John Foster, Sr.^[1]

Abt 1618 - 1688  (~ 70 years)

• Name	John Foster
  Suffix	Sr.
  Born	Abt 1618	, , England, UK   [2]
  Gender	Male
  Notable	is believed to be one of the original settlers of Salem, MA in 1628, however when he arrived is in question
  Will	16 Nov 1687	Salem, Essex, MA, USA   [3]
  _UID	712EF246340C794BBAFEDB1FA8DF7E97292C
  Died	Mar 1688	Salem, Essex, MA, USA   [4]
  Person ID	I469	Irving Genealogy
  Last Modified	17 Sep 2011

  
  

  Family	Martha Tompkins,   b. Abt 1627, , , England, UK ,   d. Aft 1688, Salem, Essex, MA, USA  (Age ~ 62 years)  [5, 6]
  Married	Abt 1646	Salem, Essex, MA, USA
  _STAT	MARRIED
  _UID	ABA9002E2D90DB4BB187284BCD86EC5EAD06
  Notes	Source documents differ on year of marriage by about four years. [7]
  Children	+ 1. John Foster, Jr.,   b. 1647, Salem, Essex, MA, USA ,   d. Jun 1714, Salem, Essex, MA, USA  (Age 67 years)   2. Mary Foster,   b. Abt Mar 1650, Salem, Essex, MA, USA ,   d. 13 Feb 1721, Salem, Essex, MA, USA  (Age ~ 70 years) + 3. Samuel Foster,   b. Mar 1651, Salem, Essex, MA, USA ,   d. 19 Aug 1728, Waltham, Middlesex, MA, USA  (Age ~ 77 years)   4. Benjamin Foster,   b. 3 Jul 1658, Salem, Essex, MA, USA   5. Jonathan Foster,   b. 20 Dec 1660, Salem, Essex, MA, USA ,   d. 28 Mar 1662, Salem, Essex, MA, USA  (Age 1 years)   6. Jonathan Foster,   b. 22 Nov 1662, Salem, Essex, MA, USA ,   d. 6 Nov 1667, Salem, Essex, MA, USA  (Age 4 years) + 7. Joseph Foster,   b. 1664, Salem, Essex, MA, USA ,   d. Aft 1704, Dorchester, Suffolk, MA, USA  (Age > 41 years) + 8. David Foster,   b. Abt Oct 1665, Salem, Essex, MA, USA ,   d. 1748, Salem, Essex, MA, USA  (Age ~ 82 years)   9. Elizabeth Foster,   b. 22 Nov 1667, Salem, Essex, MA, USA   10. Jonathan Foster,   b. Jun 1670, Salem, Essex, MA, USA   11. Hannah Foster,   b. Jul 1672, Salem, Essex, MA, USA   12. Martha Foster,   b. Sep 1674, Salem, Essex, MA, USA + 13. Ebenezer Foster,   b. 5 Aug 1677, Salem, Essex, MA, USA ,   d. 1721  (Age 43 years)
  Last Modified	27 Mar 2016
  Family ID	F250	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - Abt 1618 - , , England, UK Married - Abt 1646 - Salem, Essex, MA, USA Will - 16 Nov 1687 - Salem, Essex, MA, USA Died - Mar 1688 - Salem, Essex, MA, USA  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Notes

  QUESTIONABLE: The place of birth for John (other than somewhere in England) and who his parents were has not been discovered. Considerable research into John's origins has produced a number of theories, but no proof. John Foster is believed to have been in Roger Conant's company which coming from Nantasket (now Hull MA), settled and established Naumkeag, now Salem MA, in 1628. BIRTH: In an affidavit dated 1670, John states he is fifty-two years old and was born in England. This fixes his year of birth at 1618. If he was with Roger Conant in 1628, he would have been only 10 years old. Unlikely, but not impossible. Refer to F. C. Pierce's book Foster Genealogy for information on John Foster. Starting on page 694 that book includes records of Deeds and Wills. John was a farmer and may have also been a carpenter and/or stone mason. He deeded his land to John Foster Jr 1674. (From the book Boston and Eastern Massachusetts.) The text from Savage's "Genealogical Dictionary of the Settlers of New England" states: JOHN, Salem, had there bapt. Mary, 24 Mar. 1650 ; Samuel, 7 Mar. 1652; and John, 3 June 1655; and by w. Martha had Benjamin, b. 3 July 1658; Jonathan, 20 Dec. 1660, d. in few mos.; Jonathan, again, 22 Nov. 1662; d. young; David, 16 Oct. 1665; Elizabeth 22 Nov. 1667; and Ebenezer, 5 Aug. 1677; was freeman. 1682." From the statement "by w. Martha ..." one could infer that Martha is not the mother of the first three children implying John had an earlier wife; or it might just mean that the mother's name was not recorded in the earlier records (not unusual). There is ongoing dispute about the order of birth of John's children. John Sr. died as a result of a shooting accident while hunting. He was shot by Joseph Small.

  
  

• Sources

  [S169] Foster Genealogy, Frederick Clifton Pierce, (1899; Chicago W. B. Conkey Co.), Pg 694-696 (Reliability: 2). John Foster, Senior (Pierce ID 5983) [S291] New England Families, Cutter, William Richard, (Searchable database available via Ancestry.com), 5-165.pdf., Pg 2269 - 2272 (Reliability: 2). Coporal John Foster was born in England in 1618, according to his affidavit, dated 1670 in which he stated his age as fifty-two years. [S169] Foster Genealogy, Frederick Clifton Pierce, (1899; Chicago W. B. Conkey Co.), Pg 695 (Reliability: 2). Complete text of Will. That will identifies John as eldest son, not Samuel who by all accounts was born before John. [S169] Foster Genealogy, Frederick Clifton Pierce, (1899; Chicago W. B. Conkey Co.), Pg 695 (Reliability: 2). Will proved in court at Ipswish, March 14 1688. [S288] New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Torrey, Clarence Almon, (Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc.), 5-056.doc., Pg 278 (Reliability: 2). FOSTER, John (- 1688) & [Martha TOMPKINS], m/2 Richard ADAMS 1688; ca 1645/7; Salem [S259] CD-New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Torrey, Clarence A., Record No. 12,177 (Reliability: 2). FOSTER, John (-1688) & [Martha TOMPKINS], m/2 Richard ADAMS 1688; ca 1645/7; Salem {Randall Anc. 440; Farr Anc. 282; Salem 2:324; Foster 697; Felton 144; Tingley-Meyers 167; Jones (#5) 4; Reg.;. 87:287; EIHC 41:181; Dedham Hist. Reg. 6:22, 16:97} [S169] Foster Genealogy, Frederick Clifton Pierce, (1899; Chicago W. B. Conkey Co.).