Biography

Robert Foster, Sr. was born in 1651 in Kingston Parish, Gloucester County , Virginia Colony, Colonial America. His parents were Richard Foster and Susan Foster (Garnett).

Robert married Sarah Foster (Biggs).

Robert married Elizabeth Charlesworth (Garnett) in 1682 in Gloucester Co, Virginia. Together they had the following 11 children:

1. Robert Foster, Jr. m. Ann Lloyd;
2. John Foster m. Isabela Golding;
3. James Foster, Sr. m. Martha;
4. William “the Elder” Foster, of Amelia County;
5. Anthony Foster m. Martha Taliaferro (maiden name disproven?);
6. Richard Foster, Jr.;
7. Barbara Loving (Foster) m. Richard Loving ;
8. George Foster, Sr. m. Mary Singleton;
9. Dr. Thomas Foster, Sr. m. Elizabeth Meadors;
10. Margaret Hamm (Foster);
11. Elizabeth Golding (Foster) m. William Golding.

He died on January 5, 1716 in St. Ann’s Parish, Essex County , Province of Virginia, Colonial America and was buried in Vauters Church Cemetery, Loretto, Essex County, Province of Virginia, Colonial America.

1. Robert Foster was married first to a wife named Sarah Biggs.
2. He married second to Elizabeth Garnett in about 1681 or 1682.

Robert and Elizabeth (nee Garnett) Foster had eleven children: John Foster, who married Isabella Golding; Robert Foster, who married Ann Lloyd; James Foster, who married a wife named Martha; Barbara Foster, who married Richard Loving; Richard Foster; Thomas Foster, who married Elizabeth Meadors; George Foster, who married Mary Singleton; William Foster; Margaret Foster; Elizabeth Foster, who married William Golding; and Anthony Foster, who married Martha Taliaferro.
After Robert Foster died in 1716 at St. Anne’s parish, Essex County, Virginia, his widow Elizabeth (nee Garnett) Foster remarried Robert Charlesworth. Their names are mentioned in several land deeds and transactions that took place between 1718 and 1745. Robert Charlesworth died in 1745 and Elizabeth (nee Garnett, formerly Foster) had probably already predeceased him a few years earlier in 1742-1745.

• https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~hutch/genealogy/DABBS/FosterHaney.htm

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http://www.drbgfoster.com/foster.asp

Robert Foster the first ancestor for which we have documentation was born between 1651 and 1660 in Kingston Parish, Gloucester County, Virginia. We know little to nothing about his younger life. He married Elizabeth in the early 1680s in Gloucester County, Virginia. The preponderance of evidence is for Elizabeth being a Garnett whose father or brother was John Garnett. The Garnetts and Fosters were close neighbors both living in Gloucester County. In 1692 Robert Foster, his brother, John Foster, and Robert’s brother-in-law, John Garnett along with several other families bought adjacent land in Essex County, Virginia near the Rappahannock River. It was here in St. Ann’s Parish on Gilson’s Run (presently called Mount Landing Creek) that Robert and Elizabeth lived and would raise their large family of eleven children.

Robert Foster died testate in Essex County in 1715/16. His widow, Elizabeth married Robert Charlesworth before 1721. It was in that year that she and her underage children would move with her new husband to King William County, now Caroline County. By 1742 we find the family had moved to Amelia County to live beside some of Elizabeth’s grown children. It is in Amelia County along Stock Creek that Elizabeth died and is buried.

Will of Robert Foster (abstracted)

Will of Robert Foster of St. Ann’s Parish, Essex Co., Virginia described as “yea’man” which doubtless is intended for “yeoman”

Date of 6 January 1715/16 Probated 22 February 1715/16

• To son Robert plantation where he lived.
• To sons James and John “Land where I Dwelt: to be divided between them James to have his choice
• To Barby Loving one shilling and to her son Richard Loveing “one heighfer with calve named “Rosemary” To her husband “all he is indebted to me.”
• To “my three youngest children, Margaret, Elizabeth and Anthony Each Of them a Gold Ring”
• To my son Richard my pistols, holser and Sword and feather bed and bolster and a Cow and a heighfer”
• To “my three sons, George, Thomas and William” each a cow and heifer.

