Copiah, Mississippi

John Foster 1789–1868 (2nd cousin 4x removed) was an early Mississippi pioneer, farmer, and builder of one of the state's surviving nineteenth-century log cabins. Born in Charlottesville, Virginia, Foster married Mary Cole and migrated from Union County, South Carolina, to the Mississippi Territory in 1816, accompanied by his brother Isaac Foster and his family.

After initially settling in Columbia, Mississippi, John moved his family to Copiah County in 1824. The following year, he constructed a two-story log cabin near present-day Wesson, using hand-hewn heart pine logs joined with dovetail notching. The cabin stood along the historic Rockport Road, now known as Beauregard Road.

John was a cotton farmer who transported his crops by ox-drawn wagon to Natchez. He and Mary raised thirteen children, and the family attended Little Bahala Baptist Church. John is believed to be buried in an unmarked grave in the church cemetery.

Built in 1825, the Foster cabin is now more than 200 years old. In 1955, Andrew and Monelle Smith purchased the historic structure and relocated it to Brookhaven, Mississippi, carefully dismantling and numbering the original logs before reconstructing it.

In 1997, the cabin was moved again to Railroad Park in downtown Brookhaven, where it became known as the Foster-Smith Log Cabin.

Today, this remarkably preserved pioneer home stands as a lasting reminder of the Foster family's role in the early settlement of Mississippi and the craftsmanship of the state's first generations of settlers.

Ferguson, Wilkes County, North Carolina | Established 1880

Whippoorwill Academy and Village is a historic preservation site in Ferguson, North Carolina, dedicated to preserving the educational and pioneer heritage of the Yadkin Valley. Its centerpiece is an original one-room schoolhouse built in 1880 by Andy Gould, which served generations of local families, including the Fosters, Fergusons, Ellers, and Dulas.

The academy's first teacher was Rev. George Sherrill, followed by several other educators, including Alfred J. Foster. Among its students was James Larkin Pearson, who later became North Carolina's Poet Laureate. The school closed in 1901, but the building continued to serve the community for many years.

In 1986, Edith Ferguson Carter and her husband, G. Hill Carter, rescued the deteriorating schoolhouse, carefully dismantling and reconstructing it on their family farm. Over time, the property developed into Whippoorwill Academy and Village, featuring historic cabins, a country store, a chapel, and exhibits highlighting the region's history, including the legend of Tom Dula and Laura Foster.

The Foster Family Connection

Whippoorwill Academy holds a special place in Foster family history through its founder, Edith Ferguson Carter, a direct descendant of Edith Foster (3rd great grandaunt) and Thomas Ferguson, early settlers of Wilkes County.

Edith Foster was the daughter of George Potter Foster (1743–1817) and Sarah Childress, and the sister of Thomas Bell Foster (1789–1865). Her son, John Foster Brickhouse Ferguson (1797–1886), became an ancestor of Edith Ferguson Carter.

This family relationship connects the preservation of Whippoorwill Academy directly to the descendants of George Potter Foster and Sarah Childress.

Today, Whippoorwill Academy and Village stands as both a tribute to the early families of Wilkes County and a lasting example of historic preservation carried forward by descendants of the Foster and Ferguson families.

Natchez, Mississippi

Mount Olive Plantation, located near Natchez in Adams County, Mississippi, is a beautifully preserved example of early 19th-century plantation architecture and an important part of the Foster family's history in the region.

The property originally belonged to William Foster 1760-1834 (2nd cousin 6x removed), an early Mississippi landowner. In 1834, his great-niece, Eliza Tannehill Foster (born December 9, 1805), and her husband, Emmanuel Rogillio, inherited the land and constructed their family residence between 1834 and 1843.

Originally part of a 180-acre Spanish land grant, the plantation grew to more than 2,000 acres under Emmanuel Rogillio's ownership. The estate produced cotton during an era when Mississippi's plantation economy depended heavily upon enslaved African American labor.

Following Emmanuel's death in 1864, the plantation lands were divided among family members. Descendants continued farming the property, and the house remained in family ownership until 1978.

Remarkably, Mount Olive survived with very few alterations. Its original cypress woodwork, doors, floors, fireplaces, and hand-hewn timber framing were carefully preserved during a restoration completed in 1980.

