Orange County-
Removed by 1786 to Wilkes Co North
Carolina
Issue: four daughters:
Frances,
born ca 1767, married 1786 Jacob
Hagler
Ann -1769-1857-
married 1788 Colonel John
Bryan
Margaret,
born ca 1771, married 1789 Thomas
Lenoir
Lucy,
born ca 1773, married 1790 Henry
Bryan
|
| 1-3 |
Mary Foster,
born c 1747, living 1831 married 24 December 1775 by
the Rev. John Wingate, rector of St. Thomas’ Parish,
Orange Co, after publication of banns, Captain
Thomas Robins
Removed by 1779 to Wilkes Co NC,
and about 1815 to Bedford Co Tennessee.
Known issue: Two sons:
John and William
At least three daughters, one
of who was:
Nancy Robins,
born 1784/90 Married 1805 Langston Cunningham
|
| 1-4 |
Phoebe
Foster -19 June 1749-December 1827- Married
10 October 1769 George Jones -1743-1830-
Removed from Orange Co Virginia,
to Wilkes Co NC, in 1789.
Issue: seven sons and six daughters.
|
| 1-4-1 |
Philadelphia
Garnett Jones -1770-1857- Married
1791 Andrew Bryan -1756-1808-
Lived in Wilkes.
|
| 1-4-2 |
Gen.
Edmund Jones -1771-1844- Married
1798 Ann Lenoir,
-1778-1838- second daughter of General
William Lenoir
Lived at “Palmyra,” Caldwell
County.
|
| 1-4-3 |
George Jones -1773-1843- Married
ca 1806 Elizabeth Mills;
Died in Rutherford / now Polk County.
|
| 1-4-4 |
Larkin
Jones -1774-1804- Unmarried
A merchant in South Carolina,
in partnership with John
Humphreys.
|
| 1-4-5 |
Col. Catlett Jones -1776-1856- Married
1801 Ann Dula, -1785-1846- second
daughter of Captain William
Dula.
|
| 1-4-6 |
John Jones -1778-1813- Unmarried
|
| 1-4-7 |
Ann
Foster Jones born 1780, died in 1870 in
Rutherfordton, NC Married first 1825 Ambrose
Mills -died ca 1849- in Rutherford / now
Polk County-
Married second James
Allen
No issue.
|
| 1-4-8 |
Phoebe
Jones -born 1782- Married ca 1805 Benjamin
Jones Jr., her double first cousin.
They had three sons and seven
daughters
Moved to Coffee Co Tennessee,
in 1835.
|
| 1-4-9 |
Hugh Jones -1784-1872/79-
Unmarried
|
| 1-4-10 |
Elizabeth
L. Jones -born 1787- Married 1819 Captain
Samuel Downs of Laurens District, SC
Removed to Mississippi
|
| 1-4-11 |
Lucy
Jones -1789-1886- Married Hillair
H. Gilreath
No issue.
Lived near Moravian Falls, NC.
|
| 1-4-12 |
Major
Thomas Foster Jones -1791-1873- Married
first 1817 Sarah Joyce Lenoir,
-1796-1820- fifth and youngest daughter
of General William Lenoir.
Married second Emily
Thompson, daughter of Judge Waddy Thompson of
Greenville, SC
Was a merchant at Laurens Court
House, SC
|
| 1-4-13 |
Matilda Jones -born
1794- died young-
|
| 1-5 |
Elizabeth
Foster -ca 1751-13 September 1848- Married
12 May 1774 by the Rev. John Wingate, rector
of St. Thomas’ Parish, after publication
of the banns Major Benjamin
Hones -1750-1820-
Removed by 1785 to Wilkes County,
NC, where he died.
Elizabeth removed to Bedford County, Tennessee and later with her daughter,
Fanny Robinett to Coffee Co Tennessee
Issue – one son and five
daughters.
|
| 1-5-1 |
Benjamin
Jones Jr. born 1775/80 Married ca
1805 his cousin Phoebe Jones (see
above).
|
| 1-5-2 |
Phoebe
Jones Married ca 1799 Allen
Robinette
Moved to Mississippi or Louisiana.
|
| 1-5-3 |
Lucy
Jones -1780-1846- Married
1805 Captain Moses Cass
Moved to Coffee County Tennessee
after 1840.
|
| 1-5-4 |
Elizabeth
Jones Married 1801 Willis
Thurmond
Moved to Jackson County, Georgia
in 1805
|
| 1-5-5 |
Ann
Mildred Jones, born 1785 Married
1805 Colonel John Martin -ca
1782-1839-
After his death she moved to Cherokee
/ now Clay Co NC
|
| 1-5-6 |
Fanny
Jones, born ca 1787 Married
1807, Jesse Robinette Jr.
