Jeremiah Foster

 

AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT

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Jeremiah Foster                                    see FAMILY TREE

Born: Abt. 1760 Mount Holly, Burlington, New Jersey    
     
Married: 16 Nov 1782 to Sarah Peterson in New Jersey

Married: Aft.  1806 to Hannah
 
   
Died: Before Dec 1810 Clermont Co., OH        

FATHER

Amariah Foster

MOTHER

Mary Prickett

WIFE

Sarah Peterson    
     
Hannah Unknown
    b. Abt. 1766 NJ
   

CHILDREN

1. Charlotte Foster
    b. Abt. 1796 NJ
    m. 22 Jan 1824 to Ephraim Garrison in Clermont County, OH
    d. 10 Jun 1868 Hamersville, Brown County, OH

2. Martha Foster
      b.  Abt. 1798

3. Mary Foster 
    b. Abt. 1804 NJ
    m. 3 Oct 1822 to Elisha Waters Cade in Clermont County, OH
    d. Bef. 1842 Clermont County, OH

  Jeremiah Foster of Clermont County, Ohio 

by Susan Brooke
February 2019
 

 

Jeremiah Foster was born in Mt Holly, Burlington, NJ about 1760. (1)  He moved to Egg Harbor, Gloucester, NJ where he met and married Sarah Peterson on 16 Nov. 1782. (2)   He was on the tax lists of Gr. Egg Harbor from 1784-1786. (3) In 1792 Jeremiah purchased 100 acres of land in Maurice River, Cumberland Co., NJ. (4)  He and his wife Sarah sold this land in 1806. (5)  Eighteen days later he loaned $70 to Law Peterson of Maurice River who was in desperate need.  (6)  By 1807 he and Thomas Elby Cade were living in Clermont County, OH.  (7) When Jeremiah died in Williamsburg in 1810, Thomas Elby Cade was one of the appraisers.  And when, Martha Foster, one of Jeremiah's daughters, ran away from her employer, Thomas Elby Cade came to her rescue.  It seems pretty likely that Jeremiah Foster and Thomas Elby Cade were good friends. From the following facts, we therefore assume this Jeremiah Foster was the Jeremiah Foster who married Sarah Peterson of Egg Harbor in 1782. 

Jeremiah Foster and Sarah sold their land in Maurice River on 20 Sep 1806 and then disappeared from the New Jersey records.  Thomas Elby Cade sold some land in Galloway, "where he lived" on 27 May 1806. (8) Galloway had originally been part of Egg Harbor. The two men sold their lands within 4 months of each other and showed up in Claremont County, OH at about the same time.  Jeremiah Foster had been named a "joiner" in the marriage bond. (9) The Jeremiah Foster who died in Clermont County, OH had many carpenter tools listed in his estate inventory, including "a Lot of Jointers." (10)   However, when Jeremiah died in 1810 his wife's name was Hannah, not Sarah. 

In 1770 and 1773 there was a "Larronce Petterson" on the tax lists of Little Egg Harbor, Burlington, NJ.  Lawrence (Lars) Peterson of Maurice River and Susannah his wife had their first four children baptized in Maurice River.  But by 1757 their children were being baptized at the Trinity Episcopal Church either in Pensneck or Raccoon. (11)   However, no baptismal record has been found for a Sarah Peterson.  Lars died in Maurice River three years later in 1810,  "insolvent."  (12) When Jeremiah Foster loaned the $70 to Law Peterson, Laurence Peterson was 87 years old and "desperate."  And he died three years later "insolvent."  It seems highly likely that  Jeremiah Foster was loaning money to a close relative.   

Lars Peterson did have a daughter named Hannah, but she was born 20 Dec 1768 and was just short of her 14th birthday when Jeremiah Peterson married Sarah Peterson on 16 Nov 1782. (11)  Hannah, the widow of Jeremiah Foster, seems to have been a second wife, but there is no record of this marriage.  She relinquished her right to the Administration of his estate in 1811 and remarried to a Samuel Brenton in Claremont, OH on 11 Jan 1815. (13)  She was listed as living with Silas and Elizabeth Williams in the 1850 census and her age was recorded as 84. (14)  This would make Hannah born about 1766. Jeremiah Foster's daughter, Hannah, was a bound servant in April 1816 when she ran away from her employer and she sought shelter in the home of Thomas Elby Cade, not in the home of her mother/step-mother, Hannah, then married to Samuel Brenton.  About a month and a half later the court records named Martha and Mary Foster as children of Jeremiah Foster and Thomas Marsh was being appointed as their guardian.  Mary Foster was only about 12 years old in 1816 and the widow Hannah, who had probably been her caretaker, is NOT named guardian.  All this seems to indicate Hannah was a second wife and step-mother to Martha and Mary Foster.
 