On November 28, 1980, Mount Olive was added to the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its architectural significance.

Natchez, Mississippi

Glen Mary Plantation, located near Natchez in Adams County, Mississippi, was home to several generations of the prominent Foster family. The property traces its origins to a Spanish land grant issued in 1787 and was later acquired by James Foster (1752–1835), a Revolutionary War veteran and early Mississippi settler originally from South Carolina.

Following James Foster's death, the property passed to his son, William James Foster 1798–1870 (3rd cousin 5x removed) who consolidated portions of the family estate. In 1854, Glen Mary was transferred to his son, William Peter Smith Foster (1837–1881), who resided there with his wife, Laura, and their family.

The plantation house, constructed during the mid-19th century, is an elegant example of Greek Revival architecture. Its distinctive features include a broad front porch supported by six wooden columns, a steep gabled roof, and a picturesque setting overlooking a pond near St. Catherine Creek.

Glen Mary was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 6, 1979, recognizing its architectural significance and its association with the early history of Adams County.

The plantation stands as a reminder of the Foster family's presence in early Mississippi and the generations who shaped its history.

Natchez, Mississippi

James Foster 1752–1835 (2nd cousin 6x removed) was an early Mississippi settler, Revolutionary War veteran, plantation owner, and member of a prominent Foster family that helped establish the community around Natchez.

Originally from South Carolina, James migrated with family members to the Natchez region during the 1780s. His brothers Thomas, John, and William also became successful planters in the area.

James married Elizabeth Smith Brassfield (1763–1837), and together they raised a family that continued to own substantial property in Adams County. 

Foster's Mound began as a Native American settlement centuries before the Foster family arrived. Its two ceremonial platform mounds were constructed by Indigenous peoples associated with the Plaquemine culture, with activity at the site dating back hundreds of years.

James Foster acquired land near St. Catherine Creek and established his residence on top of one of these ancient mounds. The house began as an expanded log dwelling, originally called Mount Pleasant, and eventually Foster's Mound. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 2, 1982.

James was also involved in the development of early Mississippi institutions. In 1807, he and his brother Thomas helped organize Pine Ridge Presbyterian Church. James, his brother John, and Randall Gibson donated land in Washington, Mississippi, that became the site of Jefferson College.

It is believed that Foster Falls was named for William Foster 1740-1803 (2nd cousin 6x removed) William was an influential local figure who owned extensive farmland along the banks of the New River in what is now Wythe County.  

Foster’s landholdings and agricultural presence in the New River Valley made him a notable figure in the area’s early settlement. His property was situated in a fertile stretch of the New River, which also became the site of the 1881 iron furnace that spurred the village’s growth.  While the village’s later fame came from its iron industry, the name “Foster Falls” directly reflects Foster’s personal connection to the land and community.

Foster Falls Historical District is Located within New River Trail State Park in Wythe County, the 16-acre Foster Falls Historic District recalls southwest Virginia’s iron ore industry. The historic district contains much of the commercial-industrial area of a 19th-century farming village that grew rapidly after the discovery of nearby iron ore and the construction in 1881 of an iron furnace—the last of the cold-blast, charcoal-fueled furnaces to operate in the region. At its peak the furnace produced 3,000 tons of pig iron annually. In 1887 a railroad depot was built near the furnace and by 1895 Foster Falls had an elegant Victorian-style hotel, a post office, gristmill and sawmill, general store, distillery, and about 100 houses, including a row of 27 now vanished company houses. After furnace operations ceased in 1914, the Foster Falls Hotel, which still stood at the time of listing, later served as a Presbyterian Church-run industrial school for homeless young women. In 1938, the school became a co-ed orphanage, which closed in 1962. Foster Falls Hotel reopened in the Spring of 2023. 

Jonesville, South Carolina 

Foster’s Chapel United Methodist Church was organized in 1878. It was named for Mr. Josiah Singleton Foster 1807-1891 (2nd cousin 4x removed) who was born near Pinckneyville on January 19, 1806. Josiah Foster often referred as “Uncle Si”, and his wife Sibbie Spears Foster had no children of their own but raised a number of nieces and nephews. Mr. Foster was a very successful businessman who gave generously to Methodist benefactors, in particularly, Lander and Wofford Colleges and Jonesville Methodist Church as well as his own Church.

