Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. IV, Part 35

Author: Stearns, Ezra S; Whitcher, William F. (William Frederick), 1845-1918; Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 878

USA > New Hampshire > Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. IV > Part 35

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(IV) Captain Asa, youngest child of William (2) and Sarah (Kimball) Foster, was born June 16, 1710, in Andover, and passed his life in that town, where he died July 17. 1787. He owned one hundred and sixty acres of land in Canterbury, New Hampshire, besides large tracts of upland and meadow in Andover. On March 8, 1776, he was appointed one of the members of a committee of the town on correspondence, inspection and safety. His estate was valued at eight hundred and thirty pounds, sixteen shillings and seven pence. He was married (first), Octobr 26, 1732, to Elizabeth,

John foster

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daughter of John Abbott. She was born in 1712, and died July 4, 1758. His intention of marriage to Lucy Rogers was published December 10, 1763. She died October 17, 1787, surviving him exactly three months. His children were: Asa, Abial, Daniel, David (died young), David, Elizabeth, Jonathan, Sarah and Lucy. ( Mention of David and descendants appears in this article).

(V) Abial, second son and child of Captain Asa and Elizabeth (Abbott) Foster, was born August 29, 1733, in Andover, Massachusetts, and was an early resident of Canterbury, New Hampshire. He was a clergyman. Owing to mutilation of the rec- ords, the full name of his wife cannot now be learned. Her christian name was Hannah, and the first two letters of her family name were Ba -. The records of Canterbury show three children born to them, namely: Hannah, William and James. There were undoubtedly others.

(VI) Abial (2), was undoubtedly a son of Reverend Abial and Hannah Foster, born probably about 1767. He was married February 25, 1796, in Canterbury, to Susannah Moor. The records of Canterbury show Susannah Foster, born February 7, 1775, and another April 9, 1775. No parentage is given, and this is probably two records of the birth of the same person, supposed to be the wife Abial (2). Their children were: Polly, Abial, one whose christian name is not given (supposed to be Simeon B. born April 23, 1800), Susannah, Nancy, Joseph, Elizabeth, Augusta Caroline, Martha Jane, Sarah, Catherine (died young), Catherine and one still born, recorded June 1, 1817.

(VII) Simeon B. Foster was a native of Can- terbury, where he lived the life of a plain honest farmer whose chief concerns were in getting an honest living and properly bringing up a family. He died in Canterbury, November 26, 1880. He was first a Whig and in his later years a Republican and his party elected him to the office of selectman and collector. He was married, April 18, 1826, to Polly S. Hill, who died in 1870, aged sixty-five years. They had ten children; Myron C. Harrison, Alonzo, John, Fidelia, Melissa, Emma, Melinda, Nancy, Lyman.

(VIII) Myron C., eldest child of Simeon and Polly S .. (Hill) Foster, was born in Canterbury, February 7, 1829, and has followed the same voca- tion as his father. In politics he is a Republican. For some years he was town tax collector. He is a member of the Baptist Church. and for many years had been one of its deacons. While the Civil war was in progress he served about five months as a contract nurse. He married, January I, 1854, Lu- cinda M. Pear, who was born April 1, 1833, in Cam- bridge, Massachusetts, daughter of George and Nancy (Carter) Pear, of Cambridge. They have had three children: Lizzie, deceased; George, a miller at Contoocook; Lyman B., whose sketch follows.

(IX) Lyman Beecher Foster was born in Can- terbury, October 30, 1867, and is youngest child of Myron and Lucinda M. (Pear) Foster. He was educated in the public schools. At eighteen years of age he went into the employment of J. H. Jack- man as a clerk in a store at Penacook, where he continued eighteen months ; he then took a similar position in a co-operative store in Penacook, where he served seven years; subsequently he clerked for E. J. Young in East Concord, five years, and Phil- brick & Hill, of Tilton, five years. In 1904 he bought a grocery stock in Farmington, where he has since been in business. He is a member of Contoocook Lodge, No. 26, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Penacook, in which he is a past

grand; a member of Penacook Encampment, No. 3, of Concord, and of Wily Canton, Patriarchs Militant, of Concord. He married Annibeck P. Wyman, who was born October 29, 1868, a daugh- ter of Daniel and Annie (Webster) Wyman, of Concord.

