John Foster Sr (abt. 1688 - aft. 1760)

Born about 1688 in Virginia, United States [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Isabella (Golding) Foster — married 1713 in Essex, Virginia, British North America

Descendants

Died after 1760 after about age 72 in Virginia [uncertain]

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Biography

John Foster was born sometime before 1695 as he was named an executor in his father’s will dated 6 Jan 1715/6.^[1] As a very young man John inherited two tracts of land, one from his father and the second from his brother Robert.^[2] John sold the first tract on 13 Feb 1719/20 to Robert Charlesworth.^[3] He sold the second tract the following year on 17 May 1721 to James Bridgforth of King and Queen County.^[4] The second deed, the land inherited from his brother Robert, required the dower release of Robert’s widow, Ann. Ann had married George Pettit after the death of her husband in 1719.^[5] No dower release was recorded by John’s wife so he wasn’t married when he sold the land.

Later that year, John bought land in neighboring King and Queen County (Spotsylvania County in 1735) from Robert King, 100 acres on the River Po. ^[6] In 1725, John’s brother Anthony purchased land from Robert King, 100 acres adjacent to John.^[7]

For about eighteen years John lived in Spotsylvania County before moving west into neighboring Orange County. In 1741 John purchased 490 acres from Joseph Phillips. The land was adjacent John Haskew and John Snell. ^[8]

When John died is difficult to determine. No application for probate for his estate was filed in Orange County. The last record found for him in Orange County is 1760 when he, John Haskew and William Lucas appraised the estate of Joseph Snell.^[9]

When John married Isabel is unknown. Isabel gave her dower release to multiple deeds for land sold by John. In 1735 to John Rucker,^[10] in 1739 to Rice Curtis,^[11]in 1744 to James Garnett ^[12] and in 1747 to John Coffey.^[13] Most online family trees say John’s wife was Isabel Golding. Another possibility is that she was John’s first cousin, the daughter of John and Ruth Foster. In 1719 in Essex Co, John Foster (Sr.) and his wife Ruth sold land to John Wridings. The witnesses to the deed were William Mason, Isabel Foster and John Foster Jr.^[14] This suggests that John and Isabel were already married in 1719. But in 1721 when John sold the land he had inherited from his brother Robert, John was not married. The only dower release given for that land was from Robert’s widow, Ann. If John had been married when he sold the land, his wife would have given her dower release as well. So the Isabel Foster who witnessed the deed in 1719 is likely the daughter of John and Ruth Foster and after 17 May 1721 the wife of John Foster.

Research Notes

He and Isabella are recorded together as buying land in 1721 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.

Name John Foster

Date 7 Aug 1739

Location Orange Co., VA

Property 84 a. in Spts. Co.

Notes This land record was originally published in "Virginia County Records - Spotsylvania County, 1721-1800, Volume I" edited by William Armstrong Crozier.

Remarks John Foster of Orange Co., planter, and Isabella, his wife, to Rice Curtis of Spts. Co. 25 4s. curr. 84 a. in Spts. Co.-part of pat. granted Larkin Chew, Decd., April 26, 1712, and by him conveyed to Robert King, etc., and by sd. King conveyed to sd. Fo

Description Grantor

Book C

John is mentioned a few times in the county activities: witnessing deeds, wills, and serving for several years as deputy sheriff. (needs specifics and dates)^{[citation needed]}

Sources

1. ↑ Essex Co., Va., Deed Book 14:480, will of Robert Foster, recorded 22 Feb 1715; Family Search, film no. 007645181, image 73/344 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9P6-K7N6).
2. ↑ Essex Co., Va., Will Book 3:140, will of Robert Foster, recorded 17 May 1720; Family Search, film no. 007645970, im. 88/592 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PX-2SVG-M).
3. ↑ Essex Co., Va., Deed and Will Book 16:156, John Foster Jr. to Robert Charlesworth, 1719; Family Search, film no. 007645201, im. 90/426 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89P6-KQK5).
4. ↑ Essex Co., Va., Deed Book 16:303, John Foster to James Bridgforth, 1721; Family Search, film no. 007645201, im. 168/426 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89P6-KQCL).
5. ↑ Essex Co., Va., Court Order Book 5:620, dower release of Anne Pettit, 1720; Family Search, film no. 008151847, im. 133/425 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKJ-G9Z2).
6. ↑ This later deed gives the chain of title. King and Queen County land records for this time period are badly burned. Spotsylvania Co., Va., Deed Book C:314, John Foster to Rice Curtis, 1739; Family Search, film no. 004145195, im. 170/599 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99GF-B64C).
7. ↑ Spotsylvania Co., Va., Deed Book A:133, Robert King to Anthony Foster, 1725; Family Search, film no. 004145194, im. 76/541 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9GF-5CKN).
8. ↑ Orange Co., Va., Deed Book 4:394, Joseph Phillips to John Foster, 1741; Family Search, film no. 007724899, im. 521/848 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BK-59RT-F).
9. ↑ Orange Co., Va., Will Book 2:304, inventory of Joseph Snell, 1760; Family Search, film no. 007645702, im. 357/474 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9PX-X41B).
10. ↑ Orange Co., Va., Deed Book 1:54, John Foster to John Rucker, 1735; Family Search, film no. 007724898, im. 53/571 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BK-L7Y3-6).
11. ↑ Spotsylvania Co., Va., Deed Book C:314, John Foster to Rice Curtis, 1739; Family Search, film no. 004145195, im. 170/599(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99GF-B64C: viewed 17 Apr 2024).
12. ↑ Orange Co., Va., Deed Book 1:54, John Foster to John Rucker, 1735; Family Search, film no. 007724898, im. 53/571 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BK-L7Y3-6).
13. ↑ Orange Co., Va., Deed Book 10:512, John Foster and John Haskew to John Coffey, 1747; Family Search, film no. 007724901, im. 284/753(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BJ-VR6M).
14. ↑ Essex Co., Va., Deed Book 16:127, John Foster to John Wridings, 1719; Family Search, film no. 007645201, im. 75/426 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89P6-KQ6G).

• History of Spotsylvania County. Need specific, replicable, full source citations.