The
Foster Family History
The
Fosters in the Census Records
1783-1786
VA Tax Lists-Greenbrier County
Fosster, John
Fosster, James
foster, Robt.
1787
VA Census-Greenbrier County
Foster, Robert self 1 0 0 2 10
Foster, John self 0 0 0 1
4
Foster, James self 0 0 0 0
2
Marriage Records Greenbrier
and Monroe County 1776-1821 by Virgil Waterloo
10/30/1787 Monroe Co. John
Fauster / Clairy Burdet
03/03/1791 Monroe Co. Grigsby
Foster / Martha Handley
11/27/1794 Monroe Co. Bedford Foster /
Lissy Cornwell
01/01/1795 Monroe Co. James
Fouster / Elizabeth Humphess
12/31/1795 Monroe Co. Enoch
Fauster / Margaret Wallis
1804 Monroe
Co. Miles Foster /
Mary Scott
03/14/1805 Monroe Co. James Boggs /
Diceo Foster
1805 Monroe
Co. James Boggs /
Dina Foster
11/18/1805 Monroe Co. Alexander
Brown / Polly Foster
05/08/1806 Monroe Co. George
Foster / Jane Gullet
12/14/1809 Monroe Co. Hugh
Bales / Jane Foster
1810
VA Census-Monroe County
Foster, Grigsby 20010-22010-01
Foster, James 41010-02010-00
Foster, John 22101-21101-00
Foster, Micles 20010-10100-00
Marriage Records Greenbrier
and Monroe County 1776-1821 by Virgil Waterloo
12/04/1811 Monroe Co. Isaac
Foster / Peggy Gullett
10/20/1814 Monroe Co. James Evans /
Katy Foster
02/29/1816 Monroe Co. Mosses
Hatly / Polly Foster
01/26/1818 Monroe Co. Pleasant
Morris / Isabell Foster
08/10/1819 Monroe Co. Edward
Foster / Mary Humphreys
1820
VA Census-Monroe County
Foster, Ann E. 51
Foster, John 68
Marriage Records Greenbrier
and Monroe County 1776-1821 by Virgil Waterloo
12/10/1820 Monroe Co. Alexander
Foster / Detitha Jones
05/14/1821 Monroe Co. John Dixon /
Nancy Foster
03/11/1821 Monroe Co. James
Foster / Susanah Holsaple
1830
VA Census-Monroe County
Foster, Isaac 018 No TWP L
Foster, James 018 No
TWP L
Foster, James B. 019 No
TWP L
Foster, James Jr. 018 No
TWP L
Foster, John 019 No TWP L
Foster, John S. 018 No
TWP L
Foster, Nancy 018 No
TWP L
Foster, Robert 018 No
TWP L
Foster, Walter 018 No
TWP L
1840
VA Census-Monroe County
Foster, Gregsby 178 Union
Foster, Isaac 161 No TWP L
Foster, James Sr. 154 No
TWP L
Foster, James 148 No
TWP L
Foster, James 162 No
TWP L
Foster, John 158 No TWP L
Foster, John 147 No TWP L
Foster, Robert 162 No
TWP L
1850
VA Census-Monroe County
#303
Foster, James 43 Wheel
Wright VA
Polly 43
Sarah A. 20
George C. 17 Farmer
Eliza J. 14
Elizabeth E. 12
John E. 10
James C. 8 {Twin}
Robert C. 8 {Twin}
Mary E. 6
Aminda S. 2
James, Sr. 62 None
#549 POB
Foster, Madison 45 Laborer VA
Catherine 48 VA
Jas. 21 Laborer VA
Eliz. 20 VA
Jacob 18 Laborer VA
Martha 16 VA
Mary 14 VA
Margaret 12 VA
Michael 10 VA
Eliza 8 VA
John 6 VA
Wm. 4 VA
1860
VA Census-Monroe County
#854 POB
Foster, Madison 52 Laborer VA $50
Personal Property
Catherine 58 VA
John 16 VA
William 13 VA
#870
Foster, Jacob H. 27 Farmer $38 Personal Property
Martha 27
Lewis H. 1
William A. 2/12
Michael 21 Day
Laborer
1870
WV Census-Monroe County
Red Sulphur
Springs Peterstown
#118/118
Foster, John L. 25 Carpenter WV $106
Personal Property
Ann R. 26 Keeping
House VA
Arthur P. 3 WV
Andrew H. 1 VA
Thompson, Mary A.