Exors: wife Elizabeth signed Robert x Foster

Wit: John x ffoster

Anto. Samuel, Jr. Thomas x Garnett Rec. 22 Feb 171 5/16

All of Robert and Elizabeth Fosters children are named in his will probated in February 1715/16. From the document we know that Robert, Jr. was their oldest child as he received the land and plantation house where the family lived, primogeniture was English tradition. The plantation was located on land acquired after 1710. Robert, Sr. however made the provision that his mother (Robert, Jr.’s mother) could live on the land for “five or six years.” (For those that report that Robert’s first wife was Sarah Biggs can see clearly from the will that Robert Sr. was only married once to Elizabeth Garnett for the will states clearly Robert, Jr. inherited the land, however, his mother was to have use of it.) James and John were the next oldest sons as they inherited the remainder of the land with James having his choice. The first daughter was Barbara who had married Richard Loving. (birth dates reported as a range representing numerous listings)

The children of Robert and Elizabeth Garnett were:

• 1. Robert Foster, Jr. born ca 1677 – 1685 in Gloucester Co., VA died ca 1720 Essex Co., VA married Ann Lloyd. No Issue
• 2. James Foster born ca 1679 – 1687 Gloucester Co., VA died ca 1749 Amelia Co., VA married (1) Elizabeth and (2) Martha
• 3. John Foster born 1681- 1689 Gloucester Co., VA died after 1760 Unknown married Isabella (Golding?)
• 4. Richard Foster b ca 1685 - 1693 Essex Co., VA died 1783 married Sarah “Sally (Fox?)
• 5. Barbara Foster b ca 1691 - 1694 Essex Co., VA died after 1763 Amelia Co., VA married Richard Loving
• 6. William Foster b ca 1691 - 1698 Essex Co., VA died ca August 27, 1767 Amelia Co., VA married (1) unknown (2) Ann Booker
• 7. Anthony Foster b ca 1693 – 1698 Essex Co., VA died February 4, 1763 Spotsylvania Co., VA married (1) Martha (Taliaferro?) (2) Mrs. Sarah Sparks
• 8. George Foster born ca 1695 Essex Co., VA died ca 1789 Charlotte Co., VA married Mary Singleton
• 9. Thomas Foster born ca 1696 Essex Co., VA died ca 1769 Cravin Co., SC married (1) Elizabeth Meador (2) Carolyn Rogers
• 10. Margaret Foster born ca 1697 – 1701 Essex Co., VA died ca 1716 Essex Co., VA
• 11. Elizabeth Foster b ca 1703 Essex Co., VA died before 1777 Ninety-sixth District, SC . Married William Golding

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Here is more on the Fosters:

http://www.fmoran.com/foster.html

http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~hutch/genealogy/DABBS/FosterHaney.htm

Robert Foster

Robert Foster was born between 1650-1655 in Kingston Parish, Gloucester County, Virginia and died in January 1715/16 in St. Anne’s Parish, Essex County, Virginia, according to Michael Motes. (6) Motes later stated that Robert was born between 1651 and 1660.

Robert Foster married Elizabeth in the early 1680s in Gloucester County, Virginia (other researchers have Robert married to a Sarah Biggs first, circa 1671, and Elizabeth circa 1686). The preponderance of evidence is that Elizabeth was a Garnett, whose father or brother was John Garnett (see Garnett family history). The Garnetts and Fosters were close neighbors living in Gloucester County. In 1692 Robert Foster, his brother John Foster, and Robert’s brother-in-law John Garnett, along with several other families bought adjacent land in Essex County, Virginia near the Rappahannock River. This is where, in St. Ann’s Parish on Gilson’s Run (presently called Mount Landing Creek), Robert and Elizabeth lived and raised their family of eleven children.

When he died in 1715/16, Robert left a will naming all eleven of his children, with his wife as executor (abstracted):

Date 6 January 1715/16, Probated 22 February 1715/16

To son Robert plantation where he lived. To sons James and John “Land where I Dwelt” to be divided between them James to have his choice. To Barby Loving one shilling and to her son Richard Loveing “one heighfer [sic] with calve named Rosemary.” To her husband “all he is indebted to me.” To “my three youngest children, Margaret, Elizabeth and Anthony Each Of them a Gold Ring.” “To my son Richard my pistols, holser and Sword and feather bed and bolster and a Cow and a heighfer [sic].” To “my three sons, George, Thomas and William” each a cow and heifer.

