George Foster, Company G

The soldier’s wife was 16 years old when the couple married by slave custom in Mathews County, Virginia. She bore 14 children. Her application for widow’s benefits was supported by her son, her midwife, childhood friends, and her husband’s comrades. The widow made at least two transactions with Union Savings Bank, Norfolk, Virginia for legal fees.

 

Invalid — 908,892 / 723,692
Widow — 543,811 / 335,546, Eliza Foster

 

Deposition, Eliza Foster, 9 November 1891
45 years old; occupation, housekeeper; residence, 150 1/2 Queen St., Norfolk, Va…. “My said husband died at 150 1/2 Queen St., Norfolk, Va. on Friday afternoon November 6th, 1891, and buried on Sunday (yesterday) November 8th, 1891. … I was married to the soldier George Foster at Matthews [sic] C.H., Va. according to slave custom before the late war.  I was only 16 years of age when married and I have borne fourteen children. …”

 

Deposition, Lazarus Tate, 9 November 1891
about 69 years old; occupation, laborer; residence and post-office address, 31 Fox Lane, Norfolk, Va.
“I served during the late war … and knew George Foster of said Company and Regiment well during service and continuously ever since our discharge until he died last Friday, Nov 6, 1891 … the identical George Foster who served with me … ”

 

Deposition, John Bush, 9 November 1891
49 years old; occupation, laborer; residence and post-office address, 151 Brewer St., Norfolk, Va.
“He and I served together … I have known him intimately ever since our discharge from service … I’ve lived near them and his children and my children have played together…”

 

Deposition, Thomas Foster, 9 November 1891
about 70 years old; occupation, laborer; residence and post-office address, 112 Fenchurch St., Norfolk, Va.
“I was owned by the same man that owned [illegible] Isaac Foster late of one Matthews [sic] Co., Va. and we lived together prior to the late war and since George Foster come out the army. We lived neighbors here in Norfolk. In fact I knew him from his birth until he died last Friday, Nov 6th 1891. I was present at his death and I was present at his marriage to the present claimant Eliza Foster nee Cook. ”

 

Deposition, Ellen Collins, 9 November 1891
47 years old; occupation, housekeeper; residence and post-office address, 194 Queen St., Norfolk, Va.
“I have known George Foster and his wife Eliza from my earliest recollection. We were all reared together in Matthews [sic] Co., Va. and have always lived together in the same neighborhood together. I witnessed [their marriage] … they were married by a colored minister named Tom Garnett …

 

 Widow’s Declaration for Pension, Eliza Foster, 5 March 1892
“She was married to said George Foster under the name of Eliza Cook … 1857 by Rev. Thomas Washington at Matthews [sic] Co., Va. … the following are the names and dates of birth of all said legitimate children, still surviving.

Frank Foster	Febry 6th 1859
Oden Foster	April 6th 1860
Andrew Foster	April 8th 1865
Lauretia Foster	July 4th 1868
Fannie Foster	January 6th 1871
Willie Foster	February 8 1872
George Foster	May 10 1874
Lucy Foster	Jany 19 1876
Harry Foster	Jany 19th 1879
Samuel Foster	Jany 6 1885

 

General Affidavit, Mary L. Ryalls & Lavinia Williams, 13 April 1892
[Ryalls] 46 years old
[Williams] 49 years old; residence, 12 Scott St., Norfolk, Va. [Note: It’s not clear if this address belongs to one or both women — Leslie].
“that she was born and raised in Matthews [sic] County, Va. and lived close neighbors to the aforesaid Eliza Foster and knew she was married by old slave law and customs and by master’s consent to George Foster, that her name before marriage was Eliza Cook … [George Foster] died in Norfolk, Va., 6th day of November 1891 … [the claimant’s] following children are still living: Frank, Odis, Andrew, Lauretta, Fannie, Willis, George, Lucy, Harry and Samuel … Their knowledge is obtained from having known both parties and family well and was present and witnessed their marriage …”

 

General Affidvait, Harriet Williams, 14 April 1892
70 years old; residence, 13 Denby St., Norfolk, Va. … “that she has known Eliza Foster for the last 15 to 18 years and waited on her in the capacity of midwife three of her children, Lucy & Armstead who is now dead, also Samuel … that she cannot give the dates of their births except the last named one Samuel who was born on the 6th day of January 1885 at Norfolk, Va., Hawk St. All of the ages were kept but were destroyed by some means.”