(V) David, fifth son of Captain Asa and Eliza- beth (Abbott) Foster, was born September 25, 1737, in Andover, and settled in Canterbury, New Hampshire. He was married, November 24, 1760, to Hannah Kittredge, and their children, on record in Canterbury, were: Daniel, Hannah, Simcon, Betsey, Jonathan, Dorcas, Abiah, Abigail, Ruth and Jeremiah. The record states that these children were born in Andover. (Mention of Joseph and descendants forms part of this article).

(VI) Daniel, eldest child of David and Hannah (Kittredge) Foster, was born June 29, 1761, in Andover, and resided in Canterbury, New Hamp- shire. Nothing in the public records shows his marriage of children. The family records give the birth of the next in order, who was probably a son of Daniel Foster, but nothing now appears by

which this can be conclusively determined.

(VII) Daniel Kittredge Foster was born in 1793 at Canterbury, New Hampshire, a town which gave birth to Stephen Foster, the Abolitionist, and to others of the name who have wrought well for the public service. He became a teacher and farmer at Chichester, this state. On November 20, 1823, Daniel Kittredge Foster married Lydia Lane, second child of Simeon and Sarah (Morrill) Lane, who was born in Chichester, May 2, 1799. Her mother died when she was but an infant, and her father married again and had a large family ; hence Lydia was adopted by Joshua and Lydia (Blake) Lane, who might pro- perly be considered her parents, as they brought her up and left her their property. Daniel K. and Lydia (Lane) Foster had five children, all sons: Joshua Lane, whose sketch follows; Joseph Addison, born in 1825 or 6; Daniel Kittredge, born December 10, 1827 ; Lucius Augustus, born November 20, 1831, and Rinaldo Brackett, born March 5, 1836. Danicl K. (2) Foster was a school teacher of note in his day. Daniel K. (1) Foster died October II, 1869, and his wife died in February, 1875, each at the age of seventy- six years.

(VIII) Joshua Lane, eldest child of Daniel Kitt- redge and Lydia (Lane) Foster, was born at Canter- bury, New Hampshire, October 10, 1824. When about three months old his parents moved to Chi- chester, this state, to reside with Joshua Lane, and there on the Lane homestead he was reared. From his father he obtained excellent private instructions, and he also attended the district schools till old enough to enter Pittsfield Academy in the neighbor- ing town, where he remained four years. He then spent two years at Gilmanton Academy, this state, and then returned to Pittsfield, where lic completed his academic education. He remained on the home farm for a few years, but being of a mechanical turn he learned the builder's trade, at which he worked for two or three years. Ile then pursued the study of architecture under Professor Benjamin Stanton, of New York City, and for about ten years, ending with the financial panic of 1857, he practiced his profession in Concord. During that time he designed many churches, court-houses and school-houses throughout the state, one of the most notable being the old red brick court-house at Concord, dedicated in 1857, whose statcly portico and lofty walls were for more than half a century an imposing feature of the North End. Meanwhile Mr. Foster had been a frequent contributor to the press, and when the