The Jeremiah Foster of Maurice River seems to be closely related to a  Mahlon Foster and Chilon Foster who were in Maurice River at the same time. Chilon and Jeremiah Foster purchased land in Maurice River on the same day, Oct 7, 1792, and both of their lands were bordered by Thomas Jones. Mahlon Foster purchased land in Maurice River in 1795 and one of the witnesses was Jeremiah Foster. On Jul 23, 1803 Jeremiah and Mahlon Foster purchased land together in Port Elizabeth. (15) 
Mahlon and Chilon Foster are probably brothers of Jeremiah Foster.  Chilon was born in 1756 and Mahlon in 1765.  Chilon and Mahlon lived to have prosperous careers.  Chilon Foster moved to Franklin Co., IN about 1810 where "he owned and operated one of the first mills erected in the county."  Mahlon Foster owned a successful blacksmith shop near Port Elizabeth which he sold in 1810 when he moved to New Castle Co., Delaware. (16) He named his first son Azariah Foster.
In Clermont, OH there is a Charlotte Foster who married Ephraim Garrison in 1824 in Clermont, OH.  Most of the people named Foster in Clermont at that time were from a family from Virginia.  Upon tracing Charlotte we learn she was born in NJ, so she may be a daughter of Jeremiah Foster.  She named her first son, Mahlon. which is an uncommon name.  Perhaps after her successful uncle in Delaware.

These three men named Foster seem to be the sons of Amariah Foster of Springfield, Burlington, New Jersey.  When Jeremiah Foster married Sarah Peterson, the records stated he was from Mount Holly, NJ.  There was only one Foster family connected to that area in the early 1700's.  Thomas Foster and Mary had three sons baptized at the St. Ann's Episcopal Church in Mount Holly in 1746, Amariah, Joshua and Abner. (17) In the records of Thomas Foster we find that he lived very close to the Shinn family and to William Budd. (see page for Amariah Foster)  William Budd was listed in the 1780 reconstructed census for Northampton, Burlington, NJ. (18) And when Chilon Foster was baptized as an adult on March 2, 1788 in the United Methodist Church, the Budd family was being baptized the same day. (19) The Budd family was interconnected with the Foster family in many ways. (20) Amariah Foster also lived in New Hanover. (21) The Methodist ministers in those days travelled to a town to baptize people and thus all those baptized that day were from New Hanover. Amariah Foster is the only possible father of Chilon Foster.   Joshua Foster named his children in his will and none of them were named Chilon, Mahlon or Jeremiah.  Abner Foster didn't marry until 1762. That leaves Amariah Foster as the father of Jeremiah Foster.

 

Sources

(1) Marriage record states that Jeremiah Foster was from Mt Holly.

(2)  Marriages of New Jersey

(3) . Tax Records of Lars Peterson and his son Lawrence Peterson, Jr. and of Jeremiah Foster
 

Year

Maurice River

Galloway-Egg Harbor

1770

 

Larronce Petterson, Little Egg Harbor

1773 Aug

 

Larrance Peterson, Little Egg Harbour

1779 Jan
1779 Aug

Larre Peterson, Maurice River 53 acres
Lorrance Peterson, Maurice River 197  acres

 

1780 Feb
1780 Feb

 

Laurence Jr. Peterson, Galloway
Laurence Peterson, Galloway

1781 Jan 1781 Aug

Lawrence Peterson,  Maurice River, no land

Lawrence Jr. Peterson, Galloway
Lawrence Peterson, Galloway

1782 Feb
1782 July

 

Larence Jr. Peterson, Galloway
Laurence Jr. Peterson, Galloway

1784 July

 

Jeremiah Foster, Gr Egg Harbor

1785 Jul
1785 Jul

 

Lawrance Peterson, Galloway
Jeremiah Foster, Gr. Egg Harbor

1786 Jul

 

Jeremiah Foster, Gr. Egg Harbor

1791 Aug

 

Laurence Peterson, Galloway

1793 Jun

Jeremiah Foster, Maurice River
Jere Foster, Petition, Maurice River

 

1794 Aug

 

Larance Peterson, Galloway

1795 Jul

 

Lawrance Peterson, Galloway

 1796 Aug

 

Laurence Peterson, Galloway

(4)   Cumberland, NJ BK 1 pg 263 Oct 7, 1792
John Hand and Margaret Furnis of Maurice River etc. to Jeremiah Foster for £30 100 acres near house of Jeremiah Foster and land of Thomas Jones. Chilon Foster also lived on land near Thomas Jones.

