Foster Family LIne

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Georgia
Surname/tag: Foster, Helms Bishop, Oglesby, Nations

The search for Robert Foster's family line ... Summary of Search for Robert L. Foster, Sr. (Middle name unknown) The search for R.L.F. was started by questioning his only known child still living - Naomi Foster Helms. Little was discovered that was not already available – that is, he married Mary Elizabeth Oglesby and had a family. Robert died while living in North Georgia, near Dalton. He was buried in an unknown cemetery in an unmarked grave.

A break in our search came when we researched the 1860 Census, Spalding County, Georgia, Birdie Community. A Robert L. Foster, age 10, was living in the home of a Dupree family. He was the only Foster in that household. The search moved to the 1870 Census for the same area. We found a Robert L. Foster (white), age 20, living with a colored family. Robert's name was listed first which normally would have meant that it was his dwelling. We can't offer any other explanation. Thomas R. Bishop and Minor T. Oglesby had adjoining farms in the Birdie area in the 1870's. Thomas and Matilda had two daughters, Dolly, age 30 and Amanda, age 20. They had another daughter, Harriet who was married to Minor T. Oglesby. The Oglesby family had several children, including one daughter, Mary Elizabeth who was 13 years old in 1870.

Robert L. Foster married Amanda Bishop on August 13, 1870. In 1876, Robert turned in, for tax purposes, fifty acres of land plus other items. On March 18, 1878, Thomas and Matilda Bishop deeded their home place and fifty acres of land to Robert and Amanda. We found that on October 7, 1879, this property was sold by the sheriff to the highest bidder. R. L. Foster was highest bidder and purchased the property for $135.00. In the 1880 Census Thomas, Matilda, Robert and Amanda were still living in the same household. On October 28, 1880, Robert L. Foster sold the property that he purchased at the sheriff's sale to his brother-in-law, John E. Bishop We assume that Amanda died after the census was taken in 1880. Robert married Mary Elizabeth Oglesby who was Amanda Bishop Foster's niece, on June 7, 1881. Mary Elizabeth Oglesby had a son out of wedlock on September 13, 1877. After the marriage, the son was hereafter known as Minor Adnes Foster. The Oglesby name was dropped.

Robert, Mary E. and son left the Birdie area and went to the Dalton, Georgia, area. Robert and Mary E. had four girls and one son before he died in 1891. The son born to this marriage was given the name Robert L. after his father. We will refer to him as Robert L., Jr.

Mary Elizabeth took the children and moved back to Spalding County near her mother, father and other kin. Their first stop was across the road from our grandparents, J.W. and Elizabeth Chappell Nations. They had several children including Viola, one of the youngest girls, born in 1879. She and Adnes married on July 4, 1895.

In 1896 Mary Elizabeth Oglesby Foster married a widower, Matt (Madison) Helms, who lived in the Digby Community near Brooks in Fayette County. Previously, Charlie Oglesby, Mary E. Oglesby Foster's brother, had married Matt Helm's daughter. Elizabeth died in 1899 as a result of a porch swing fall. She was pregnant at the time. She is buried in the County Line Christian Church Cemetery at Digby. The name on her headstone is incorrect. It is listed as “Elizabeth S. Helms.”

The records in detail that we have consist of fifty pages of typed material and are available for copying. Joseph P. Foster 1204 Hood Avenue Scottsboro, Al. 35769 (256)259-5695 8/22/01