Foster’s Chapel was built with the encouragement of Mr. Foster and others who wanted to unite Flat Rock and Bethlehem is hopes of having a larger membership. Foster’s Chapel is located in Kelton between Flat Rock and Bethlehem.

Josiah Foster contributed a great deal of money to build the new church which was often referred to as “The Brick Church” because it was the only one at the time made of brick in the Kelton-Pea Ridge area. The bricks were made on site.

The original tract of land where Foster’s Chapel was built was six acres, which was given to the Church by Mr. William E. McNease in July 1878. In June 1887, Mr. A.G. Wood, who was a trustee at Foster’s Chapel, gave an additional three acres to the Kelton School with an agreement that if vacated, the Church would be the next and final benefactor of the partial of land, which happened around 1907.

Houston, Texas

The land was sold to the Houston Parks Board by the family of Thomas Bell Foster Jr. (1923-2013), a prominent Houston landscape architect. 

• The Namesake: The park directly honors Thomas Bell Foster Jr. (7th cousin), an alumnus of Texas A&M University who spent his life designing and managing local landscapes.

• The Family Legacy: His father, Thomas Foster Sr., operated Foster's Nursery in Houston, and his mother, Lela W. Foster, was a well-known local florist. 

• The Connection: Following his passing, his family finalized the legacy of the property along Greens Bayou, which their father and grandfather had maintained. 

• Generational Legacy: His career was intrinsically tied to the local ecosystem, supported by his mother Lela's prominence as a local florist. For decades, his work combined commercial landscape installations with a personal commitment to preserving natural green spaces across Harris County-a philosophy that eventually culminated in his family preserving their Greens Bayou property for public use.

Inman, South Carolina 

Festus Flavius Foster 1853-1947, (5th cousin 3x removed) was a young man in 1880 after the War. He built the house located on Foster Road off I-26, known today as “The Christmas House” because of the light display at Christmas time. 

The house was begun in 1882 on the hill adjacent to the old homeplace. The logs were cut across the road from where the house now stands, carried down to a water power sawmill on Meadow Creek, then hauled back up the hill to where the house was built. The banisters were hand turned and the framing was put together with pegs. The Fosters moved into the house in 1885.

 He farmed with his father and grandfather and also learned saw milling and operation of the grist mill. 

In 1973 the great granddaughter of Festus began decorating the home for Christmas.  As of 2023, the display has grown to over 130,000 lights.  

The home and much of the original Foster land is still owned by Fosters.  

Located at the intersection of the old Pickneyville and Georgia roads, a well-traveled stage route, Foster’s Tavern has been a historic and architecturally unique upcountry landmark for more than 150 years. 

Not only is it an imposing reminder of stagecoach days, but its association with such nationally prominent leaders such as John C. Calhoun and Bishop Francis Asbury also add to its historic significance. The southwest corner room on the tavern’s second floor is traditionally called the John C. Calhoun Room; other guests always moved out when Calhoun stopped here on his travels between Columbia and Fort Hill. In an 1810 diary, Bishop Asbury, who founded Methodism in South Carolina, mentions stopping at Foster’s Tavern. The tavern was built by Anthony Foster (1st cousin 7x removed) and appears on the Robert Mills atlas of 1825. Begun about 1801, this painstakingly crafted mansion took seven years or more to complete.

Isaac Foster (3rd cousin 5x removed), son of James & Elizabeth Foster, grew to manhood on the old Foster estate, Foston, in Virginia and married Priscilla Hunton. In 1818, Isaac bought a patent of land in Fauquier County, Va. (formerly Prince William Co.) where they lived in a log cabin for several years till they could build Whitewood manor house. For over 200 years this branch of the Fosters lived in Whitewood and are buried in the cemetery there. In 1927, the remains of James & Elizabeth Foster were moved from Foston and reinterred in Whitewood Cemetery. 