 

Deposition, Frank Foster, 2 June 1893
62 years old; occupation, whitewasher; residence, 233 Cumberland St., Norfolk, Va.
Q.  Do you know Liza or Eliza Foster?
A.  No, sir.
Q.  Did you know George Foster?
A.  No, sir.
Q.  Do you know Rudolphus Bowden or Frank Foster?
A.  No, sir. I do not know any other Frank Foster in Norfolk. … I never knew a Foster who lived on Magazine Lane. Hold on, I did know a George Foster on Queen Street and knew him from a boy. I had simply forgot him. He is dead. Has been dead a year or more. I remember a white lady met me one day and said ‘My, Foster. I thought you were dead” I told her it must have been George Foster. No, sir, I was never acquainted with his wife. Yes, I think he had a wife and a lot of children.”

 

Deposition, Eliza Foster, 6 June 1893
49 years; occupation, housekeeper; residence, 60 O’Keef St., Huntersville, Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia …
“My husband died the month next to the Christmas month — that is, the 6th of the month just before the month in which Christmas comes …
“[The widow applied for benefits (and increases in benefits) more than once.  She was asked to identify those who witnessed one of her applications] … I had John Boush, Ellen Collins and Tom Foster and another man whose name I cannot call. They testified to George Foster’s service, to his death, to my marriage to my husband George Foster and to his burial before Mr. Malcomb. I had Winnie Moore, Mary Lou Ryalls, William Humphrey, Buddy Bolin, and Ellen Collins before Mr. Drury … Harriet Williams was a witness for me. She died soon afterwards. …
“[She was asked if she knew Frank Foster] I have a son named Frank Foster. I know a young man in Magazine Lane of that name. …
“… John White and William Humphrey signed [the same paper as Buddy Bolin]
“[She explained how she paid the fee] The four dollars was taken out in the Union Savings Bank, Norfolk, Va. and the ten dollars later was taken out of the same bank …”

[Note: Malcomb and Drury were attorneys who processed pension applications — Leslie]

 

Deposition, Rodolphus Bowden, 7 June 1893
32 years old; occupation, letter carrier; [Note: No residence or post-office address reported — Leslie] [Note: …“I am acquainted with Eliza Foster and have been about ten or twelve years. I knew George Foster, the husband of Eliza Foster. They lived on Queen St., Norfolk, Va. near me.”

 

Deposition, Frank Foster, 7 June 1893
34 years old; occupation, laborer; residence, 216 Queen St., Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I am the son of Eliza Foster and of George Foster.”

 

Deposition, Joshua Brickhouse, 10 June 1893
53 years old; occupation, wheelwright; residence, 120 Cumberland St., Norfolk, Va.
“I know one Peter Shepperd in Norfolk. …. I do not know B.A. Richardson, Jr., a notary public …”

 

Deposition, Peter Shepperd, 4 July 1893
55 years old; occupation, plasterer; residence, 250 Goff St., Norfolk, Va.
“I think I know B.A. Richardson, Jr. I know his father’s a painter.”

 

Deposition, Mary L. Ryalls,  5 July 1893 
about 40 years old; occupation, housekeeper; residence, 12 Scott St., Norfolk, Va.
“I have know Eliza Foster all my life. She is the widow of George Foster. I was at the marriage of George Foster and Eliza Cook. They were married before the war at Matthews [sic] Co. … . George Foster died about two years ago or nearly that long. I don’t know the cause of George Foster’s death.
“There are two children under 16 years of age by George and Eliza Foster at date of death of George Foster as follows: Harry and Sam. I do not know the date of their birth.”

