The History of Martha's Vineyard by Dr. Charles Banks:
Volume III Family Genealogies:  pp. 178-180

THE FOSTER FAMILY

Compiled by Dr. Charles Banks, c. 1925.
Transcribed and prepared for the web by C. Baer 1999.



31. JOSEPH FOSTER, (Joseph,3 John,2 Thomasl), b. 19 Sept. 1698, came to Tisbury from Sandwich abt. 1730, where he resided until his death 10 June 1785 [in Tisbury.] He was a cordwainer by occupation. He m. ELIZABETH MILTON (20) 1727, who was b. 6 Jan 1701-2 and d. 30 Nov. 1792 [in Tisbury.] They had the following named children:

40. MILTON, b. 10 Apr. 1728.
41. EDWARD, b. 22 Oct. 1729; m. MARTHA _____; living in Chilmark in 1757.
42. THOMAS, b. (1731)
43. WILLIAM, b. 7 Nov. 1733.
44. HANNAH, b. (1736).
45. (Child), b. (1738).
46. NATHANIEL, b. (1740); m. LYDIA FRISBEE.
47. JANE, b. (1742); m. GERSHOM DUNHAM (145) 22 June 1762.
48. JOSEPH, b. (1744).

 

32. BENJAMIN FOSTER, (Joseph,3 John,2 Thomasl), bro. of above, b. 16 Nov. 1699, came to T. abt. 1730 and followed the occupation of blacksmith. He m. MARIA TOBEY of Sandwich 31 Dec. 1724, who was b. 1701 and d. 10 June 1790 [in Tisbury.] He d. 10 Mch. 1769 and his will of 6 Mch. 1769 was pro. 8 June 1769
They had the following named children:

50. ELIZABETH, b. 26 Jan. 1726; m. BENJAMIN MERRY (22) 24 Dec. 1761.
51. REMEMBER, b. 22 Sept. 1728; m. BERIAH LUCE (150) 25 Jan. 1753.
52. THANKFUL, b. 12 Sept. 1733; m. JEREMIAH MANTER (53).
53. JONATHAN, b. 2 Aug. 1735.
54. BENJAMIN, b. 9 July 1738.
55. SARAH, b. (1740); m. PETER TILTON (70) 11 Jan. 1759.
56. MARIA, b. (1742); m. WILLIAM TOBEY 16 Oct. 1764.

 

 

40. MILTON FOSTER, (Joseph,4-3 John,2 Thomasl), b. 10 Apr. 1728; res. T., carpenter. He m. JANE LUCE (519) 28 May 1752, who was b. 5 Aug. 1736. He d. abt. 1758 as adm. of his est. was granted to his father 13 Dec. that year. Inventory £99-9-2. His wid. m. _____ Doty, prob. of Rochester, Mass. They had the following named children:

60. RACHEL, b. 13 July 1753; m. STEPHEN CUSHING 12 July 1773.
61. KETURAH, b. 30 Aug. 1755; d. 14 Feb. 1790 [in Tisbury.]


43. WILLIAM FOSTER, (Joseph,4-3 John,2 Thomas1), b. 7 Nov. 1733; res. T., yeoman; rem. to Pittsfield, Mass. 1794 and d. 22 May 1801 at Ashfield, Mass. [* Dr. Walter H. Chapin of Springfield, Mass., a descendant of William Foster, has an account book of his ancestor kept during his residence at T. from 1760 to 1794. It contains many interesting records of his dealings with the people of the Vineyard at that period.] He m. DEBORAH LEWIS (51) 3 Jan. 1760 at Ashfield, Mass., who was b. 4 Sept. 1744 and d. 14 May 1830 at Ashfield, Mass. They had the following named children:

70. OLIVE, b. 16 Feb. 1761; m. CORNELIUS LUCE (532).
71. MICAH, b. 5 Feb. 1763; d. 1 May 1764.
72. LEWIS, b. 27 Nov. 1764; rem. to Springfield, Mass.
73. WILLIAM, b. 18 Apr. 1767; d. 27 Oct. 1793. [He is buried at West Tisbury Village Cemetery.]
74. MILTON, b. 4 Jan. 1772.
75. SUSANNA, b. 26 Apr. 1776.
76. HANNAH, b. 9 Aug. 1782; m. JONATHAN SEARS.

 

 

53. JONATHAN FOSTER, (Benjamin,4 Joseph,3 John,2 Thomas1), b. 2 Aug. 1735, res. T., yeoman. He m. REBECCA CASE (61) 9 Feb. 1772, who was b. 14 Apr. 1748 and d. 25 July 1841 [in Tisbury.] He d. 10 Feb. 1794 [in Tisbury] and adm. of his est. was granted to the wid. 14 Oct. 1794.