Removed to Bedford County, Tennessee.
|
| 1-6 |
Frances
Foster -ca 1752-1843- Married
13 November 1767 Morton
Jones -1747-1841-
Removed 1789 to Wilkes Co North
Carolina,
In 1818 to Bedford Co Tennessee, and about 1825
to Franklin / now Coffee Co Tennessee.
Issue: six sons and one daughter.
|
| 1-6-1 |
Gabriel
Hones, born 29 November 1768, died 1840 Married
1792 Mary Robins,
daughter of Major John Robins
Lived in Franklin Co Georgia,
Wilkes Co NC, Franklin Co Tennessee, and Coffee
Co Tennessee.
Issue: one son and one daughter:
James M. Jones
Elizabeth Jones
|
| 1-6-2 |
Hugh
Jones, born 8 October 1770, Married Mary
Webb
Removed to Coffee Co Tennessee,
and Franklin Co Tennessee.
|
| 1-6-3 |
Morton
Jones - Jr. born ca 1776, died 1825/28,
Married 1807 Alley Cleveland, daughter of Capt.
Robert Cleveland and niece of Col. Benjamin Cleveland
Moved 1808 Bedford County, Tennessee.
|
| 1-6-4 |
Thomas
Jones -04 July 1778-9 May 1856- Married
1809 in Franklin Co Georgia, Jane Robins, -1790-1853-
daughter of Major John Robins,
brother of William and Thomas above
Lived on the Yadkin River in Caldwell
County.
Issue: six sons and five daughters.
|
| 1-6-5 |
Fanny
Jones, born ca 1782, died ca 1815 Married
1814 her double first cousin Ambrose
Foster (see below).
Issue: one daughter:
Fanny Foster,
born 1815, married 1833 Lindsay
Triplett
|
| 1-6-6 |
Benjamin
Jones, born ca 1784 Married ca 1804 Sarah
Case
Removed to Tennessee - 1810/20.
|
| 1-6-7 |
Joseph
Dike Jones, born ca 1786, died 1845/49 Married
1814, his double first cousin Mary
Foster (see
below);
Lived on the south fork of Lewis
Fork in Wilkes Co NC
Issue: three sons and two daughters:
Andrew Jackson
Joseph Henderson Edmund
Rufus Fanny married Calloway
Elrod an unidentified daughter
|
| 1-7 |
Thomas
Foster -ca 1754-1831/32- Married
first 08 October 1774 Mary
Sawyer -no issue- Married
second 25 February 1777 Frances
Jones
Both marriages by the Rev. John
Wingate, rector of St. Thomas’ Parish,
after publication of the banns.
Frances
Jones was a sister of George
Morton, and Benjamin -above;
they were children of Hugh
Jones Sr. of Orange County, and his
first wife Elizabeth 'Foster',
whose relationship, if any, to the other Fosters
in unknown.
Thomas Foster
Jr. and family moved to Wilkes County,
NC, about 1788/89 and settled eventually on
the south fork of Lewis Fork near Morton
Jones.
Frances,
who was born ca 1754, died 1820/30
Thomas died
in testate in 1831/32, and his estate was administered
by his son, Ambrose.
Thomas and Frances had
eight sons and one daughter.
|
| 1-7-1 |
Thomas
Foster, born 1778, Married ca 1815 Nancy
Case;
Left Wilkes after 1820.
Had two daughters by 1820.
|
| 1-7-2 |
Anthony
Foster, born 1780 Married 1813, Lucy
Goforth, his first cousin (see
below)
Both died 1870/80 in Fishing Creek
Township, Wilkes County.
They had three sons and five daughters:
Thomas Nelson married Amelia
Wright Mastin John
R. married Mary
Bell an unidentified son
The daughters: Louisa,
Lavinia, Caroline, Frances and Delphia never
married.
|
| 1-7-3 |
John
Foster -09 July 1782 – 14 June 1860- Married
1809 Ann Vannoy -1790
1873-
Lived in Rock Creek Township,
Wilkes County.
They are said to have had fifteen
children -ten sons and five daughters- many of
their children migrated to Webster Co Missouri,
and Van Zandt Co Texas.
Their daughters: Elizabeth and Sarah
Ann married their cousins Alfred
M. and John J.
Foster, sons of Ambrose (see
below).
|
| 1-7-4 |
Achilles
Foster -1784-1843- Married 1830
his first cousin Lavinia
Goforth (see below);
Lived on the south fork of Lewis
Fork in Wilkes County.
They had three sons and two daughters:
Achilles
Elkanah Foster -born 1881 died 1917- Married
his first cousin Delphia
Adelaide Rose (see
below)
Edmund W.