 

Deposition, Lavinia Williams, 6 July 1893
about 44 years old; occupation, housekeeper; residence, 16 National St., Norfolk, Va.
“I have know Eliza Foster probably since I was 16 years of age. I knew her husband George Foster longer than I did his wife Eliza.”

 

General Affidavit, Harriet A. Diggs, 14 December 1896
45+ years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, 118 Scott St., Norfolk, Va,
“[S]he has known claimant for about 30 years; that she knows her intimately and visits at her house occasionally; that she knew her husband, Geo. Foster …”

 

General Affidavit, Lucy Burrell, 15 December 1896
28 years old; post-office address, 18 Fourth St., Norfolk, Norfolk County, Va.
“[S]he has known claimant for over 20 years; that she has visited at her home and visits there now and her acquaintance is of an intimate kind; that she knew claimant’s late husband Geo. Foster up until the time of his death.”

 

General Affidavit, John Gordon, 15 December 1896 
37 years old; residence, Norfolk, Va.; post-office address, 30 Byrd Ave. …”That he has known claimant about 20 years, that he knew Geo. Foster … knew the family intimately & visited them; continued to visit them after Geo. Foster’s death …”

 

General Affidavit, Emma Nickerson & Alexander Cooper, 28 December 1896
[Dickerson] 52 years old; residence, Norfolk, Va.;  post-office address, 144 James St., Norfolk, Va.
[Cooper] 37 years old; residence, Norfolk, Va.;  post-office address, 116 Scott St., Norfolk, Va.
“[They knew the couple] for over 15 years; that they knew her two children; Henry and Samuel are still living … Emma Dickerson testifies that claimant’s child Samuel was born on Jan 6, 1885. She knows this for the fact that she lived only a short distance from her then & from the fact that affiant had a child born just one month after viz. Feb 6, 1885 …”

 

General Affidavit, Matilda Burrell, 28 December 1896 
51 years old; residence, 44 Smith St., Norfolk, Va. …
“she was present when Harry, son of the claimant was born … January 1879 … she thinks that it was the 19th, that she remembers this date for the fact that her daughter was married in July 1879 to the brother of said Harry & Harry was born in January 1879, same year …”

 

Deposition, Eliza Foster, 29 March 1902
about 59 years old; residence, 93 James St., Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.
“My husband was born in Matthews [sic] Co., Va. at a place called Point Comfort. I was acquainted with him a year and six months before I married him. I was a slave to Tom Edwards (dead) and he was a slave to James Garnick (dead). We were married about a year and nine months before the war started and I was about 16 years of age when I got married. We were married by Rev. Tom Washington, a colored preacher, and he belonged to Dr. James Garnick. He just read the Bible over us and joined our hands…. He died on Queen St., near Bank St. 11 years ago the 6th of November. He died of the results of a deep cold that worked down on his lungs and was sick abed about a month. Dr. Thorn [sp?]attended him.

“Since his death I have lived at Queen St. where he died, thence to Kent near Salter, thence to Liberty St., No. 13, living there about [illegible] years, thence to 93 James St. and I have lived there ever since with my daughter Lillie Wilson. These were the following children under 16 born to me by soldier, at his death. Lucy who was 13 years old when her father died. Her birthday was Jan 19. Harry was born January 6, 1879  Samuel was born January 6, 1885 … I have all the ages of my children on a piece of paper and can’t recollect. I lost the paper. My witnesses were Harriet Williams (dead) and John Bush (dead), and John Gardner (dead).”

 

Letter from Eliza Foster [on letterhead of Hubard and Hubard, Attorneys-at-Law, 145 Bank Street, Norfolk, Virginia] to Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, DC, 20 September 1916
“I am pensioned under the above certificate number because of the service of the soldier named. I was his wife during the Civil War.
“I am entitled to the increase of pension provided by the first section of the act of September 16, 1916.
“Eliza Foster, 733 Freemont St., Norfolk, Va.”