William Foster
(Introduction)
As North Carolina was being settled, different counties were being formed. Part of Rutherford County and Burke County became Buncombe County in 1791. Two companies, the 13th and 14th, which were enumerated in what was then Rutherford County, NC, became a part of Buncombe County when it was created in 1791. Two companies, the 11th and 12th, were enumerated in what was then Burke County, NC. and became part of Buncombe County, also.
The 13th company of Rutherford County generally included the present-day half of Henderson County. It
included Cane Creek, Sweeten Creek, Hooper's Creek, Mud Creek, Clear Creek, Wolfpen Creek, Green River, Hickorynut Creek, and
the families who lived south of the Swanannoa River.
William Foster is listed as being a resident of the 13th Company of Rutherford County, NC in 1790. Listed in the same company in Rutherford County of that year, 1790, were also several families that intermarried into the Foster family.
Listed were these families:
Name Male 16+ Male 16- Female Slaves
William Foster 2 1 6 3
James Wood, Sr. 3 3 3 -
Jno. Wood 1 - 2 -
Jas. Wood, Jr. 1 - 2 -
William Foster is listed as having 2 males over the age of 16, which could have been himself and one son. He is listed as having 1 son under the age of 16. This son could be our ancestor, William P Foster. Also in this company listing is 6 females. This could be 5 daughters and include his wife. It is listed also that he 3 slaves.
Listed are some of the families
that were living in the 14th Company of Rutherford County, NC, in 1790. This area was in the western half of present-day Henderson County and present-day Transylvania County. It included the Upper French Broad, Davidson's River, and Little River.
Name Male 16+ Male 16- Female Slaves
Jeremiah Osborn 2 1 2 -
Jno. Claypole 1 1 3 -
Jno. Osborn 1 1 1 -
Stephen Claypole 1 - 1 -
Jonathan Osborn 1 1 3 -
Jno. Wood 1 1 2 -
Henry Wood 1 - 2 -
Listed are some families that lived in the 12th Company, Burke County, NC. This part of Burke County became Buncombe County in 1791. These families lived down the French Broad River from present-day Asheville in what is now Madison County and a part of Yancey County.
Name Male 16+ Male 16- Female Slaves Mark Foster 1 3 5 - Mark Foster, Jr. 2 1 4 -
Taking in consideration the information provided in the census, I will allow that the William Foster that is listed in the 13 th Company of the Rutherford County, NC census, is our ancestor.
William Foster was probably born around or before 1756. We know he had at least 7 children, according to the 1790 Rutherford County, NC census record. The first of his children was probably born around 1774 or 1776. One of these 7 children is William P Foster.
This page is hosted by