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building business was brought to a standstill, he was urged to enter the editorial field. In 1858 in con- nection with Dr. Joseph H. Smith, he bought the Dover Gazette, and with Edwin A. Hills, Dr. Smith's son-in-law, he formed a partnership under the firm name of Foster & Hills. Mr. Foster conducted the paper for three years, when he sold out to his partner, and returned to his architectural profession for a short time, during which he resided in Man- chester, this state. But the ruling passion proved too strong, and in January, 1863, at the solicitation of leading Democrats of the state, he went to Ports- mouth, where no Democratic paper was then pub- lished, and started the Weekly States and Union, and in 1868 began the issue of the Daily Times of that city. In June, 1870. he sold these papers to Thayer & Guppy, two of his employees, and removed to New Haven, Connecticut, where he published the New Haven Lever for a time, but not long after- ward he returned to Dover, where he began the publication, January 20, 1872, of Foster's Weekly Democrat, with which his name is indelibly as- sociated. This paper made a sensation by the vigor and pungency of the editorials and locals, and Foster's Daily Democrat was issued on June 18, 1873. Mr. Foster soon gained a reputation that was not confined to New Hampshire, and his writ- ings, which were always couched in pure Anglo- Saxon, were quoted by newspapers in all parts of the land. Mr. Foster did not hesitate to differ with his party when matters of principle were involved, but the honesty of his motives and the brilliance of his writings were so convincing that the paper be- came an ever increasing success. In 1885, soon after the inauguration of President Cleveland, the paper came out squarely against his administration and boldly espoused the Republican cause, which it has ever since maintained with all its old-time ability. Mr. Foster's habit of thinking for himself, his wide reading, ample vocabulary and dogged grip were sure to attract attention to anything he uttered, while his fidelity to conviction commanded respect even from those whose ideas diverged most widely from the opinions of the radical editor. Mr. Foster never cared to hold political office, though he represented his party repeatedly in state and other conventions. He was, however, elected for three successive terms of seven years each as a member of the board of trustees of the Dover Public Library, and was holding this office when he died.

On July 30, 1848, Joshua Lane Foster married Lucretia A. Gale, daughter of Bartholomew and Abby (Morrison) Gale, of Upper Gilmanton, now Belmont, New Hampshire. Four children were born of this union : Lucia Ella, who married Mercer Goodrich, formerly of Portsmouth, but afterwards of Lynn, Massachusetts; George J., whose sketch follows; Ena Veille, who married Frederick J. Whitehead, of Dover; and Charles G., whose sketch follows. Mrs. Goodrich died February 25, 1905, leaving a husband and three brilliant sons. Mr. and Mrs. Foster were permitted to celebrate their golden wedding, which was a notable event, largely at- tended by prominent people. Mr. Foster lived a year and a half after this event, dying January 29, 1900, at his home in Dover. Mrs. Foster lived till May 6, 1905, dying at the age of seventy-nine years.

(IX) George J., elder son and second child of Joshua Lane and Lucretia (Gale) Foster, was born at Concord, New Hampshire, February 13, 1854. He was educated in the public schools of Portsmouth, completing his course of study by four

years in the high school. He early manifested finan- cial tact and ability, and when his father settled in Dover and started the weekly and then the daily Democrat, he placed his son in charge of the busi- ness management. That no mistake was made is shown by the complete pecuniary success of the enterprise. Mr. Foster is an attendant of the Methodist Church, and a Republican in politics. He has been a member of the school committee since 1883, and was made chairman of the board in 1903, a position which he still holds. He repre- sented his ward in the New Hampshire legislature of 1893, and was mayor of Dover in 1906. In all of his public career his course of action has been governed by fidelity to public interests, and by a desire to reduce expenditures and keep down taxation. On July 22, 1880, George J. Foster mar- ried Anna C. Clark, daughter of Seth H. and Clarissa Clark, of Dover. By this union there have been two sons and one daughter: Bertha Florence, born August 3, 1883; graduated from Wellesley Col- lege, 1906. Arthur, born March 27, 1885; Frederick, born December 9, 1887.