Exors: wife Elizabeth signed Robert x Foster Wit: John x ffoster, Anto. Samuel, Jr. Thomas x Garnett. Rec. 22 Feb 1715/16

In this will, Robert Foster of St. Ann’s Parish, Essex County, Virginia was described as “yea’man” which is probably the more familiar term, “yeoman.” According to B. G. Foster, Robert’s will did name his wife, Elizabeth (no family name). Even though he willed the plantation on which he lived to his first son, Robert Foster, Jr., he provided for Elizabeth to remain on the plantation.

According to Michael Motes, after her husband Robert died, his widow Elizabeth married Robert Charlesworth. They were found in several legal records in Essex County after their marriage. Elizabeth appeared in an Essex County, Virginia court on March 17, 1718/19 when her son James sold his land to William Taylor and she relinquished her right of dower to the 75 acres, which had been bequeathed to James Foster in Robert’s 1716 will. Although Elizabeth had witnessed the original deed from her son, James to William Taylor three months earlier, she was still required to relinquish her dower right to the land. This deed was dated December 12, 1718. They were living in the part of Essex County that became Caroline County, so several records of transactions were found in Caroline County up to 1736. On February 13, 1719, Robert Charlesworth bought 150 acres of land on Gilson Run, Essex County, from his step-grandson, John Foster Jr. for which he paid John Jr. 400 pounds of tobacco. They then sold the land on May 7, 1720 to James Garnett of King and Queen County for 5 pounds 5 shillings, before they moved to King William (now Caroline) County, Virginia in 1721. On Nov 14, 1735 [Caroline County?] it was ordered that Charlesworth be free from paying county levy. He may have been exempt due to his age and probably died shortly after. By 1742 she moved to Amelia County, Virginia, to join some of her Foster children there. Elizabeth died along Stock Creek in Amelia County where she is probably buried.

The following is somewhat redundant information, provided to include comprehensive information on the research conducted regarding this family.

Researcher Doug Garnett provided the following information on Elizabeth Garnett and Robert Foster. (7) He stated:

I am pretty sure that this particular Elizabeth Garnett who married Robert Foster was the daughter of a man named Thomas Garnett. According to the information I have, Elizabeth was born in about 1660 at Gloucester County, Virginia. Because there were several different Thomas Garnetts living around Virginia at that time frame, no one has yet satisfactorily proven which of these various Thomas Garnetts was Elizabeth’s father. In any case, Robert Foster was apparently also related to the Garnett family since his mother is believed to have been Sussan [or Susannah] Garnett. But again, the predecessors of Robert Foster are also rather uncertain and unproven. Robert Foster was married first to a wife named Sarah Biggs. He married second to Elizabeth Garnett in about 1681 or 1682.

Robert and Elizabeth (nee Garnett) Foster had eleven children: John Foster, who married Isabella Golding; Robert Foster, who married Ann Lloyd; James Foster, who married a wife named Martha; Barbara Foster, who married Richard Loving; Richard Foster; Thomas Foster, who married Elizabeth Meadors; George Foster, who married Mary Singleton; William Foster; Margaret Foster; Elizabeth Foster, who married William Golding; and Anthony Foster, who married Martha Taliaferro.

After Robert Foster died in 1716 at St. Anne’s parish, Essex County, Virginia, his widow Elizabeth (nee Garnett) Foster remarried Robert Charlesworth. Their names are mentioned in several land deeds and transactions that took place between 1718 and 1745. Robert Charlesworth died in 1745 and Elizabeth (nee Garnett, formerly Foster) had probably already predeceased him a few years earlier in 1742-1745.

Doug Garnett also stated: (8)

According to the information that I have in my files, Elizabeth Garnett was born in 1660 (not 1663) and she died in 1716 (not 1744). Elizabeth Garnett married Robert Foster in 1682 (not 1684). Robert Foster was born in 1651 at Essex, Virginia (not Gloucester) and he died in Essex County during the year proceeding his wife’s death in 1716.

Robert Foster was the son of Richard Foster (born 1619 in Durham, England and died about 1681 in Gloucester County, Virginia). His mother was Sussan Garnett, daughter of Thomas Garnett who had arrived in the early Jamestown colony of Virginia on the good ship Swan in 1610. Sussan Garnett was born at Elizabeth City, Virginia in about 1620 and she lived until about 1660. Sussan Garnett and Richard Foster married at Elizabeth City in the year 1642. They had six sons: Richard Foster, born 1643; James Foster, born 1645; William Foster, born 1647; Robert Foster, born 1651; Thomas Foster, born 1656; and John Foster, born 1660. It is possible, I think, that Sussan [nee Garnett] Foster actually died during childbirth or as a result of complications following the birth of her last son John Foster in 1660 when Robert was just eleven years old.

