Foster's in Dekalb County, Tennessee

THE CHILDREN
OF
JOHN AND SINAH FOSTER

James Franklin Foster was born on January 10, 1809 in Spartanburg District, South Carolina. The first information we have on him in Dekalb county is the 1840 Census. He has a wife, Sophia and one child. They will have five children in all. They were Minerva C. b. 1839, married Jim Burton. James E. b. 1841, Tilman b. 1843, Matilda b. 1845 and married W. H. Huggins and had two children. Mary Ethelinda b. 1849, married Josiah Hutton Cunningham.

After the Civil War James Franklin moved to Washington County, Arkansas with at least part of his family. He continued working in his trade of Saddle making. He had a shop on the second story of a two story building. On the first floor of the building was Josiah Hutton Cunningham making wagon beds. On April 10, 1870, Josiah married Mary Ethelinda, one of Franks daughters.

A few years before his death, the Washington County, Arkansas courts declared James Franklin to be a "Person of unsound mind." Jim Burton was appointed as his guardian. It is also known that when James Franklin died he was in debt, since his house in Cincinatti had to be sold to satisfy his creditors.

James Franklin's wife, Sophia, outlived him by a few years. She died on June 21, 1889. They are buried in a cemetary not far from Cincinatti, Washington County, Arkansas. At one time before her death, Sophia intervened in the probate proceedings on her husband's estate to secure her widow's share of the proceeds from the sale of the property.

The Descendants of James

Lucinda Foster was also born in South Carolina in 1810. She married a Jonathan Baker and had Three children. George b. 1842, Baily P. b. 1844, and Tennessee J. b. 1848. Some time before 1850 they moved to Texas. The 1860 Census shows that they were in Collin County, Texas.

The Descendants of Lucinda

William Golden Foster was born February 11, 1811, in Madison Co., Alabama. He married Manerva Spurlock in 1830. They had eight children. John Byrd b. 1839. He was married four times and had eleven children. Erastus Duncan b. 1841, Stephen M. b. 1844, Josiah Spurlock b. 1846, Sarah E. b. 1848 d. 1875, Franklin Pierce b. 1853, James Vaus Drake b. 1856 d. 1857, and William Thomas b. 1858. On June 15, 1860 Manerva died. On October 3, 1861 William Golden married Judy Ann Boatwright. In 1876 he moved his family to Mississippi.

The Descendants of William

John W. Foster was born in Madison Co., Alabama in 1813. On 11 March 1839 John and his brother, William Golden bought one sorrel Horse for seventy two dollars and fifty cents. (Deed Book "B" pg. 236) About 1839 or early 1840, John went to Gibson county, Tennessee where he married Matilda Fletcher on November 22, 1841.

In a letter to Brown Foster of Smithville, Tn., from a M. A. Hauser, she states that she is one of ten children of John Foster. The 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 census shows they have eight children. It is assumed that they had two children that did not survive to be counted in any of the censuses.

The eight known children of John and Matilda are:

Tennessee, b. abt. 1843 in Gibson County, Tn. and married a Tip Snowden. She died April 18, 1924 in Memphis, Tn. It is unknown at this time if they had any children.

Martha b. abt. 1845 in Gibson County, Tn. Nothing more is known about Martha at this time.

Columbus, b. abt. 1847 in Gibson County, Tn. The 1870 census shows him as being twenty one years old and lists his profession or occupation as "at school". He is still living at home with his mother and father and five other brothers and sisters. The 1880 census shows him still living at home and his Profession is listed as a "Lawyer". I think the reason being that he was still at home is because he lost his own home to a fire. In the "Trenton Herald" the following article appeared. "The residence of Columbus Foster, two miles west of Rutherford, was destroyed by fire since our last issue. (as of May 16) 1878. It is not known at this time if he was married, but I believe he was.

John Burns, b. abt. 1849 In Gibson Co., Tn. John is listed in the 1850, 60, 70, and 80 census living with his family. The 1880 lists him as the head of household and his profession is listed as "Farmer". The 1880 census was enumerated on the 2nd day of June, 1880 and marriage records show that J. B. Foster married Mary H. Moore on 22 June 1880. At this time it is not known if they have children.

Johnson Asbury, b. abt. 1854 in Gibson County, Tn. He was listed in the 1860 census as Johnson and in the 1870 census as Asbury. I did not find him in the 1880 census, but he may have been there since I did not go through all of the census. Marriage records show that J. A. Foster married P. M. Gay on 20 March 1880. Nothing more is known about them at this time.