Foster -1834 - 1911- Married Nancy
Jane Eller
Mary Foster -born
ca1836-
John Thomas
Foster - born 1840, died 1821- Married Martha
Louisa Adkins
Louisa Foster -
1841-1850-
|
| 1-7-5 |
Ambrose
Foster -ca 1786-September 1832 - Married
first 1814, his double first cousin Fanny
Jones
He died in Camden, SC, while on
a trip to Charleston; his widow and many of his
family moved to Van Zandt County, Texas.
By his first wife he had one child:
Fanny (see
above)
By the second, five sons and one
daughter:
Alfred
Miller married his first cousin Elizabeth
Foster, (see above)
John J. married
his first cousin Sarah Ann
Foster, (see above)
William,
Thomas, Edmund, and Mary
Ann.
|
| 1-7-6 |
Mary
Foster -ca 1788-1840/50- Married
1814 her double first cousin Joseph
Dike Jones (see
above),
Mary is presumed to be the mother
of a natural daughter, Lucinda
Foster, born c 1804, who was reared by
her grandparents.
Married 1825 Thomas Northern.
|
| 1-7-7 |
Edmund
Foster, born ca 1796, living 1860 Unmarried
In later life lived with his nephew Edmund
R. Jones in Meat Camp District, Watauga
County.
|
| 1-8 |
Anthony
Foster -born 1756, living 1840- Married
04 April 1776, by Rev. John Wingate, rector of
St. Thomas Parish, Orange Co after publication
of the banns, Elizabeth
Price
Removed by 1787 to Wilkes County
NC and between 1830 and 1840 to Grayson County
Virginia.
They had six sons and six daughters,
but few details of these have been learned; apparently
none remained in Wilkes County.
Four of the daughters were unmarried as late as 1820. The only clearly identifiable
daughter is the second daughter:
Sarah
Foster -ca 1788 living 1880- who married
1813 her first cousin, Rev
William Goforth, a Baptist minister
in Wilkes and Iredell co's (see
below).
The oldest daughter either married
or died between 1800 and 1810.
|
| 1-9 |
John Foster -ca
1758-15 February 1824 Unmarried
He was co-executor of his father’s
will, and after the death of their parents he
and his unmarried sister Lucy followed the rest
of the family to Wilkes County, NC, where he
purchased a valuable plantation on the north
side of the Yadkin River above the mouth of Roaring
River, on which he and Lucy lived until their
deaths.
|
| 1-10 |
Lucy Foster -1760-1834-
Unmarried
|
| 1-11 |
Mildred
Foster -1762-1855- Married ca 19
September 1788 / date of the marriage bond Thomas
Goforth -died 1819- a native of New Jersey
After living briefly in Tennessee,
they settled permanently on Lewis Fork in Wilkes
by 1800.
They had two sons and six daughters
|
| 1-11-1 |
Lucy Goforth -1789-1870/80- Married
her first cousin Anthony Foster -1780-1870/80-
(see above)
|
| 1-11-2 |
John
Goforth, born ca 1790, living 1850, Married
first 1818 Rhoda Parsons -died
1830, Married second 1835 Elizabeth
Kendall
No issue by second wife
One
son and four daughters:
Eveline married Elijah
W. Dockery
James Thomas married Hannah
Louise Phillips
Mary married Joseph
Asbury Hutson
Delphia married John
N. Blackburn
Amelia married Thomas
Holman.
|
| 1-11-3 |
William
Goforth -ca 1792-1850/60- Married
1813 his first cousin Sarah
Foster -ca 1788, living 1880- (see
above), and was a Baptist minister in Wilkes
and Iredell Co's.
They had eight sons and three
daughters:
Thomas B. married Margaret_____
Anthony married Hettie
Dowell
Nancy Eliza -
unmarried
John Wesley married
first Temperance Wooton,
second Berilla _____
William married Esther
Brotherton
an unidentified son
Sarah C. -
unmarried
Joseph Nelson married Mary
Sparks
Cynthia
Samuel Smith married Jane
J. Walker
Larkin L.
|
| 1-11-4 |
Lavinia
Goforth -1795-living 1880- Married
1830 her first cousin Achilles
Foster (see above).
|
| 1-11-5 |
Philadelphia
Garnett Goforth -ca 1798-1846- Married
ca 1839 Wyatt Rose -1813-1901-
Issue: one daughter:
Delphia
Adelaide Rose -born ca 1843- Married
her first cousin Achilles
Elkanah Foster (see
above).
|
| 1-11-6 |
Amelia
Goforth - ca 1800-ca 1877- Married
1847 the Reverend Edmund
Tilley -born ca 1807- a Baptist
minister in Caldwell County.
No issue.
Her husband survived her and married
again.
|
| 1-11-7 |
Nancy Dollins Goforth -1803-living
1880- Unmarried
|
| 1-11-8 |
Phoebe Goforth -1805-living
1880- Unmarried |
|