80. JAMES, b. (1773).
81. DOROTHY, b. 4 Aug. 1775; m. ABIJAH GRAY (40) 16 Sept. 1792.
82. HEMAN, b. (1777).
83. NANCY, b. 18 Jan. 1779. [She married SOLOMON ATHEARN (141) 21 Nov. 1805, and died in Holmes Hole on 25 Aug 1852. She is buried at Village Cemetery, Vineyard Haven.]
84. JOSEPH, b. (1781).
85. FRANKLIN, b. Sept. 1784; d. 1 Mch. 1786 [in Tisbury.]
87. REBECCA, bapt. 17 May 1789; m. ABIJAH GRAY (40) 15 Apr. 1835.

 

 

54. BENJAMIN FOSTER, (Benjamin,4 Joseph,3 John,2 Thomas1), b. 9 July 1738; res. T., rem. to Coeymans, N. Y. abt. 1792 and later to Greenville, Newry and Westerlo, same state, where he d. 22 Feb. 1821. He m. ANN DUNHAM (225) June 1775, who was b. 7 Aug. 1757. Descendants reside in New York state. [Additional information in brackets on this family provided by Dorothy Berg-Derkatch <dollylee@telusplanet.net>:]

90. ELIZABETH, b. 2 July 1776; m. JAMES HANCOCK (61) ["Stayed on Martha's Vineyard (6 children)"]
91. BENJAMIN, b. 25 June 1778.
92. POLLY JENKINS, b. 28 July 1780.
93. ANN DUNHAM, b. 14 July 1782.
94. JEAN COFFIN, b. 23 Sept. 1784; d. y. [d. March 25, 1792, Coeyman, N.Y.]
95. SHUBAEL [DUNHAM], b. 10 Oct. 1786.
96. DEBORAH, b. 4 Nov. 1788.
97. FRANKLIN, b. 1 May 1791.
98. JAMES, b. 6 Sept. 1793. [d. December, 1832.]
99. JEAN COFFIN, b. 25 Oct. 1795. [d. January 13, 1813.]
100. THEODORE, b. 28 Dec. 1797.

 

 

80. JAMES FOSTER, (Jonathan,5 Benjamin,4 Joseph,3 John,2 Thomas1), b. (1773); res. T., yeoman. He m. (1) MARY HAMMETT (68) 18 Jan. 1797; (2) REBECCA MERRY (150) 11 Aug. 1822. He prob. d. 1834 and his will 6 Nov. 1833 was pro. 21 Apr. 1834. [Dr. Leroy Milton Yale wrote in his medical journal, "Some years ago he was in the habit of using ardent spirit to a great excess + continued it so long that it apparently undermined his constitution... has been attacked with a chronic diarrhea... which eventually exhausted the powers of nature."]

120. JAMES, b. 25 Mch. 1809; m. MARY MERRY (156).



[Additional information provided by Dorothy Berg-Derkatch <dbd@powersurfr.com>:]

[91. Benjamin Foster, (Benjamin,5 Benjamin,4 Joseph,3 John,2 Thomas1), b. June 25, 1778; d. May 18, 1851, Westerloo, N. Y. married MARY DYER September 22, 1803, daughter of CHARLES DYER AND MARY HAZARD.
Children of Benjamin and Mary:

20l. Mary Ann Foster, b. April 20, 1804; d. September 6, 1830; married William Burnett, April l6, 1826
202. Caroline Foster, b July 26, 1805; d. ___; married Erastus Hunn, January 31, 1831
203. Charles Dyer Foster, b. July 11, 1807; d. May 26, 1837
204. Emeline Foster, b. October 3, 1817; d. September 30, 1836; married Robert. W. Chapman Oct. 29, 1835
205. Maria Foster, b. November 1, 1819; married Thomas T. Chapman, July 17, 1838]

 

[93. Ann Dunham Foster, (Benjamin,5 Benjamin,4 Joseph,3 John,2 Thomas1), was born July 14, 1782. She married SAMUEL B. SPEES, December 27, 1800, son of BENJAMIN SPEES and JANE TREAT.
Children of Ann and Samuel:

211. Robert Spees, b. December 19, 1801
212. Mary Elizabeth Spees, b. November 13, 1803
213. Deborah Ann Spees, b. February 14, 1806; d. April 2, 1834
214. Sarah Jane Spees, b. August 10, 1808; married E. P. Wilcox, April 1835
215. Shubael Granby Spees, b. March 6, 1811; married Mary Wheeler, August 1840, New York City
216. Samuel Benjamin Spees, b. August 11, 1813; married Sarah Wakely, May 1842, Seneca Falls, N.Y.
217. Fanny Woodbury Spees, b. January 7, 1816; d. July 1, 1837.]

 

[95. Shubael Dunham Foster, (Benjamin,5 Benjamin,4 Joseph,3 John,2 Thomas1), was born October 10, 1786 in Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard, and died December 8, 1871 in Belleville, Hastings Co., Ontario, Canada. He married PHOEBE CANNIFF daughter of JOHN CANNIFF and ELIZABETH MILLER. (Contact Dorothy Berg-Derkatch <dbd@powersurfr.com> for more information about this family.)

