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3.9.7

Richard4

Foster

Richard4 Foster was the sixth son and eighth child of Rev. John3 Foster and his wife, Elizabeth Lewis. Richard4 was born 1 July 1779 in Maryland according to family records, but it is possible that he was born in Pennsylvania since the family is believed not to have moved to Maryland from Pennsylvania until July of 1780. See additional information on the move to Maryland in the chapter devoted to the writings of D. 1. Foster. Richard4 I:larriedRachel Browning about 1801, probably in Haryland. He died 7 June 1831 of hydrophobia (rabies). Details of his death were contained in his obituary published in the Pike County newspaper at the time of his death. Rachel Browning was born 17 June 1780 according to family records and died 23 Harch 1858 in Pike County, Ohio. She and Richard4 are both buried in the Foster Family Cemetery there. Nothing is known of Rachel's ancestry. In the 15 June 1831 issue of the Chillicothe Gazette, Richard4 Foster's obituary was published. This was copied in February, 1984, by Mrs. Tacy Arledge of New Holland, Ohio. This obituary reads:

"Death by Hydrophobia"

"It becones our melancholy task to state, that about seven weeks since, Hr. Richard4 Foster, a citizen of Pike County in this state, was bitten on the wrist, by his own dog in attempting to chain him, the occurrance of this accident, }tr. Foster resorted to slight precautionary remedies to arrest the effects of the bite - such as applying salt to the wound and being cupped. He experienced no pain, nor was there the slightest indication of any sympton of the disease until the fortieth day-Saturday week last--when he felt a twitching pain in his wrist, accompanied by a slight local inflamation about the wound. Being somewhat alarmed, he came to town on that day to consult one of our physicians; and returned home the same afternoon. On the succeeding evening (Sunday) he was taken with a chill which was followed by fever, and an increased pain of the bitten wrist and arm. On Monday morning whilst he was sitting at breakfast with his family, the first positive symptoms of Hydrophobia developed itself, in his attempting to drink a cup of coffee. Hedical aid was immediately resorted to, but to no purpose--the fatal disease had taken firm hold; and such was its rapid strides that he expired in a little over twenty four hours from its first general development, in the most excruciating of agony. "Hr. Foster was a highly respectable gentleman; and well known in this section of the State from its earliest settlement'. He has left a widow, and a large family of children, to lament over this fatal dispensation of Providence; which has bereft the one of an affectionate husband and the others of a kind

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"and generous parent. "He cannot avoid the opportunity, which this melancholy case presents, of putting the public on their guard against permitting dogs to run at large at this season of the year, that have exhibited the least signs of canine madness; or, of suffering those to live for the moment, that have been by such as are believed to have been mad--As the evils to society, in the loss of valuable lives, might be incalcuably great from this neglect. And in no place should this precaution be more rigidly observed than in our towns and villages, where dogs seem to constitute a part of almost every household."

.~.

Richard4 Foster also left a will in Pike County, Ohio. It is on file in Volume 1, page 73 to 76. Items of genealogical interest are quoted from this \vill as follows:

and bequeath unto my third son ZebulonS Foster all the lands I have in the State of Indiana on the waters of the Ivabash river as foLl.ows , 'to wi t,' that if it should be considered that the said lands at first cost should be more than his equal share of my estate hereafter then he shall pay back the overplus to the said estate and I also give to him one sorrel mare in consideration of services rendered since he was of age not to be accounted as any part of his legacy. Thirdly, I will and bequeath unto my beloved wife Rachel all the residue of my lands and tenements with all my goods and chattles moneys and credits after paying all my just debts so long as she shall remain my widow for the purpose of raising my children Fourthly I will that at the death of my vnfe that the two eldest of my children, 'to wit,' JeremiahS B. Foster, & JohnS Foster shall account for the advancement made to them as per receipts and ZebulonS Foster according to the bequest made above and then an equal dividend be struck between all my children to wit JeremiahS B. Foster, JohnS Foster, ElizaS Foster, ZebulonS Foster, Tho~asS Foster, Seth5 C. Foster and RachelS Foster share and share alike and Lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my dear wife Rachel Foster to be sole executrix of this my Last '(Jill and Testament this seventh day of June in the year of Our Lord God (1831) one Thousand eight hundred and thirty one.
.... 1 will

The witnesses for the will were Joseph4 Foster, and James Davis. It was witnessed on 13 June 1831. Richard4 and Rachel (Browning) children as follows:

George Johnston

Foster were the parents of ten

1.