(IX) Charles Gale, second son and third child of Joshua Lane and Lucretia (Gale) Foster, was born at Dover, New Hampshire, July 11, 1859. When he was a child his parents moved to Manchester, and after a brief residence there went to Portsmouth, removing from thence in the year 1872 to Dover, where Charles Gale resided up to the time of his death. On account of the frequent removals of his parents he attended the public schools of various New England cities, and acquired a practical edu- cation. In 1876 he began work in the office of the Democrat, and in the course of his connection with it worked his way up through all positions to the editor's chair. This proved an excellent school for him, as it has done for many other newspaper men, and the paper continued to speak for itself each day, carrying a powerful influence for good throughout Strafford county. Since the death of the father, several years ago, Charles Gale and his brother, George J., conducted the paper. He served in the common council in 1896-97, having been elected on the Republican ticket, and filled the position of president in the latter year. He was an attendant of the First Congregational Church of Dover. He was also prominent in fraternal circles, having been a past noble grand of Wecohamet Lodge of Odd Fellows, one of the oldest in the state, a trustee of the organization at the time of his death, past chief partriarch of Quochecho Encampment, and past commander of Canton Parker, Partiarchs Militant. Mr. Foster married, August 3, 1883, Mabel Clement, daughter of Benjamin and Sarah Clement, of Dover, New Hampshire, who bore him four children: Walter H., born September 14, 1887, a member of the class of 1909, Dartmouth College. Philip C., born February 19, 1892, a pupil in the Dover high school. Arthur and Doris J., died in infancy. Charles Gale Foster died at his home, 47 Central avenue, October 27, 1907, and in his death Dover lost one of its most prominent and useful citizens.

(VI) Joseph, fourth son and fifth child of David and Sarah Foster, was born September 22, 1779, in Canterbury, and settled very early in life in Alexandria, New Hampshire, where many other members of the Foster family resided. He was educated in the district schools and in late life went to Merrimack, and there lived until his death. He was by occupation a farmer, in religious belief a Congregationalist, and in politics a Democrat. His wife's name was Lydia Petty. Their children

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were: Malinda, Phebe, Thomas J., Sylvia, Wilson, John L., Irine and Lydia.

(VII) Thomas Jefferson, first son of Joseph and Lydia (Petty) Foster, was born in Alexandria, December 20, 1819, and died in Amherst, May 3, 1892. He got his education in the district schools. He was a blacksmith and a farmer, and did some lumbering. He lived in Merrimack after 1845. He was a member of the Grange, and an ardent temper- ance man. In politics he was a Democrat. Novem- ber 26, 18446, he married Hannah C. Junkins, who was born February 19, 1821, and died January 7, 1904. She was the daughter of Henry and Mary (Miller) Junkins, of Merrimack. They were the parents of three children: Joseph H., mentioned below; George W., born July 25, 1858, married, May 15, 1890, Ida F. Wheeler; Charles W., born Sep- tember 17, 1863, married, December 26, 1887, Edith A. Gilman.

(VIII) Joseph Henry, eldest child of Thomas J. and Hannah C. (Junkins) Foster, was born in Merrimack, November 2, 1851, and has always resided in the house in which he was born. He was educated in the common schools and at Mont Vernon, completing his studies at the latter place at the age of twenty-two. Returning to his home he worked for his father until 1881, when he pur- chased the farm of one hundred and thirty-six acres which he has since successfully cultivated. He is engaged in general farming and the milk busi- ness. He is a Democrat. He has been a member of the school board six years, tax collector two terms, and selectman two terms. In matters pertaining to farming he is a leader, and for eight years has been a member of Thornton Grange, No. 31, Patrons of Husbandry. He is also a member of Souhegan Lodge, No. 98, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows. He married, at Milford, November 13, 1878, Charlotte E. Converse, born in Amherst, Decem- ber 21, 1856, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Fuller) Converse of Amherst. She was educated at Mont Vernon. Mr. and Mrs. Foster are mem- bers of the Christian Science Church. They have one daughter, Mary Lizzie, who was born February 16, 1880. She married, April 24, 1901, Bertie L. Peasley, of Bedford, New Hampshire, and has four children : Edith May, born April 22, 1902; Fred William, born April 18, 1903; Alice Mabel, No- vember 4, 1904; and Hellen R., June 2, 1906.

