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Foster Family
FOSTER. The Foster family is one of Irish extraction orginally, although
for several generations its members have played an important part in the
history of Pennsylvania, to which the founder came before the organization of
Armstrong county. The family is a large one, its representatives being found
in various localities, and they are all worthy of the sturdy stock from which
they sprang.Thomas Foster was born in County Donegal, Ireland, and coming to America
with his family settled in what is now Wayne township, Armstrong Co., Pa. Here
he spent the remained of his life. His chidren were: David; William; Joshua;
John; Margaret, Mrs. Alcorn; Catherine, who married Joseph Stockdill; Mary,
who died unmarried; and Martha, who married George Stockdill.
Joshua Foster, son of Thomas, and father of Joshua, was born in Donegal
Ireland, and was brought to America by his parents when six years old,
arriving here in 1822. He married Margaret Stockdill, born in Ireland July 24,
1818, and they settled upon a farm at what is now Snydersville, Wayne
township. Mr. Foster built a comfortable residence upon this property, dying
there July 19, 1890, his widow surviving until July 27, 1891, and both are
interred in the old Episcopal burial grounds in Wayne township, near Echo.
They had children as follows: Catherine, born March 1, 1841, died in infancy;
Thomas was born March 27, 1842; Rebecca J., born Jan. 10, 1844, married Robert
Stuart; George, born March 27, 1845, died Aug. 18, 1866; David was born Dec.
31, 1847; Joshua was born Aug. 28, 1852; Joseph Clark, born Sept. 2, 1857,
died Sept. 14, 1902.David Foster, son of the above mentioned Joshua, married Elizabeth
McKinley. He is now living retired at Kittanning. His family consisted of
children as follows: Albert, Edward, Bertha, Jennie, Bella and Rebecca.Joshua Foster, son of Joshua Foster, was reared to agriculture pursuits,
and has always lived upon the homestead which is now his property. He owns 150
acres of valuable farm land, on which he has one gas well; the land is
underlaid with soft coal, which is very valuable.Mr. Foster married Margaret A. Williamson, daughter of Hugh Williamson, of
Boggs township, this county, and the following children have been born to
them: Florence; Hannah R., who died in 1907, aged twenty-two years; Sadie, who
died at the age of two years, nine months, twelve days; and Ira, who is at
home, assisting his father on the farm.Mr. Foster is a Democrat. He belongs to the Episcopal Church, which he is
serving as vestryman. For years he has been one of the leading agriculturists
and reliable citizens of his township.
Andrew S. Foster, merchant and postmaster at Echo, Pa., was born May
16, 1882, in Cowanshannock township, this county, son of Thomas and Mary Jane
(Stuart) Foster, grandson of Joshua Foster, and great-grandson of Thomas
Foster.Thomas Foster, father of Andrew S. Foster, was born at the Foster homestead
in Wayne township March 27, 1842, and was reared upon this property. For some
years he farmed in Wayne township, but later purchased property in
Cowanshannock township, where he died Aug. 3, 1903. He was one of the
well-known men of his period and locality. His wife was a daughter of William
Stuart, of Wayne township. Thomas and Mary Jane (Stuart) Foster had the
following children: Anna R., who married George M. Evans, and resides at New
Kensington, Pa.; Margaret M., who married Fulton Adams, and also lives at New
Kensington; William T., who is married to Margaret Bowser, living on the old
homestead; Andrew S.; Emma L., who married Oliver L. Beck, a merchant of New
Kensington; Patterson, who died at the age of seven years; and Clark, who died
when six months old. The widowed mother of this family resides at New
Kensington.Andrew S. Foster attended public school in his native township and Rural
Valley high school, following which he took a course at Slippery Rock Normal
School, to fit himself for the profession of teaching. For two terms he proved
his ability in this line, one in Cowanshannock township, and the other in
Valley township. For the following seven years he was engaged in oil well
drilling. He then spent eighteen months at Pittsburgh, in the insurance
business, and on June 1, 1911, came to Echo. Buying out H. M. Bowser’s general
store, he has since conducted it with profit to himself and accommodation to
the people of Echo, for he carries a full and varied line of goods, priced
moderately so as to meet the demands of his customers. On Oct. 2, 1911, he
received his appointment as postmaster.Mr. Foster married Florence A. Miller, daughter of William Miller, of Wayne
township. Two children, Floyd W. And Verna P., have been born of this
marriage. Mr. Foster is a Republican. He belongs to the Presbyterian Church,
and fraternally is connected with the Odd Fellows (Lodge No. 738, of Dayton),
the Eagles (at the same place, charter member), and the Elks (at Kittanning,
Pennsylvania).Source: Pages 734-735 Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and
Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed October 1998 by Joyce Sherry for the Armstrong County Beers
Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
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