(5) Cumberland Deed BK 28 pg. 241 Sep 20 1806
Jeremiah and Sarah Foster of Maurice River to Jones Vanaman for $250 corner Thomas Jones 100 acres

(6)  Clermont county Probate book A pages 1-6 Reported inventory record on pg 4

"Found on the books of the Intestate a Memorandum of sundry Notes and Accounts deposited in the hand of Law Peterson of Morris River in New Jersey to the amount of seventy dollars & 33 cents the Memo is dated Oct 8 1806 - supposed to be desperate" 

(7)  Early Settlers of Clermont Ohio

Early Settlers of Clermont County Ohio

(8) .  Gloucester Deed BK K page 165
Thomas and Phoebe Cade selling land in Galloway, Gloucester, New Jersey "where Thomas Cade now dwells" to Joseph Endicott for $100
The land stood "near mouth of John Smith's Hay creek."  Signed 27 May 1806
Galloway Township was incorporated by Royal charter on April 4, 1774, from portions of Egg Harbor Township, when it was still part of Gloucester County. 
Galloway is now in Atlantic Co., NJ

(9). Early New Jersey Marriages - Extracts                                          

from microfilm copies of original marriage bonds in possession of NJ Dept. of  Education, Division of State Library Archives & History, filmed in 1966. "Marriages are from various counties, and are arranged in groups by surname, but not alphabetical within groups." (Family History Library Catalog; 0888701-0888710) I have capitalized all surnames for ease in identification. When there was a discrepancy with a name in the body of the bond and the signature, the difference of the signature is in parentheses An asteric * indicates spelling of a locality as found in document.

FHLC 0888703;  1736-1790  

#375;  Andrew DAVIS of Mount Holly, joiner, and Jeremiah Foster of the same place, joiner...
(bound to) ... William LIVINGSTON, Governor... 500 pounds... 1 May 1781... certificate of
marriage between Andrew Davis aboves'd...and Mary HATKINSON....(w)  Jos: READ

FHLC 0888703, Vol F, 1736-1790

#256; Jeremiah FOSTER of Mount Holly in the County of Burlington, joiner, and John DUNN of
the same place, yeoman... [bound to]... William LIVINGSTON, Governor... 500 pounds... 16 Nov
1782. ... certificate of marriage between Jeremiah FOSTER above named... and Sarah PETERSON of
Egg Harber*... [w] Jos: READ

(10) . Inventory of Estate of Jeremiah Foster of Clermont County, OH 1810
            Lot of Jointers               .40
            Lot of tools                  3.25
            Broad Ax                     2.50
            Hand Saw                    1.25
            Cutting Knife & steel    2.00
            Lot of Iron                     .50
            Cross cut saw              6.00
            Axes                             2.50
Inventory of Jeremiah Foster
BK A pages 2-3

(11)  Children of Lars and Susanna Peterson
Morain Church Register, Maurice (Morris) River, Cumberland Co. NJ
    John born 11 Apr 1743, baptized by Mr. Brycelius
    Jeremiah, 27 Jun 1745
    Lorenz, born 28 February, 1750, baptized Mr. Reinke
    Rebecca, born 10th May, 1752, baptized by Mr. Reitz

Pensneck Baptisms  Trinity Episcopal Church
     "Laurence & Susanna Peterson Peter B Oct the 13th 1757 Their Anne B. Dec 1764 the 20th"

Baptisms in Pensneck from the 25th July 1762 to the end of the ? baptized at Maurice River  Trinity Episcopal Church
      'Laurense & Susanah Petersons Hinrich B. May ye 13th 1761"

Baptisms of Racoon 1763 Trinity Episcopal Church
    "Laurence & Susannah Petersons William B Feb 18th 1763"

Baptism for Pensneck for 1769 Trinity Episcopal Church
    "Laurence and Susannah Pettersons Hannah B. Dec the 20th 1768"

Baptisms for Pensneck for 1771  Trinity Episcopal Church
    "Laurence and Susannah Petersons Elizabeth B. 4 Apr 1771 

(12)   Cumberland County Orphans Court BK B pg 508 June Term 1812
     Settlement of the Estate of Laurance Peterson Dec's, Insolvent, 1st Proclamation.

(13) Marriage of Samuel Brenton to "widow" Hannah Foster

(14)  1850 census Tate, Clermont, Ohio

(15)  The only connection between these six men is location.  However, their land records in Cumberland County, NJ indicate they are somehow related.

 

*Chilon and Jeremiah Foster purchased land in Maurice River within a day of each other and both of their lands were bordered by Thomas Jones.
BK 1 pg 260 17 Oct 1792
John Hand Esquire and Margaret Furnis of Maurice River executors of estate of William Furnis to Chilion Foster of Maurice River  for £26 land in Maurice River purchased of Jane Stillwell her father Abraham Jones. Land near Thomas Jones' land. 107 acres

BK 1 pg 263 16   Oct 1792
John Hand and Margaret Furnis etc. to Jeremiah Foster for £30 100 acres near house of Jeremiah Foster and land of Thomas Jones.