Nathan Foster was born February 26, 1783, in Amesbury, Massachusetts, and was married, October 5, 1805, to Hannah, daughter of Francis Davis (see Davis, VI). She was born August 6, 1781, and died June 6, 1857. They were the parents of nine children: Francis Davis, died in Warner, in 1891 ; William S., died in 1889; John S., died 1894; Richard S., subject of the following paragraph; Mary Ann, who became the wife of Henry H. Hariman, and died 1899; Elizabeth, the wife of Josiah Trask, died 1893; Jonathan, died in his twenty-third year; Henry, died 1894; Judith, died 1892.

(II) Richard Straw, son of Nathan and Han- nah (Davis) Foster, was born December 27, 1813, in Warner. He was educated in the common schools of that town, and early in life learned the trade of stone cutting. For several years he was em- ployed in this capacity in Quincy, Massachusetts, and having been industrious and prudent in the care of his earnings was in a position to secure for himself a permanent home. About 1843 he re- turned to his native town and lived with his parents, while still continuing to devote a portion of his time to stone cutting. He was an active and in-

fluential citizen and held numerous offices. He was a Republican in politics, and was a leading member of the Baptist Church, in which he served as deacon and treasurer, and was also superintendent of its Sunday school. He married Elizabeth K. Pickett, daughter of Thomas and Sophia Pickett. She died January 7, 1902. She was the mother of three children : Sarah, Clarence, and Annette F. The last named became the wife of William A. Sawyer.

(III) Clarence, only son of Richard S. and Elizabeth K. (Pickett) Foster, was born June 5, 1848, in Warner, where he grew up and attended the public schools. Early in life he went to Beverly, Massachusetts, and was employed in a shoe factory. In 1876 he returned to Warner, and since that time he has been engaged in operating a large farm, which is devoted to the general purposes of agri- culture. He is the owner of much valuable timber. Mr. Foster is a member of Warner Grange, No. 90, in which he has held several offices and is now master. He is an attendant of the Baptist Church, and is the present librarian of the local society. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has passed through the principal chairs, and has been for the past twenty years secretary of his lodge. These facts sufficiently indicate that he is an intelligent and progressive man and en- joys the confidence and esteem of his fellow citi- zens.

He was married, May 11, 1880, to Clara A. Tyler, who was born in Hopkinton, August 3, 1855, daughter of Lucius H. and Sarah A. (Hall) Tyler, of Hopkinton, New Hampshire. She died Febru- ary 2, 1899, leaving two children. She was an active church worker, and was a highly esteemed and respected woman. The children are: Mabel L., born April 26, 1881 ; and Howard T., born April 22, 1890.

(Second Family.)

This branch of the Foster family

FOSTER traces its descent from Andrew, who apparently has no connection with Reginald, usually considered the first American an- cestor. The Andrew Foster line, though not as numerous as that of Reginald, is quite as ancient, and in some respects it has a more thrilling history. (I) Andrew Foster was born in England about 1579. His name appears among the first settlers of Andover, Massachusetts, who came about 1640. He was made a freeman in 1669. He had twelve grants of land, most of them in the extreme southerly corner of the town, near Wilmington and around Foster's Pond, which was doubtless named for him. "Andrew Forrester, or Forster, of Andover, with his neighbors, Andrew Allen and Joseph Rus- sell, were all members of the Scotch Charitable Association, once the St. Andrew's Society, formed in Boston as early as 1656, to aid the war prisoners of Cromwell's fights and other unfortunates from Virginia and along the shore who used to walk to Boston to get passage home." It is probable that Andrew Foster was twice married, both times in England. The name of his second wife was Ann, who survived him. The names of five children are recorded. He was seventy-three years of age when his youngest child was born. Andrew Foster died in Andover, May 7, 1685, and the town records read "aged one hundred and six years." His will was proved June 30th of that year. He left prop- erty inventoried at five hundred and four pounds. His widow died December 2, 1692. Mrs. Ann Foster was executrix of her husband's will, which proves that she had acknowledged integrity and business

