The family of Nathan Foster 1700-1753

 Nathan is the fourth in our line of Foster ancestors.  His great grandfather, Renald, is the immigrant, and then there is his grandfather, Abram/Abraham, and his father, Abraham.  Nathan married a descendant of a Mayflower passenger, and some of his children married descendants of other of these earliest settlers.  Our tangled tree has many intertwining branches.

Nathan was born in 1700 in Ipswich, Massachusetts, the son of Abraham and Mary Robinson Foster.  He had just two known siblings, both brothers, which was unusual for the time, and for the family, but future generations, including Nathan's, would contribute many more Fosters to the country.  Nathan married Hannah Standish, the daughter of Josiah and Sarah Cary Standish, in 1724 in Stafford, Connecticut.  I'm not sure how Nathan arrived there, but Hannah's parents had lived there.  Hannah was a descendant of Captain Myles Standish of Plymouth Plantation and Duxbury, Massachusetts.  

Nathan and Hannah had 11 known children, and all but one had children of their own.  In my quick research, I found one son who may have been the black sheep of what appears to be an otherwise upright family.  

Mary was the firstborn, in 1725.  She married Josiah Rood or Rude, the son of Jabez and Mehitable Standish Rood. Yes, Mehitable was also a descendant of Captain Myles Standish, so the two were second cousins, once removed.  Their children are Lebbeus, Alpheus, Lebbeus, Mary, Josiah, Lebbeus, Thaddeus, Mehitable and Hannah.  (It appears that the first two carrying the name of Lebbeus died young.) She died in 1797, possibly in Warren, Massachusetts.  

Nathan was born next, in 1728.  He married Elizabeth Lunsford (also seen as Lansford) in 1750 in Stafford, Connecticut.  She is the daughter of Michael and Elizabeth Hackben Lunsford.  Their children are Tirzah, Azubah, Nathan, Joel, Elizabeth, Jude, John, Asa, and Lydia.  We'll learn more about this family in my next post.  Nathan died in 1809 in Warren, Massachusetts.

Hannah was born in 1730, and married Zephaniah Alden, who was a descendant of John and Priscilla Mullins Alden of Mayflower fame and romance.  She died in 1777 in Stafford or Stafford Springs, Connecticut, apparently without having had any children.  

The next born was Lois, born in 1732.  She married Elihu Palmer, the son of Elihu and Abigail Robinson Palmer.  Their children are Eunice, Thaddeus, Eunice, Hannah, Thaddeus, Lois, an unnamed infant, Elihu, Olive, Nathan, Lucy, and Abigail.  She died in 1808 in Windham, Connecticut.

Eunice was born in 1733 and married Elijah Parish, the son of Samuel and Mary Rood Parish.  (Yes, Mary and Jabez Rood, mentioned above, were siblings.) Their known children are Asa, Elijah, Ariel, and Philomela. Eunice died in 1797 in Andover, Massachusetts.

Another daughter, Mehitable, was born in 1733.  She married Silas Lilly the son of Reuben and Mary Brewster Lilly or Lillie.  Yes, Mary was a descendant of William and Mary Brewster, or Mayflower fame.  Their children are Aenas, Asa, Lydia, Silas, Mehitable and Enoch.  

Phebe was born in 1739.  She married Isaac Crittenden, the son of Isaac and Lucy Benton Crittenden.  Their children are Phoebe, Sara, Isaac, Hannah, Bulah, and Isaac.  Phebe died in 1809 in Ashfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts.

Sarah was born in 1743 and married Jonathan Lilly.  He was the son of Samuel and Mehitable Bacon Lilly.   I haven't yet determined a connection between Reuben and Samuel Lilly but I also would not rule out the idea that they are likely connected somehow.  Sarah and Jonathan  are the parents of Phebe, Bethuel, Eliakim, Phebe, Foster, Sarah, Eunice, and Jonathan.  Sarah died in 1828 in Ashfield, Massachusetts.

Finally, another son was born, which probably made Nathan, especially, rejoice.  Daniel was born in 1744 and married Kezia (Keziah) Sawyer, the daughter of Joshua and Sarah Flint Sawyer.   It appears that he was a captain in the Revolutionary War.  The children of Daniel and Kezia are Nancy, Formella, Flint Royal, Fanny (I've seen this as Finance?), George, and Faith.  Kezia died and Daniel next married Welthea Ladd, the daughter of Jeremiah and Jerusha Ladd, in 1803.  Daniel and Welthea had two children together, Fidelia and Lafayette.  Lafayette is especially interesting; he was a politician and was US Senator from 1854 to 1867.  He was President pro tempore of the Senate when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.  Under the constitution at that time, had anything happened to Andrew Johnson, he would have become acting president of the United States, and this would not be the first time I'd heard of him! Daniel died in 1824 in New London, Connecticut.

Now we come to a son who may have been the black sheep of the family.  Asa was born in 1742 and died in 1813 in East Pharsalia, Chenango County, New York.   It appears that he may have first married Huldah Wheeler, the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Wheeler.  and had at least one daughter, Hannah.  Huldah died in 1774, and Asa next married Anna Robinson, who may be the daughter of Simeon and Jerusha Kingsley Robinson.  Their children are Roxy, Anna, Mary, Pamela, Asa, Alexander and Eunice.  There is a third possibility.  An Asa Foster is reported to have deserted Elizabeth Thompson, who sued him for that action in 1803.  I am not willing to say this is our Asa, nor am I willing to say it is not.  If it is, he may have had an affair that resulted in a child, but so far, I've not found divorce records for Asa and Anna, and the timing doesn't seem to be quite right.  Eunice was born in 1802 and the desertion charges were in 1803.  There may or may not be more to be learned here.

The last son was Standish Foster, born in 1749.  Standish may have had a twin brother who died at birth.  Standish married Sarah Spaulding, the daughter of Ebenezer and Mary Fasset Spaulding.  They had at least four children,  Festus, Sally, Septimus, and Ezekiel.  Standish died in 1831 in Rowe, Franklin County, Massachusetts.  

My count is 74 grandchildren, some of whom died as infants, for Nathan and Hannah.  They certainly contributed their fair share of descendants who can claim an ancestor, or more than one, came over on the Mayflower!