It is quite likely that the Elizabeth Garnett who married Robert Foster was actually related in some way to Robert Foster’s mother, Sussan Garnett. My guess (still to be proven) is that Elizabeth was the daughter of Sussan Garnett’s brother Thomas Garnett and was therefore the niece of Robert Foster’s mother.

Regarding the death of Elizabeth, Doug Garnett stated: (9)

The basic question . . . concerns the variance in the death dates reported for Elizabeth (Garnett) Foster, wife of Robert Foster that I have in my files compared to the research contained in a controversial book written by Dr. Billy Glen Foster, The Foster Family of Flanders, England, and America, as well as the research done by Marilyn herself. To clarify the discrepancy that’s at issue here. My own Garnett database indicates that Elizabeth (Garnett) Foster (daughter of Thomas Garnett) who was the wife of Robert Foster, died in 1716 the same year as her husband Robert Foster.

On the other hand, according to Marilyn Lewis’ research, Elizabeth Foster continued to live on after her husband’s death in 1716. Marilyn believes that Elizabeth Foster remarried to Robert Charlesworth in about 1718 and died subsequently in about 1741. There appears to be a great deal of evidence to support Marilyn’s conclusion that Elizabeth lived many years after 1716. For example, Marilyn’s research provides the following points to substantiate this theory:

(1) On June 22, 1722 Robert Charlesworth received two different land patents - one a Royal land patent for 425 acres in St. John Parish, King William County, Virginia and one a joint patent with Joseph Fulcher for 400 acres in St. John Parish, King William County.

(2) Court records (cited by Dr. Billie Foster) show that Robert Charlesworth and Elizabeth along with Elizabeth’s dau. Barbara Foster Loving (and family) and Elizabeth’s sons Thomas and William, and probably Margaret and Elizabeth, Jr. moved to the above mentioned land shortly after the grants were patented.

(3) Elizabeth Foster Charlesworth appeared in an Essex County, Virginia court on March 17, 1718/19 when her son James sold his land to William Taylor and she then relinquished her right of dower to the 75 acres, which had been bequeathed to James Foster in the will of his father Robert Foster in 1716. This deed was dated Dec. 12, 1718.

(4) In 1739 Thomas, son of Robert and Elizabeth Foster, sold to Richard and Barbara Loving (his sister) 150 acres of the 350 he patented in 1737. Thomas’s mother, Elizabeth (Garnett/Foster) and her husband Robert Charlesworth were also there and built a home adjacent to Thomas’ land.

(5) In 1741, Thomas Foster gave a gift of land to his mother, “for reason of the dutiful regard he hath for his mother, the said Elizabeth Charlesworth,” Thomas Foster deeded “one part of land (50 acres) . . . it being the land on which the said Robert Charlesworth now liveth.”

(6) Dr. Billie Glen Foster says that Robert Charlesworth died in Amelia before June 22, 1745 when administration of his estate was awarded to Edward Booker. Elizabeth probably predeceased her second husband, Robert Charlesworth, and died at some time between 1742 and 1745.

In the face of all this evidence supporting the added longevity of Elizabeth (Garnett) Foster beyond 1716, I retreated quickly to check my Garnett database hoping to determine if there were any citations or sources contained there for the apparently erroneous 1716 death date for Elizabeth.

I could not find any definitive source for this 1716 death date - although the same year appears correctly for her husband Robert Foster. I can only conclude that I probably found this death date recorded somewhere in one of the many Foster family genealogies that I came across during the course of investigating the links between the Garnett and Foster families of Virginia. Or, perhaps, I made a simple error in transcribing Robert Foster’s death date incorrectly into the database file for his wife as well.