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ability. Nevertheless, seven years later, she fell a victim to the witchcraft craze which cursed that time and neighborhood. She was examined four times, and through pious frenzy and overwrought nerves, was led to confess herself a witch. She said that she rode on a stick with Martha Currier to Salem village, where they met three hundred other witches. The testimony of herself and her fellow victims has been fully preserved. Mrs. Foster was imprisoned for twenty-one weeks, and would have been hanged had not death granted her merciful release. Her son was forced to pay the keeper of the jail the sum of sixteen pounds and ten shillings before he could have the dead body. of his mother. This sum, twenty years later, after the frenzy had abated, was restored to him and his sister by the Salem authorities. The children of Andrew Foster, so far as recorded were: An- drew. born about 1640, married Mary Russa; Abra- ham, born about 1648, married Ester Foster, daugh- ter of Deacon Samuel of Chelmsford; Sarah, born about 1645, married, October 15, 1667, Samuel Kemp, of Chelmsford or Billerica; Hannah, married October I5,

I667, Hugh Stone; Mary, born July 9, 1652, married August 5, 1673, Lawrence Lacey. The history of the two younger children is tragic. Hannah (Foster) Stone was murdered by her husband, April 20, 1689. The details are fully given in Cotton Mather's Magnalia. It is inti- mated that the man was under the influence of strong drink at the time. The murder was the first that ever occurred at Andover, and it made a profound impression throughout the region. The youngest child, Mary (Foster) Lacey, like her mother, was accused and condemned as a witch. She died June 18, 1707.

(II) Andrew (2), the eldest recorded child of Andrew (1) Foster, was born at Andover, Massa- chusetts, about 1640. He was made a freeman in 1690. He married, June 7, 1662, Mary Russa, daughter of John and Margaret Russa, of Andover. They had six children : Abraham, whose sketch follows; Hannah, born July 16, 1668, married Thomas Astie; Mary, born November 28, 1670, died young; Mary, born June 10, 1673, married Ebenezer (Lovejoy) ; Sarah (twin), born May 25. 1677, married Benjamin Johnson, of Andover ; Esther, born January 14, 1680, married her first cousin, Simon Stone, of Andover, son of Hugh and the murdered Hannah (Foster) Stone. Andrew Foster died in 1697, only five years after the death of his mother. His son, Abraham, was appointed administrator of his estate June 14, 1697. The in- ventory amounted to one hundred and twenty pounds, less than a quarter of his father's. His widow died April 19, 1721.

(III) Abraham, fourth child and only son of Andrew (2) and Mary (Russa) Foster, was born at Andover, Massachusetts, May 25, 1677. He spent his life in that town. June 29, 1703, he married Mary Johnson Lovejoy, daughter of Wil- liam and Sarah Lovejoy, who was born in 1678, and died February 21, 1749, Abraham Foster sur- vived his wife nearly five years, dying December 15, 1753. They had seven children: Hannah, born March 12, 1704, died young; Abraham, born in November, 1705, mentioned in the next paragraph; Sarah, born September 3, 1708, married, September 21, 1730, Jacob Preston, of Andover, and moved to Windham, Connecticut ; a daughter born October 2, 1710, died young; Isaac, born June 26, 1712, died young ; Hannah, born June 13, 1716, married Febru- arv 16, 1738, John Russell; Jacob, born June 17, 1717, married Abigail Frost.

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Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. IV, Part 35

Author: Stearns, Ezra S; Whitcher, William F. (William Frederick), 1845-1918; Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923 Publication date: 1908 Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 878

Author: Stearns, Ezra S; Whitcher, William F. (William Frederick), 1845-1918; Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 878