Shubael came to Canada in 1810 accompanied by Peter Vrooman. They came by way of Cape Vincent and Kingston and worked their way up the Bay of Quinte. They continued on to Canniff's Mills, now Cannifton, Ontario. Shubael married John Canniffs daughter Phoebe. They settled at Ponton's Corners in Sidney, Ontario and there nearly all their family were born. Shubael later moved to Belleville, Ontario to what was then known as "Fosters Ward".
Children of Shubael and Phoebe:

22l. Anna Foster, b. May 11, 1814, Sidney, Ontario; d. June 1, 1814 in Sidney.
222. Benjamin Foster, b. January 19, 1816, Sidney, Ontario; d. February 2, 1898 Married Amelia Salisbury, Sept. 4, 1838
223. Joseph Foster, b. Sept. 3, 1818, Sidney d. 1882; married Lydia Ann Haight, January 1843
224. Harriet Elizabeth Foster, b. Oct. 13, 1820 Sidney, d. 1913; married Henry Ostrom, November 16, 1842
225. John Canniff Foster, b. Nov. 10, 1822 Sidney, d. Dec. 26, 1873; married Elizabeth Haight, Dec. 13, 1852
226. Daniel Foster, b. May 12, 1827 Sidney, d. 1902; married Sarah Vrooman, Dec. 29, 1855
227. Matilda Ann Foster, b. Aug. 3, 1829 Sidney, d. June 8, 1911; married Charles F. Smith, Oct. 25, 1865
228. Mary Melissa Foster, b. Aug 13, 1831, Sidney d. Dec. 19, 1854; married Rev. A. Dayman, May 22, 1849
229. Theodore H. Foster, b. July 15, 1834 Sidney, d. June 14, 1901; married Mary Jane Ketcheson, Jan. 27, 1858
230. William A. Foster, b. Oct. 1, 1837, d. Sept. 30, 1881 married Sophia Lyons, Nov. 17, 1859.]

 

[96. Deborah Foster, (Benjamin,5 Benjamin,4 Joseph,3 John,2 Thomas1), was born November 4, 1788. She married CHRISTOPHER CORNWALLIS DYER August 21, 1806, son of CHARLES DYER and MARY HAZARD. They resided in Westerloo, N.Y.
Children of Deborah and Christopher:

241. Mary Hazard Dyer, b. Nov. 6, 1809, d. Dec. 29, 1879; married Richard Warr, Dec. 29, 1837
242. Ann Eliza Dyer, b. Nov. 24, 1811, married Daniel Williams Hazard
243. Isabella Dyer, b. July 16, 1814 married George Tracy Kirkland, May 17, 1843
244. Catherine Dyer, b. Dec. 7, 1818 married Orsamus Hill, April 12, 1837
245. Wallace Dyer, b. Aug. 3, 1825 married Mary Jane Vincent, Jan. 14, 1847
246. Jane Abigail Dyer, b. Sept. 3, 1828; d. Sept. 17, 1846
247. Josephine Dyer, B. March 3, 1830.]

 

[97. Franklin Foster, (Benjamin,5 Benjamin,4 Joseph,3 John,2 Thomas1), was born May 1, 1791 and died February 1, 1852 in Fulton, N. Y. He married (l) Betsey Collins in 1813. He married (2) Orphia (Harris) Maxson in 1839 in Watertown, N.Y. She was the widow of Daniel Collingwood Maxson.
Children of Franklin and BETSEY:

251. Edwin Foster b. 1814
252. Emmeline Foster, b. 1817
253. James Dunham Foster, b. 1819
254. Lucius Foster, b. 1821
255. Japhet Collins Foster, b. 1824
256. Charles Franklin Foster, b. 1827
257. Harriet Laurie Foster, b. 1832
258. Ann Elizabeth Foster, b. 1835.]

 

[100. Theodore Foster, (Benjamin,5 Benjamin,4 Joseph,3 John,2 Thomas1), was born December 28, 1797. He Married (1) Seviah Guild in 1819, (2) Elizabeth Conkling in Oct. 1824 (3) Maria Moore in April 1833. He resided in Westerloo, N.Y.
Children of Theodore and SEVIAH:

261. Theodore Sedgewick Foster b. 1820
262. Benjamin Gilbert Foster, b. 1822; d. 1823

Children of Theodore and ELIZABETH:

263. Ann Sophia Foster, b. 1826; d. 1828
264. Thomas Conkling Foster, b. 1827
265. Mary Elizabeth Foster, b. 1830

Children of Theodore and MARIA:

266. Joseph Bonaparte Moore Foster, b. 1834
267. Benjamin Franklin Foster, b. 1835
268. Burton Gideon Foster, b. 1838.]

* NOTE: This Foster family "daughtered out" by the mid-1800's and there was no known descendant living on the island by 1850 with the surname Foster. However, another Foster family, started by Thomas Foster of Farmington, Maine and Charlotte West of Tisbury, was present in Tisbury from the early 1800's until the early 1900's. For more information about this Foster family, see #306 in The Descendants of James Shaw West.

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