Wiley Edwards Foster (1851 - 1917)

Born 1 Sep 1851 in Harris, Georgia, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Ann (Hughes) Knight — married 19 Jul 1870 (to 1901) in Coosa, Alabama, United States

Husband of Everline Cummings — married about 4 Dec 1901 in Elmore, Alabama, United States

Descendants

Died 2 Sep 1917 at age 66 in Sylacauga, Talladega, Alabama, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Ann Brown [send private message]

Biography

Wiley Edwards Foster was married twice 1) Mary Ann Huges 1870 2) M. Everline Cummings 1901

Biography written by Houston S. Foster:

During our research we were able to tie Wiley to his father Josephus Foster with the Sterling Family Bible. The Sterling Bible listed all of the children of Mary Jane Sterling and Josephus Foster. Wiley also received an inheritance from his Grandfather James Sterling. Wiley was born and raised around his grandparents plantations in Troup and Harris counties, Georgia. He lived through a time of affluence and then struggle after the Civil War. His grandfather Sterling was a wealthy land owner who also owned a plantation and tannery. Wiley's childhood was ideal having many family members and slaves around to care for him. Times were good in Troup and Harris counties and the family prospered. Life started to get tough for Wiley as the civil war approached.

When he was seven years old, his mother died then the next year, 1859 his grandmother Foster died. During and after the Civil War years times got bad and the affluent times were indeed "Gone with the Wind." At the end of the War he was an orphan, his father was apparently missing in the Civil War. Wiley moved to Coosa County with His Uncle John E. Foster, Uncle J. A. Sterling, Great Uncle John Edwards Jr. and Aunt Sarah Sterling Pitchford were in that area and he could have moved over with one of them.

By 1870 he was married and according to the census, living near his Uncle James A. Sterling in Coosa County, Alabama. He had been well cared for in his younger years and suddenly had to be a man and learn to take care of a family. Making a living was hard in Coosa County, Alabama. Many people moved out of Coosa Co. to Texas and other states but Wiley stayed and raised his children there.

The Civil War years had been unbelievable hard and the years afterward were in many ways harder. Wiley had apparently lost two of his brothers and his father in the war and his Uncle John Foster had moved from Alabama to Texas.

Not many people today realize that there was a world wide depression that started in 1873 just a few years after the Civil War. The aftermath of the war and the depression made life especially hard for people in the South. The North was reluctant to establish industrial enterprises in the South and little was done until the 1890's when textile mills started to be built all over the South to be close to the source of cotton. . . .

After his children were grown, Wiley and Mary Hughes divorced and he married Everline Cummings.

According to my father, Wiley was working in a cotton mill in Sylacauga, Alabama when he had injury to his hand. After several days the hand had become so badly infected that it had to be amputated. The infection persisted and a few days later he died.

...Wiley had 7 children and these 7 had 43 children and the family continues to grow today.

According to my Dad, Wiley is buried in the Avondale Cemetery in Sylacauga, Alabama.

Sources

"Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQDD-SYG : 13 February 2020), Wiley E. Foster, 1870.

• Name Wiley E. Foster
• Sex Male
• Spouse's Name Mary Ann Hughes
• Spouse's Sex Female
• Marriage Date 19 Jul 1870
• Marriage Place Coosa, Alabama, United States
• Reference Volumes D1 and D2-E

"United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHKM-VSV : 28 May 2021), Wiley Foster, 1870.

1870-Coosa Co., Alabama, Nixburg, page 24, #239-259 ( Sept 1, 1870)

• Wiley FOSTER21 m w Ga works for wages
• M.A .23 f w keeping house GA

"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4JZ-GB6 : 13 January 2022), Wiley Foster, Election Precinct 8 McCords, Coosa, Alabama, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .

1880-Coosa Co., Alabama, McCords

• Wiley FOSTER Self M <Married> Male W <White> 30 GA Farmer GA GA
• Mary FOSTER Wife M <Married> Female W <White> 25 GA Keeping House GA GA
• Joseph FOSTER Son S <Single> Male W <White> 9 AL GA GA
• Edward FOSTER Son S <Single> Male W <White> 7 AL GA GA
• John FOSTER Son S <Single> Male W <White> 2 AL GA GA
• Stolen FOSTER Son S <Single> Male W <White> 1 AL GA GA

"Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQ84-2X6 : 13 February 2020), Wiley E. Foster in entry for John Foster, 1895.

• Mentioned in the Vital Record of John Foster (Wiley E. Foster's Son)

Vital • Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957

"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M98H-FXT : accessed 4 May 2022), Wily E Foster, Precincts 8-9 McCords, Concord, Coosa, Alabama, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 25, sheet 3A, family 50, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,011.

1900-Coosa Co., Alabama, Concord, ED#25, page 3A, #49-50 ( June 6, 1900)

• Wily E. FOSTERhead m w Sept. 1852 48 m 30yrs farmer rents GA GA GA
• Mary A. wife f w aug. 1847 51 m 30 yrs 7 children 7 living GA GA GA
• Mollie dau. f w May 1882 18 a/school Al GA GA
• Mattie dau. f w May 1882 18 a/school AL GA GA

"Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKZ3-7PV3 : 19 February 2021), W. E. Foster and M. E. Cummings, 04 Dec 1901; citing Coosa, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,290,267.

• Name W. E. Foster
• Sex Male
• Age OVER age 21 (when you check record)
• Birth Year (Estimated) 1880
• Spouse's Name M. E. Cummings
• Spouse's Sex Female
• Spouse's Age says OVER age 18
• Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated) 1883
• Marriage Date 04 Dec 1901
• Marriage Place Coosa, Alabama, United States
• Marriage Place (Original) Coosa, Alabama

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188917314/wiley-edwards-foster : accessed 04 May 2022), memorial page for Wiley Edwards Foster (1 Sep 1851–2 Sep 1917), Find a Grave Memorial ID 188917314, citing Comers Cemetery, Sylacauga, Talladega County, Alabama, USA ; Maintained by H.S. Foster (contributor 46859612) .

• NO tombstone picture showing at this time