*Mahlon Foster purchased land in Maurice River on Sep 1,  1795 and one of the witnesses was Jeremiah Foster.
BK 7 pg. 267 1   Sep 1795
Elisha Smith and Lettice of Maurice River to Mahlon Foster of Maurice River, black smith,  £25 land in township of Maurice River on south east side of Manamukin Creek near Heislers mill pond and swamp by William Browns' part of tract that Jonathan Smith Esq purchased of Elemuel Edwardson by which Elisha Smith became of by law.  Signed in presence of Jeremiah Foster.


*Jeremiah and Mahlon Foster purchased land together in Port Elizabeth.
BK 5 pg. 510   23 Jul 1803
Elizabeth Boadley of Cumberland to Jeremiah and Mahlon Foster for $22  in village of Port Elizabeth  at corner of William Murphy on the Tuckahoe.


 Jeremiah, Mahlon and Chilon all sold their land before 1810.

 

 

(16) Chilon Foster was born Feb 16, 1756.  He married Hannah Lucas about 1790. Moved to Snail Creek, Franklin, Indiana by 1810.  He married Sarah Neron abt. 1810 and died about 1829 in Franklin, IN. His children with Hannah Lucas were: Samuel b. 1792, Lydia b. 1794 married to John Moore, John M 1797, Elizabeth b.1798 married Gideon Alyea, Hannah b. 1801 married Daniel Morgan, Louisa b.1803 married Joseph Patterson.  His children with Sarah Neron were: Mary b. 1808 married George W Hammond, Rebecca b. 1809, Sarah b. 1811 married John Dickson Wilson, Buley b. 1813 and John T 1818. The write-up on his son, Chilon Foster, from the Portrait and Biographical Album of Des Moines County Iowa, says his father, Chilon Foster was of Franklin County, Indiana where he "owned and operated one of the first mills erected in the county.
Mahlon Foster was
born Sept 1, 1765.  Married Ruth Fagan Nov 12, 1790 in Maurice River.. Their children were:  Azariah Foster 1790-1826, Mary Foster Smith 1792-1858, Eli Foster 1801 - , Deborah Foster -1826. Mahlon Foster had a successful blacksmith shop near Port Elizabeth which he sold in 1810 and moved to New Castle County in Delaware where he died Oct 8, 1824. History of Port Elizabeth, Cumberland County.

(17) On the day that the children of Thomas Foster were baptized,  the children of Joseph Shinn  and his wife Mary Budd were baptized.  Mary Budd's sister Rebecca Budd was the mother of the husband of Lettice Foster, daughter of Amariah Foster.

Historical and Genealogical Miscellany, Data Relating to the Settlement and Settlers of New York and New Jersey by John e. Stillwell, M.D. Vol II. pg 15 of the book relates pg 58 of records.  "Mount Holly May 30th 1746".   

 

Baptized to Joseph and Mary Shinn, adults, Patience, Rebecca and William, to the said Joseph Shinn, the same day, Baptized children, Vestai, Joseph, Benjamin, John, Francis and Abigail.
The same day Baptized to Thomas & Mary Foster, two adults, Amariah and Josuah; and younger children, Abner, Content, and Elizabeth.

 

(18). New Jersey reconstructed census
William Budd, Northampton, Burlington, NJ

 

(19) New Jersey, United Methodist Church Records, 1800-1970
New Mills Circuit Marriage and Baptism

Baptized by Ezekial Cooper March 2, 1788
Jacob Rowand, Prudence Rowand, William Budd son of William Budd, John Henderson, Thomas Youlin, Chilion Foster, Mary Morton, Mary Budd wife of Levi Budd and Elizabeth Budd daughter of Joseph Budd.

(20) Three of the Children of William Budd born 15 Feb 1680 married to Elizabeth Stockton

Mary Budd born 9 Sep 1704 married Joseph Shinn (their children were baptized on the same day that Amariah Foster was baptized)

Rebecca Budd born 13 Sep 1714 married Joseph Lamb (their son Neheniah married Lettice Foster, daughter of Amariah Foster

William Budd born 2 Jan 1719 married Suzannah Coles (his son Levi married Mary Woolston in 1774, she was being baptized on the same day as Chilon Foster in 1788)

In 1793 Jeremiah Foster signed a petition from Maurice River mentioning the mill of Eli Budd
Jere Foster, Maurice River  
Petition, 18 Sep 1793, to the Judges of the “inferior” Court of Common Pleas for Cumberland County from freeholders of Maurice River Township seeking surveyors to “Lay a Road from Eli Budd’s Mill on M

 

21. "Ameriah Foster" was on the June tax list for New Hanover in 1793 (16 miles from Mount Holy, NJ)