William "The Elder" Foster

William “The Elder” Foster, eighth child of Robert and Elizabeth Foster, was born ca. 1698 in Essex County shortly after his father, mother, and the rest of his siblings left Gloucester County and moved to Essex County. It was in this county that he received his education and grew into manhood. He first married a young lady whose name and biography has not been found. We know that he also married Ann Booker. There are those who believe that she was William’s only wife.

William’s children with his first wife were: William Jr. born ca. 1734: Thomas, born ca. 1736; Mary, born ca.1735; Elizabeth born ca 1740, and James, bore ca 1742. The remainders of his children were: John, born ca. 1750, Richard, born ca 1752 and Booker, born ca. 1754 and Johanna, born ca 1764. There is strong supposition to support those who believe that Ann Booker was William’s second wife. After the birth of his son, James, there is a period of about eight years before the birth of John and the fact that he waited until his last child to name one Booker is convincing evidence to support the proposal that William had two wives and that John, Booker, Richard, and Johanna are children only of Ann Booker Foster. We believe that the preponderance of evidence is sufficient to make it a certainty.

Like his other brothers and sisters, William and his wife began their early life in Essex County. In 1728 a portion of Essex County was cut off into Caroline County. Undoubtedly William and his family were living in that portion as the first two of his children were born in Caroline County. William Foster and family, along with his sister Barbara and her husband, Richard Loving, his brother, Thomas Foster and their families moved to Amelia County along with a number of other families from Caroline and King William Counties as early as 1736 when they begin to be enumerated in Amelia County tax lists among the tithable inhabitants between Flat Creek and Deep Creek.

Caroline County, Virginia County court records show Richard Loving and his wife, Barbara (William's sister and brother-in-law) released indentured land to William Foster on July 9, 1736. On August 13, 1735, Richard Loving agreed to dismiss a case of debt against William Foster. William and his first wife (name unknown) living in Caroline County, Virginia where their first two children were born.

Amelia County, Virginia Will Book: William purchased land from John Hurt in 1742. He purchased additional land in 1743. In 1746 William patented 400 acres of land in Amelia County on head waters of Beaver Pond and branches of Flat Creek and purchased an adjoining 353 acres of land from Irby Hudson. In 1746 he patented 13 acres in Lunenburg (Charlotte) on waters of Spring Creek and Ash Camp Creek of Meherrin River in the same vicinity where his brother George had settled in 1750.  In 1756 he purchased land from his brother, George Foster. William sold some of his land in 1749 and in 1755 he sold more land, this time to his brother, Thomas.