Richard & Susannah FOSTER * (10 generations in America from Virginia to California) Modified Register Format Descendants of Richard & Susannah Foster of Virginia for 10 Generations This documented genealogy file has been researched by many related Explanations to assist you in your review of this genealogists & credit has been given website: throughout this publication for their many contributions and submitted This document was created in PAF genealogy software and here by Gary L. Foster. I apologize for exported in a Modified File Format to Microsoft Word 2007. not giving credit to the many Over 800 digital images were then hand linked to individuals references I have found and simply for better documentation. This document was then saved by forgot to record where they came from. Word as a .pdf document so it could be shared over the Internet for those seeking their ancestry. This research is not completed and I will continue to update what is still to Please send to Gary Foster an E-mail attachment of any digital be discovered, corrected and shared images, to make changes, corrections or suggestions to add to with all. this website for the viewing by everyone interested. The asterisk * is my direct lineage. Click here to find an INDEX of Descendants of Comments written by myself have my Richard & Susannah Foster for 10 Generations. initials “glf” after them. This research reflects what I have been able to find See the Foster Research Website for researcher’s genealogies. over the past 53 years of gathering information since I was age 14. Click on this image when you see it below to view copies of the researched documents. This graphic image will display the digital image 22 January 2009 Send corrections & proof sources to Gary Foster by E-mail mailto:[email protected] Page 1 Use the top of page menu buttons in your Adobe Reader to navigate this website Richard & Susannah FOSTER * (10 generations in America from Virginia to California) Modified Register Format of the CENSUS, BIRTH, MARRIAGE, DEATH, WILL, LAND, PHOTOS & MAPS associated with this individual. When you see a “+” in front of a number (380) it means they had children. First Generation 1. Richard FOSTER * was born about 1723 in Gloucester, Virginia, United States. He died in Dec 1794 in Surry, Virginia, United States. An entry in the early records of Kingston Parish register shows a Richard born in 1736 and married to a Susannah and may be more correct. In 1607, three ships carrying over a hundred adventurers crossed the Atlantic, not knowing what they would find on the other side. After landing at Cape Henry, in what is today Virginia Beach, they set out to explore the surrounding rivers and bays. Shortly afterwards our Richard Foster or his ancestors arrived in Virginia. MAPS: Isle of Wight & Surry Counties, Virginia Mobjack Bay, Gloucester, Virginia Gloucester County Cemeteries, Virginia Gloucester County, Virginia Surry County, Virginia 22 January 2009 Send corrections & proof sources to Gary Foster by E-mail mailto:[email protected] Page 2 Use the top of page menu buttons in your Adobe Reader to navigate this website Richard & Susannah FOSTER * (10 generations in America from Virginia to California) Modified Register Format Whitchurch, Hampshire, England CENSUS: Early Virginia tax Lists where a Richard Foster is listed in the life time of our Richard Foster (1723-1794). There may have been 10 or more Richard Foster families in Virginia during the lifetime of our ancestor. glf CENSUS: 1782 Virginia, Amelia County, Township 07 01, Continental Census, Page 13, Database: VA CENSUS: 1782 Virginia, Amelia County, Township 07 02, Continental Census, Page 11, Database: VA CENSUS: 1782 Virginia, Surry County, Township 04 06, Continental Census, Page 43, Database: VA CENSUS: 1783 Virginia, Prince Edward County, No township listed, Tax List Page 059, Database: VA CENSUS: 1784 Surry County, Virginia, Census - Heads of Families, Richard Foster, 4 white souls, 1 Dwelling, 3 Other Dwellings. WILL: (pg 1) and (pg 2) of Richard Foster, Surry County, VA, Will Book 1, 1792-1804, page 90-91. Dated 26 Nov 1794, proved 24 Feb 1795. Available from the Library of Virginia http://www.lva.lib.va.us/ for a fee. MAPS: of Virginia showing Isle of Wight County where Richard & Susannah’s first child was born, Beverly Ransome Foster and later when it was divided into Brunswick County south to the State of Virginia’s border with North Carolina. DEATH: Not mentioned in Richard Foster's will, presumably Susannah was dead by the time the will was drawn up, as was the daughter (Elizabeth Foster) who bore Susannah Ransome Clark, the granddaughter mentioned in the will. 22 January 2009 Send corrections & proof sources to Gary Foster by E-mail mailto:[email protected] Page 3 