JeremiahS Browning Foster, born 10 June 1802; married 1 August 1830 to Elizabeth Johns(t)on; Children: Esther6; George6; Richard6; Josea6 J.; and 3 names unknown

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2.

JohnS Foster, born 11 February 1804; died 18S1; married Jane Bro~m on 1 January 1829; Children: E1iza6 Ann; 6; Thomas6 Boyer; Rache16; John6 Osborn; Richard and Seth6 E1izaS Foster, born 17 Hay 1806; married Children: Richard6; Harriet6; Ti1ton6; 6 and Sarah Samuel Wilson; Margaret6;

3.

4.

Zebu10nS Foster, born 19 August 1808; married (1) 1833 to Caroline Ostrander, recorded in Pike County Marriage License Book 1, page 202; and (2) 1877 Hrs. Juliet (Fleming) Russell; Children: (by wife number 1) Edward6; 6., E1izabeth6 W , Hary6., i1illiam6. Harriet6., Rache1 . , and six others who died prior to 1882

S.

CassandraS Foster, born 31 Hay 1811; married Rufus Libbey; Children: Rache16; Cassandra6; E1sworth6 ~Jes1ey; 6., Edwin6., and Mary6 Janta Lemue1S Green Foster, born 2 February 1814; died 2S September 1877; married Barbara Hulse or Hults on 19 March 1840, recorded in Book 1, page 331 in Pike County; Children: John6; E1izabeth6; Rache16; Margaret6; and Wi11iam6 Asena t h-' Foster, bo rn S June 1816; married Marshall Compton, recorded in Book 1, page 236 in Pike County; Children: John6. Hary6. Frank6., and S other sons , , ThomasS Foster, born lS August 1818; married or Burke; Children: Ade1ine6 and Mattie6 Susan Burks

6.

7.

8.

9.

SethS Clark Foster, born 21 May 1821; died 28 April 1899; married Maria Day on lS August 18S0, recorded in Book 2, page 81 in Pike County; Children: Nancy6; James6 Richard; 6 Day Thomas RachelS Foster, born 10 April 182S; married William Austin Jones Children: Emmaril1is6; Rache16 Jane; Sarah6., John6 Wesley; Mary6; Laura6 Susan; and Carrie6

10.

The above listing of the children of Richard4 and Rachel (Browning) Foster, is taken from the records of the various branches of the family, primarily those listed by Charles L. Foster. No reason is known for the S Green, and AsenathS, were fact that three of them, CassandraS, Lemue1 not shown in Richard's4 will. What is known of Richard4 and Rachel's life is taken from the biographical sketch of their son, SethS Clark Foster, included in the book History of the Lower Scioto Valley, Ohio, as follows:

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"Seth5 Clark Foster was born in Jackson Township, Pike County, Ohio, in 1821, a son of Richard4 and Rachel (Browning) Foster, and the only representative of a once large family, now living in Pike County. He was married in 1850 to Maria, daughter of James and Hary (Condon) Day [John3 Foster's] youngest son and the father of our subject, Richard4, was born in 1779, and resided ,nth his father till manhood, when he went to Hagerstown, Hd., and married Rachel Bro~ing, remaining there till after the birth of two sons. He then returned to Ohio, having inherited the homestead of 300 acres, to which he afterward added 130 acres. to him we re born ten children-Jeremiah5, John5~ Eliza5, Zebulon5, Cassandra5, Lemue15 G., Asenath5; 'I'hornas ", Seth5 Clark, and Rache15 Jeremiah5, John5, Lemue15, and Asenath5 are deceased. Jeremiah5 married Elizabeth Johnston, John5 married Jane Brown; Eliza5 married 5 married Caroline Ostrander; Samuel Wilson, Jr.; Zebulon Cassandra5 married Rufus Libbey; Lemue15 married Barbara Hults; Asenath5 married tfurshal Compton; Thomas5 married Susan Burke; Seth5 C. married l~ria Day; ~ache15 married William A. Jones. Richard4 Foster died June 7,1831, and his wi fe , March 23, 1858. He was a man of frugal habits, and, with the assistance of a kind father, became one of the most prosperous men in the county. He was Justice of the Peace eighteen years. He was a member of no church, but his influence was always on the side of Christianity and morality. His wife was a member of the Hethodist Church."

Vii th this sketch,

Rachel

(Browning)

the known information about Richard4 Foster, his wife, comes to an end.

Foster and