AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT
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Direct descendant is highlighted in red
Martha Foster
| Born: Abt. 1798 New Jersey |
FATHER
MOTHER
Martha Foster
by Susan Brooke
Oct 2022
Martha Foster's father, Jeremiah Foster, died in 1810 when she was about 12
years old. After his death, she was probably living with her mother or
step-mother, Hannah, the widow of Jeremiah Foster. Hannah remarried to a
Samuel Brenton in Claremont, OH on 11 Jan 1815. (1) Martha was then apparently
bound out to Amos Alley as a servant girl. Martha Foster ran away and Amos
Alley entered an article in the newspaper describing her as "about 15 years of
age, of a very down and sheepish look, and a long snout nose." She had run
to the home of Thomas Elby Cade who took her in and retaliated with an ad of his
own, saying "Gentlemen Citizens you can expect no better of any bound child that
is kept under and jammed about as she had been for his own talk plainly shows
it; or else he would not have said when he was hunting for her, that he did not
care a damn for her, only he was afraid she had hung or drowned herself, which
is a plain proof how she was bamboosed about. And as he says about her
long snout nose I think it looks better than his own. The said Girl is at
my home, and I shall see her righted." (2) This all took place in April of
1816. On 11 July 1816 Thomas Marsh was appointed guardian to "Martha
Foster, aged eighteen, and Mary Foster, aged twelve." (3)
Nothing more is
known about Martha Foster, but her younger sister, Mary Foster, remained closely
connected to Thomas Elby Cade. Mary witnessed two deeds for him in 1818
and married his son, Elisha W Cade, in 1822.
Sources
| (2) Newspaper Article in Western America (Batavia,
Ohio) 20 Apr 1816 page 2 col 4 Five mills, or a pinch of snuff reward. "RANAWAY, strayed or stolen from the subscriber, living in Williamsburg, a Servant Girl, by the name of MARTHA FOSTER, on the evening or night of the 25th of March 1816. She is about 15 years of age, of a very down and sheepish look, and a long snout nose -- had on when she went away a deep and pale blue wool and cotton frock, a check handkerchief, and a linen apron, and took with her a gingham bonnet, a factory cotton frock of three or four different colours, & some other cloathing. The above reward will be given to any person who will deliver said girl to me, but no other charges; and all persons are forwarned of harboring her, or they will be proceeded against according to the severest penalty of the law. AMOS ALLEY April 5, 1816 ______________________________ Take Notice, That the Five Mills & Pinch of Snuff, has shewn his cloven foot nicely, in advertising this down and sheepish looking girl, as he calls her. Gentlemen Citizens you can expect no better of any bound child that is kept under and jammed about as she had been for his own talk plainly shows it; or else he would not have said when he was hunting for her, that he did not care a damn for her, only he was afraid she had hung or drowned herself, which is a plain proof how she was bamboosed about. And as he says about her long snout nose I think it looks better than his own. The said Girl is at my home, and I shall see her righted. Thomas Cade Wm'sburgh, April 18, 1816 |
 Newspaper Article in Western America |
(3) Estate records of Jeremiah Foster
Thomas Marsh was appointed guardian to
Martha Foster, aged eighteen, and Mary
Foster, aged twelve years, on July 11, 1816. They were the
children of Jeremiah Foster, dec'd.
.