John Foster

John Foster – our earliest known ancestor

Spouse: Mary McElfresh Foster (~1755 MD - after 1832 SC)

Known children:

Nancy Foster Hames (1774 VA - 1807 SC) Birthplace: Unknown ALBUM: Visits to John Foster lands along Sandy Run Thomas Foster ( - after 1835) Washington County, Maryland ALBUM - Jasper family cemetery - Likely John Foster's too Jeremiah Foster ( - 1815 SC) Grindal Shoals SC 1785 Lease and release from John Portman - 200 acres on Sandy Run. Frederick Foster (1787 SC - 1864 MO) 1790 US Federal Census - Union County SC 1795 -293 Acres on the Pacolet from Nicholas Jasper John M. Foster (1788 SC - 1869 SC) 1800 Federal Census Union Co. SC John Foster, Pg.2 1802 Loan from James Maybry Jarrett Foster (1795 SC - 1876 KS) 1810 US Federal Census - Union County SC 1822 deeds a horse to his grandsons Possible daughter Martha 1820 US Federal Census - Union County SC Deeds land to son Thomas 1830 U.S. Federal Census Union County South Carolina 1831 Last Will and Testament Likely Burial place 1836 John Foster Estate Papers

I have no evidence at all on which to fix the time and location of the birth of our John Foster. When, and wherever his earliest origins, he arrived at Grindal Shoals South Carolina, a thriving community and transportation hub being valuable not only as a ford on the Pacolet River but also -thanks to that river- accessible from the sea. The region is also not far off the Great Wagon Road which was carrying settlers from as far north as Pennsylvania to as far south as Georgia. With the Treaty of Paris signed in 1783 the question of American Independence was settled for the moment and American expansion could begin. Whether John Foster and his family arrived from Virginia, or from Maryland where the McElfresh family is said to be from, or from a point elsewhere in South Carolina is unknown. However, finding a John Foster and two McElfresh men elisted in a regiment of Washington County Militia in 1777 does feel like a strong hint.

According to most public genealogies, sons Jeremiah and Thomas were born about that time, so probably both in Union County. Daughter Nancy however was already 11 years old by this time. Nancy, who would marry Sandy Run neighbor Edmond Hames, appears in many Hames family genealogies as born in Hagerstown Maryland, while others claim Virginia.

Final Resting Place

The burial place of John Foster is unknown. Because of the Jasper family connections, it seems possible he was buried there with his wife and her family. If this is true, then the marked grave of James Moseley provides a clue because it sits amid the burial grounds of his wife, Nancy Anna Jasper.

http://www.myfosters.com/a-foster-saga/john-foster-1752-1832/

GEDCOM Source

@R-2141357129@ South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,9080::0 South Carolina Will Transcripts, 1782-1868; Author: Brimelow, Judith M.; Probate Place: Union, South Carolina 1,9080::580431

GEDCOM Source

@R-2141357129@ 1800 United States Federal Census Ancestry.com Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.Original data - Second Census of the United States, 1800. (NARA microfilm publication M32, 52 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Grou 1,7590::0 Year: 1800; Census Place: Union District, South Carolina; Series: M32; Roll: 50; Page: 247; Image: 488; Family History Library Film: 181425 1,7590::499146

GEDCOM Source

@R-2141357129@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created. Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=24628778&pid...