Old Whitewood Farm has been in continuous agricultural use for over 250 years. Purchased by Isaac Foster between 1805 and 1823, Old Whitewood Farm grew to a plantation of over 530 acres. By the time of Isaac’s death in 1837, he and his wife, Priscilla had established a productive farm with 14 horses, oxen, 37 cattle, 41 hogs and more. It is probable during Isaac Foster’s occupation the property was partly in tobacco production, as evidenced by his probate inventory that listed ten hogsheads and a cutting box. However, diversification of crop cultivation had already taken place with at least wheat and corn also being produced on a large scale. In 1850, operating the farm on her own, Priscilla’s cash value of the farm reached $10,000. She owned 10 horses, 8 milk cows, 4 working oxen and 50 other cattle. The subsequent generations of the Foster family continued to own and farm Old Whitewood into the early 20th century raising animals such as cattle, working horses, growing wheat and orchard grass. Contributions to agriculture are exemplified through surviving dependencies on the farm, including the 19th century bank barn and stable. 

Old Whitewood Farm currently operates as a 1,620-acre working farm that combines agriculture with environmental conservation and restoration. 

George Washington Foster (3rd cousin 5x removed) (1806-1878) was a wealthy industrialist, planter, and philanthropist. Foster was born to Robert Coleman Foster and Ann Slaughter Hubbard Foster on November 28, 1806, in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1829, he married Sarah Independence Watkins, with whom he would have seven children. The daughter of Robert and Prudence Watkins, Sarah and her family had lived in Georgia until 1821, when they moved to Lauderdale County. Primarily a plantation owner, Foster's holdings in Lauderdale County alone included 6,281 acres by 1860. His crops included grass seed, cotton, corn, and wheat, and his livestock holdings included horses, mules, oxen, sheep, and hogs. The plantation also produced butter. In addition to Courtview, Foster owned Woodland Plantation in a section of Lauderdale County known at the time as Colbert Reserve, as well as a plantation named Oak Grove near Courtland, Lawerence County.  Foster was part-owner of several business ventures as well. He and his brother Thomas Jefferson Foster established a cotton factory in 1845.

Courtview is a brick Greek Revival-style mansion that some historians believe was designed by Adolphus Heiman, an architect from Nashville, Tennessee. The front exterior of the home features a Grecian portico supported by white columns. The original interior featured white walls, white woodwork, and marble mantles for the fireplaces. The house had hot and cold running water when it was built because of a fountain that originally stood in the center of the front yard. The family stored water in a tank positioned on top of the house that was invisible from the ground.

When Foster decided to build a home in Florence, he chose the top of a rise in the middle of Florence's main street, Court Street. The view of the downtown area was excellent, but city officials objected to the idea. Foster took his request to the Alabama State Legislature and suggested that traffic could be rerouted around either side of his property, and offered to pay for the street construction. The state legislature granted his request, with the stipulation that the house had to be grand enough to deserve the location. Foster paid $300 for a section of North Court Street, and the home was constructed in 1854.

Courtview passed to Foster's daughter Sallie after his wife Sarah died in 1887.

Demolished in 1963 - Denison, TX  

Robert Coleman Foster Jr. (4th cousin 4x removed) was an American lawyer, politician, and community leader whose career spanned Kansas and Texas, and whose life was marked by legal service, political leadership, and civic engagement.  

Foster was born in 1834 in Logan County, Kentucky.  He moved with his family to Kansas in 1856, where his father established a prosperous farm near Leavenworth.  He received a public school education in Kentucky, briefly attended the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, and later graduated in 1856 with a law degree from Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee.  He was admitted to the Leavenworth County bar and began practicing law there.

He was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1862 and 1864, and to the Kansas Senate in 1866. He also served as a delegate to the Kansas constitutional convention in 1866. He served in the Texas House of Representatives for multiple terms between 1879 and 1887, representing Grayson County. He was a Democrat and held seats in the 16th, 18th, and 19th Legislatures.

Cross Keys House – Union County, South Carolina

Built 1812–1814 | Historic Foster–Bobo Family Connection

Cross Keys House, located in Union County, South Carolina, was built between 1812 and 1814 by Barrum (Barham) Bobo (1776–1829). The stately brick home stood at the crossroads of two important early travel routes, the Old Buncombe Road and the Old Ninety-Six Road.

The house has a direct family connection to the Fosters through Elizabeth “Betsy” Bobo (1779–1851), Barrum's sister, who married Anthony Foster Jr (2nd cousin 6x removed). Their son, Barham Bobo Foster (1817–1897), carried the Bobo family name into the next generation.

The Foster and Bobo families were closely connected in the South Carolina Upcountry through marriage, family relationships, and shared community history. 

Cross Keys House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.