Use the top of page menu buttons in your Adobe Reader to navigate this website Richard & Susannah FOSTER * (10 generations in America from Virginia to California) Modified Register Format RESEARCH for all Richard Foster’s in early Virginia: This information on research done by Dr. Billy G. Foster shows that a James Richard Foster (Born in 1619 and immigrated to Virginia in 1635 could be a possible grandfather or great grandfather to my Richard Foster born about 1723). As of 25 December 2008 no paper trail exists to proof that connection. But, a very strong DNA connection does exist between many members of Group 7 of men bearing the surname of Foster and having been tested by http://www.fosterdna.com. I would encourage the reader of this information to see the genealogies presented here in both DNA testing and a paper trail of their ancestors. We may be able in time to prove our heredity ties into a common ancestor either in the Early American or in England. I encourage you to be DNA tested by clicking on this link. Passage was paid by Bartholomew Hoskins, ancient planter, and both he and Richard (James Richard Foster b. abt 1619) migrated to Lower Norfolk County, VA where both became prominent members of the social and political society. Capt. Ed Dittmer, retired naval officer, was the first to cast doubts on Richard being the immigrant and placed James Foster of Gloucester County as the most likely immigrant. This revelation was met with little interest by most researchers since it broke the tie with English royalty. However, there were several researchers, including Miriam Wood Dye of Memphis, TN, Gerneva Foster Dennis of Abilene (now Chicago), and myself who required more than "tradition" to accept the 1635 immigrant as our Immigrant. We offer the following information for your consideration: Richard Foster of the 1635 HMS Safety was transported by Bartholomew Hoskins. We have documentation that Bartholomew married, in England, Dorcus Foster, widow with two small children. Bartholomew was called father by Richard. (March 2, 1639/40.) Conclusion - Richard of the 1635 HMS Safety was the son of Dorcus Foster and an unknown father and the step-son of Bartholomew Hoskins. We must assume that it was this Richard Foster, who migrated, with Bartholomew Hoskins, into Lower Norfolk County, VA. We do know that Bartholomew Hoskins and Mrs. Dorcus Foster had children and one was a daughter, Dorcus, who married a Richard Foster (from Hoskins family history). However, it could not have been the 1635 Richard Foster as she was only 5-6 years old when Richard called Bartholomew father and besides Dorcus was his half-sister. 22 January 2009 Send corrections & proof sources to Gary Foster by E-mail mailto:[email protected] Page 4 Use the top of page menu buttons in your Adobe Reader to navigate this website Richard & Susannah FOSTER * (10 generations in America from Virginia to California) Modified Register Format Conclusions - There were two Richard Foster's found in Lower Norfolk. The second Richard Foster could have been the Richard Foster who came to Virginia in late 1630s or early 1640s and was a lawyer. He has been reported as Richard Worster. He was the Clerk of the Court, etc and signed his name as ―ffoster" which looks like a "W." Now, both Fosters were literate as indicated by many documents. There was at least one other Richard Foster in Lower Norfolk. He was found on Bennett’s Creek on March 25, 1653/4 and signed his name with an "X", i.e., he could neither read nor write. So, this separates him from the above two. It could be he who married Ann Jackson and fathered a child before marriage as shown in Lower Norfolk records. There was another Richard Foster (Deed Book B, Lower Norfolk Co., VA, p. 51) at an inquest concerning the death of Jacob Bradshaw on April 11, 1647. This Richard was also illiterate and signed his name with a mark "ff." He could have been the same illiterate Richard Foster (above). However, his mark was "ff" and not "X." Conclusion - There were three and possibly four Richard Fosters in Lower Norfolk who are potentially our immigrant: (1) Richard Foster of the Safety, step-son of Bartholomew Hoskins, (2) Richard Foster, the lawyer, (3) Richard Foster, who may have married Anne Jackson whose mark was "X" and, (4) Richard Foster, the Witness, whose mark was "ff." Now which, if any, was our immigrant? One of these Richard Foster's married Dorcus Hoskins and received a land patent in 1651 for the transport of himself, his wife Dorcus, and daughter, Dorcus, Jr. He probably was Richard Foster, the Lawyer, as Richard, the Step-son was in England during this time (more on this later). This Richard Foster was probably the Richard Foster who was a member of the House of Burgess and was called first Lt.