William Foster

Compendium of History, Reminiscence and Biography of Nebraska 
Alden Publishing Company
Chicago
1912

It is now over thirty-eight years since William Foster became a resident of Merrick county, Nebraska, and since that time he has been prominently associated with agricultural interests of this part of the state, and as an old settler and one of its worthy citizens he is prominently known.

William Foster is a son of Alexander P. and Mary (Crawford) Foster. He was born in Abbeville county, South Carolina, September 20, 1828, and was the eldest of nine children; he has one sister residing in Sparta, Illinois, and another in Denver, Colorado. His father died February 11, 1871, and the mother died in July, 1907, at the advanced age of ninety-eight years, eight months and six days, both having passed away in Sparta, Illinois. Mr. Foster went with his people to Illinois, where his father engaged in the mercantile business at Sparta, and here our subject received his education in the common schools; and later engaged in farming.

On January 18, 1849, Mr. Foster was united in Marriage to Miss Nancy L. McDonald, also of, South Carolina, who was born February 13, 1827. Mr. and Mrs. Foster have had five children, two of whom are living: John P., married, has two children and lives in Clarks, Nebraska; James L., married, has ten children and lives in Oregon; William T., deceased in 1873, at the age of eighteen years; Alexander P., died September 24, 1858; and Alva S., died April 28, 1862.

On August 13, 1862, Mr. Foster enlisted in Company G, Eightieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, serving until the close of the war. He participated in many of the most decisive battles of the war, among them being the following: Perryville, Kentucky, October 8, 1862; Milton Heights, Godsden, Alabama, May 2, 1863; Sand Mountain, Day's Gap, Alabama, April 30, 1863; Look Out Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, (in which battle Mr. Foster was wounded); Gallatin, Knoxville, Rocky Place, and Nashville. Mr. Foster's regiment was surrendered by Colonel Straight as prisoners of war to Brigadier General Forest at Cedar Bluffs. Alabama, May 3, 1863. They were prisoners of war for about eighteen days, then paroled and went home for a few days, when they were exchanged and reported for duty at St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Poster received an honorable discharge at Camp Harker, Tennessee, June 10, 1865.

After the war Mr. Foster returned to Illinois and again engaged in farming. In the fall of 1873, with his family, he came to Merrick county, Nebraska, homesteading one hundred and sixty acres of land in section twenty-eight, township fifteen, range eight, which remained his place for eleven years; and then moved on to another farm which he had purchased in the meantime, just north of Palmer. In May of 1886, Mr. Foster retired from farm life and moved to Central City and purchased a home in the southwest part of town, where they lived until April, 1908, when they moved to their present home.

It seldom occurs that two people have traversed together the road of this earthly life so many years, live to enjoy their later days together, and it is surely ideal to pass one's last years surrounded by one's helpmeet, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Foster have passed their sixty-second wedding anniversary, and they have seven great grandchildren. They are widely known and beloved by all.

Mr. and Mrs. Foster are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Foster is a member of Buford Post Grand Army of the Republic and his wife belongs to the Women's Relief Corps. Portraits of this worthy couple will be found on another page of this volume