9 WV
Francis J. 33 Home work VA
Forest Hill
District #237
Foster, Mathew 62 (I
believe this is Madison and
Catharine 60 Catherine
Foster with their son
Michael 30 Cripple Michael, wounded in the Civil War.)
Margrett 25
Briers, Martha 35
Charles 12
Melinda 10
1880
WV Soundex (Monroe County)
Red Sulphur
District Peterstown
Age POB
Foster, John 36 WV
Ann 37 WV
Arthur 13 WV
Andrew 10 WV
Walter 9 WV
Charley 7 WV
Ida M. 3 WV
Foster, Matison 70 WV
Catherine 78 VA
1880
WV Census-Summers County
F008
Foster, William 33 Farm Laborer WV WV VA
Rebecca 30 Keeping
House WV WV WV
Lewis H. 12 Farm
Laborer
Robrt. Lee 10
W. Rufus
7
Alice
3
Chas. A.
2
Ratliff, Jennie 14 Boarder/Servant
1900
VA Census-Radford
(Married)
Foster, John W M Feb 1844 56 31 Carpenter
Annie W F Mar 1843 57 31
Charlie W M Dec 1873 26 Day Laborer
Robert F. W M Mar 1882 18 Carpenter
John G. W M Oct 1884 15 School
Keister, Henry W M May 1872 28
1
Ida
May W F Aug 1877 22 1
Barker, Agnes Servant Cook
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Michael
Foster’s Civil War Record
From 4th
Virginia Infantry by Dr. James Robertson
Foster, Michael A.
"Mike": Pvt. Co. D
Born-Red Sulfer District, Monroe
County, 1841
Enlisted-5/9/1861 at Union Age 21 Farmer
Present until absent sick with
typhoid fever in Charlottesville
hospital 10/13-31/1861
Absent on leave 11/16/1861 for 20
days
Present 1/2/1862
Absent sick in Lynchburg hospital
3-4/1862
AWOL 10/24-12/14/1862
Present 12/15/1862- 2/1864
Issued clothing 3/31, 4/20, 5/31,
9/17, 10/1, 11/1 and 12/l/1864
Wounded in Action (hip, bladder and
thigh) Hatcher's Run 2/9/1865
Absent wounded in Petersburg
hospital until captured there 4/3/65
Released from hospital 12/l/1865
The Lexington Gazette reported in
1893, "Mike Foster, Monroe Guards, 27th VA wounded repeatidy presented a
laurel wreath by Gen. R. E. Lee as the bravest and most efficient soldier in
the Stonewall Brigade while in hospital Richmond in 1863. Wounded and captured
at Hatcher's Run April 1865 (sic). Gen. Gordon offered 50 Federal prisoners of
war to get him back. He was terribly wounded and died from the effects" at
Forest Hills, WVA 5/22/1875. Buried Forest Hills, WVA. Confederate Veterans
Camp in Monroe WVA named in his honor. "Was distinguished for gallantry on
every battlefield."
The
Stonewall Brigade was probably the most famous brigade of the Civil War. It earned it’s name at the battle of 1st
Bull Run propelling “Stonewall” Jackson to immediate fame. To be given the title by General Lee “the
bravest and most efficient soldier in the Stonewall Brigade” is the highest
honor any Confederate soldier could hope for.
In addition to the 1st battle of
Bull Run, Michael Foster fought in the Seven Days, Cedar Mountain, Brawner’s
Farm, 2nd Bull Run, Sharpsburg, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold
Harbor, Lynchburg, Monocacy, and Cedar Creek.
This is the sword that family
tradition says that Mike Foster brought home with him from the Civil War. Mike Foster either gave this sword to his
younger brother John Foster (1844-1919) or it passed to John upon Mike’s early
death (1875 at age 34) from his war injuries.
From John the sword passed to his daughter, Ida May Foster (1877-1944)
who married Walter Henderson Keister.
When Ida Keister died in 1944, the sword passed to her son, Harry Price
Keister (1902-1954) and then his wife Margaret Howell Keister (1908-1992).
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