My conclusion now is that there is sufficient evidence from Marilyn’s research to suppose that Elizabeth (Garnett) Foster did survive beyond 1716, remarried and continued to live with her second husband, Robert Charlesworth for another few decades. - Doug Garnett

The eleven children of Robert and Elizabeth were (listed birth order does not agree with the narrative for some of these children): (10)

• Robert Foster was born circa 1677-1685 in Gloucester County, Virginia and died circa 1720 in Essex County, Virginia, age 43. Robert Foster, Jr., born in Gloucester County, moved with his parents to Essex County when he was young. There he married Ann Lloyd, daughter of George and Joanna Lloyd, in 1719 (other researchers state 1706). She was born circa 1682 and possibly died after 1785. After the death of his father, Robert, Jr. inherited the plantation and land on which his parents had lived. It is likely that he lived with his parents and then with his widowed mother until her marriage to Robert Charlesworth in circa 1718. He then took over the plantation and married in circa 1720. However, he made his will and died circa 1720. He left his entire estate to his wife, Ann. They had no children. Ann later married George Pettit and sold her dower rights to the land to her husband’s younger brother, John.
• James Foster was born circa 1679-1687 in Gloucester County, Virginia and died circa 1749 in Amelia County, Virginia (see below).
• John Foster was born circa 1681-1689 in Gloucester County, Virginia and died after 1760 (see below).
• Richard Foster was born circa 1685-1693 in Essex County, Virginia and died in 1783 (see below).
• Barbara Foster was born circa 1691-1694 in Essex County, Virginia and died after 1763 in Amelia County, Virginia (see below).
• William Foster was born circa 1691-1698 in Essex County, Virginia and died circa August 27, 1767 in Amelia County, Virginia (see below).
• George Foster was born circa 1695 in Essex County, Virginia and died in 1789 in Charlotte County, Virginia (see below).
• Thomas Foster was born circa 1696 in Essex County, Virginia and died circa 1769 in Craven County, South Carolina (see below).
• Anthony Foster was born circa 1693-1698 in Essex County, Virginia and died on 4 February 1763 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia (see below).
• Margaret Foster was born circa 1697-1702 in Essex County, Virginia. Margaret Foster was the eighth child and second daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Garnett Foster. Little is known of the life of this daughter. It has been reported that she died young, about 1716 while there are other reports that she may have married a Samuel Hamm of Spotsylvania County. More research is needed on Margaret’s life.
• Elizabeth Foster was born circa 1703 in Essex County, Virginia and died before 1777 in Ninety-Six District, South Carolina (see below).

Taken from: [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~hutch/DABBS/FosterHaney.htm]

http://www.oocities.org/heartland/plains/6365/fos_anc.html

Robert Foster (Richard1) was born 1663 in Gloucester County, VA, and died 1716 in Essex County, VA. He married Elizabeth Garnett 1682 in Gloucester, VA.

Settled St. Ann's parish, Essex County, VA

Children of Robert Foster and Elizabeth Garnett are:

4 i. Robert3 Foster, born Abt 1688 in Gloucester County, VA; died Abt 1720 in Essex County, VA. He married Ann Lloyd Bef 1720 in Essex County, VA.

5 ii. James Foster, born Abt 1690 in Gloucester County, VA; died Abt 1749 in Amelia Co., VA. He married Martha ?.

+ 6 iii. John Foster, born Abt 1689 in Gloucester County, VA; died Aft 1760 in Orange Co., VA.

7 iv. Barbara Foster, born Abt 1691 in Gloucester County, VA; died Aft 1763 in Amelia County, VA. She married Richard Loving.

8 v. Richard Foster, born Abt 1693 in Essex County, VA; died 1783 in Louisa County, VA. He married Sarah "Sally" Fox Abt 1733.

9 vi. George Foster, born Abt 1695 in Essex County, VA; died 1789 in Charlotte County, VA. He married Mary Singleton November 29, 1762 in Lunenburg County, VA.

+ 10 vii. Thomas Foster, born Abt 1696 in Essex County, VA; died Abt 1769 in Craven County, SC.

11 viii. William Foster, born Abt 1698 in Essex County, VA; died Abt 1767 in Amelia County, VA. He married Ann Booker.

12 ix. Anthony Foster, born Abt 1699 in Essex Co., VA; died February 04, 1763 in Spotsylvania County, VA. He married (1) Sarah Sparks. He married (2) Martha (Taliaferro?) Abt 1720 in Essex County, VA.

13 x. Margaret Foster, born Abt 1701 in Essex County, VA; died Abt 1716.

14 xi. Elizabeth Foster, born Abt 1703 in Essex County, VA; died Bef 1777 in Ninety-Six District, SC. She married William Golding, Sr. Abt 1728 in (Caroline County?), VA.

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Mar 22 2019, 1:17:59 UTC

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• Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: Feb 9 2020, 1:51:08 UTC