Paul Franklin Foster
The first Foster in Rabun County was Isaac, the oldest son of William Foster, who was born on June 8, 1809. Isaac migrated to the Tate City area of Rabun/Towns County from NC in 1830. For many years, Isaac Foster served as a justice of the interior court. Among Isaac's children were Franklin Calloway (born in 1830) and William W. (born in 1840).
William "Walter" Foster was sheriff of Towns County. One of his children, Isaac Newton "I N" Foster (born in 1867) moved to the Burton area of Rabun County. I N became a well-known and respected educator and co-owner of the Foster-Derrick store in Burton.
Franklin Calloway Foster, Isaac's older son, lived in the Hightower/Scataway region of Towns County most of his life. Family legend has him serving in the Confederate army during the Civil War. One of his sixteen children, my great-grandfather, Osborn Calloway "Good" Foster, was born on May 18, 1862. Good Foster was Towns County's blacksmith and casket maker. He had six sons and two daughters; among them my grandfather, Ira Frank Foster (born Feb 18, 1894).
Frank Foster came to Rabun County in a round-about way. Since his family was like most others of that time period, in desperate financial straits, Frank moved frequently as a young man, always trying to better his station in life. In the midst of his travels, Frank met his future wife, Blonie Lee Forrester, of Cornelia. They married on Dec 20, 1916. Eventually, in 1935, Frank Foster was employed as a dairyman at Rabun Gap Nacoochee School. He and his family lived on what was known as the school farm. After twelve years, Frank was hired by the US Forest Service, from which he retired. In 1946, Frank bought the Foster homeplace, located near Five Points in Clayton. The original tract of land included eighty acres with a sale price of twelve hundred dollars. Frank and his wife Blonie had twelve children. Six of those twelve presently live in Rabun County; Ray, Paul Franklin (my fahter), Samuel, Peggy Jo Foster Ramey, Lester, and Douglas.
Paul Franklin Foster, my father (born Nov 5, 1928) lived in much the same financial predicament as had his father. He also traveled extensively as a young man. While working for the Dodge Auto Plant near Pontiac, Michigan, Dad met his future wife, Billie Sue Knight, originally from Pikeville, Tennessee. Since their marraige on Mar 23, 1951, Paul and Sue have resided almost continually in Rabun County. Paul and Sue had three children:
Myself, Paul Charles "Chuck" Foster (Sept 29, 1952)
Johnny Ira Foster (Aug 27, 1954)
Kimberly JoLeea Foster (Nov 18, 1963)
Kim and I presently reside in Rabun County. Kim married David Leslie Crunkleton of Rabun Gap and they have two children:
Paul Alexander Crunkleton (July 13, 1985)
Joshua Michael David Crunkleton (Aug 10, 1987).
John lives in Hartwell and has three children:
Jessical Leighann Foster (Dec 5, 1975)
Kristel Lynn Foster (July 9, 1977)
Kale Foster (Dec 3, 1984)
I attended Dillard Community and Clayton Elementary schools and graduated from Rabun County High School in 1970. I then attended Piedmont College, graduating in 1974 with a Bachelors degree in History. Later, in 1980, I also graduated from the University of Georgia, with a Masters degree in Guidance and Counseling. I've been teaching social studies at Rabun County High almost continuously since 1976. Extra-curricularly, I developed the award-winning debate program at Rabun County High. I've also served as golf coach and in 1991 had the honor of coaching the first athletic state championship team in the school's history.
My wife is Joyce Ann Doyle, originally of Lexington, Kentucky. Joyce graduated grom Habersham Central High School in 1974. She has also attended Piedmont College, North Georgia Tech, and the Garney Fletcher School of Real Estate. We have three children:
Marvin Lee Foster (Dec 7, 1976)
Jared Heath Foster (Dec 12, 1978)
Russell Andrew Foster (Nov 27, 1982)
I've been working onmy family history for two years and find the task immensely challenging.
Submitted by:
Chuck Foster
Clayton, Georgia
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