Matilda Arminta, b. abt. 1856 in Gibson Co., Tn. In the letter previously mentioned, Matilda signed the letter as M. A. Hauser. In the 1880 census, it shows Arminta Goza with two children, Clara, age 8, and May, age5, all living with her brother John B. and her mother and others. Marriage records show D. M. Goza married M. A. Foster on 5 November 1871 in Gibson Co., Tn. At the time of the census, her husband had apparently died and she was living wither her family. Some time after that she must have remarried to a man named Hauser. In the letter she says that she has nine children. Nothing more is known about them or Matilda at this time.

Menirva Rowann, b. abt. 1858 in Gibson Co., Tn. Marriage records show that W. H. Webb married M. R. Foster on 23 December 1878 in Gibson Co., Tn. The 1880 census shows that Menirva Webb living with her mother and brothers and sister. Her husband is not listed. Nothing more is known at this time.

Marshal B., b. abt. 1860 In Gibson Co., Tn. The 1880 census shows that Marshal is still living at home with his mother and brothers and sisters. Nothing more is known about him at this time.

The 1880 census also lists an Anna Foster and under relationship is listed as sister-in-law. There is also a 6 month old son named Miles. It is not known at this time who her husband is, but I believed it is Columbus. John W. is listed in the 1870 census as being idiotic. Apparently John has died by the time the 1880 census was taken. He is not listed, and John Burns is listed as head of household.

The Descendants of John

Elizabeth Foster married Moses Fletcher about 1832 or 1833. They had eleven children. They were John L. b. 1833, James R. b. 1835, Elizabeth P. b. 1838, Moses Jr. b. 1840, Sinah b. 1840, Louisa N. b. 1842, Thomas E. b. 1844, William H. b. 1846, Joel P. b. 1849, George W. b. 1853, and Sarah E. b. 1855. About 1854 or 1855 Moses moved his family to Union City, in Obion County, Tennessee. During the Civil War Moses and Elizabeth with some of their children went to Illinois. It is beleived that Moses died there in Illinois. After the war Elizabeth went back to Union City. About 1874 one of her sons moved her to Fannin Co. Texas. She is buried in Dodd City, Fannin Co., Texas.

The Descendants of Elizabeth

Thomas N. Foster was born about 1817 in Smith County, Tennessee. That portion of Smith, Co. later became Dekalb County. Little is known of Thomas. He went to Texas and raised a family. That is all that is known at this time.

Mary Ann Foster was born on March 6, 1819 in Smith County. She married Micajah (Cage) Brown. They had no children. Mary Ann died on July 23, 1883 and is buried here in Smithville. It is not know what became of Cage.

Edmond T. Foster was born in 1821 in Smith County. E. T. or Ted (as he was called) never married and lived here in Smithville with his mother until she died in 1881. He was a Saddle maker. After His mother died Ted moved to Texas. It is not known at this time where he went to in Texas or when he died.

Joel J. Foster was born about 1823 in Smith County. On February 3, 1849 he married Nancy Whaley in Smithville. They left Smithville soon after getting married. It is believed they went to Texas and then on to Carson City, Nevada. On July 20, 1867 Joel died at Gold Hill, Nevada from Small Pox. It is not known if they had children or what became of Nancy.

Anthony Lancaster Foster was born in 1826 In Smith County. On February 5, 1860 he married Mary E. Cameron. They had eleven children. (More about them here.) Anthony was a Saddle and Harness maker here in Smithville for many years. Mary died in June 1894 and Anthony died in 1905. Both are buried here in Smithville.

The Descendants of Anthony

Permelia Foster was born in 1828 in Smith County. She married Elija Brown and they had one child. They were found in the 1850 census living in Montgomery County, Tennessee. Nothing more is known about them.

Bluford T. R. Foster was born in 1832 in Smith County. On July 22, 1857 he married Mary L. Steel. Bluford became a lawyer and practiced law for several years. The 1880 census shows that he had paralysis. He died some time between 1880 and 1900. Mary died September 30, 1919. They had twelve children. Sinah Stokes b. 1859 d. 1881 at the age of 22 Years old. Henry Nelson b. 1862 d. 1937 in Oklahoma. Elizabeth b. 1864 d. unk. in Texas, m. Bob Meachum. Mattie b. 1866 d. unk. in texas m. Robert Wooldridge. Charles b. 1868 d. 1919 m. Susie Jared of Cookville, Tn. Sidney Ewing b. 1870 d. 1924 in Texas. Jessie b. 1874 d. abt. 1886 in Smithville. Josh Frierson b. 1874 d. 1932 in Ft. Smith, Ark. Francis (Fannie) Dewitt b. 1857 d. 1957 in Smithville m. Robert McClellan. Annie b. 1877 d. unk. in Huston, Texas m. O. Henry West. Sankie Alberta b. 1878 d. unk. in Ohio m. Addison D. Cox. Flora b. 1880 d. 1958 m. Charles R. Burton.

The Descendants of Bluford T. R.

Return to top of page

Return to "What is Known"

Return to Index Page