Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Foster, Allen H 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com March 25, 2006, 11:17 pm

Author: Bio/Gen Record LaSalle/Grundy 1900

ALLEN H. FOSTER.

Among the veterans of the civil war who at the call for troops responded and 
went forth to battle for the Union is Allen Horton Foster, a highly respected 
citizen of Mazon township, Grundy county. His life record has indeed been an 
honorable one, characterized by fidelity to duty not only upon the 
battlefields of the south but also in all the relations of his public and 
private career. It is believed that his ancestry on the paternal side is 
Scotch-Irish. The founders of the family in America came here in very early 
colonial days, and afterward became pioneers of Pennsylvania. Richard Foster, 
the first of whom we have authentic record, was a well-to-do farmer of 
Maryland.

In 1710 Basil Foster, one of his descendants, emigrated to the Keystone state. 
In 1779 he and his family, together with twelve other families, met in Prince 
George county, Maryland, and signed a compact agreeing to penetrate the 
forests on the Broad Top mountains of Pennsylvania and make permanent 
settlements. In this colony were Richard and Benjamin Penn and Lewis 
Fluck, "the guide of 1776," together with other families. This little band of 
emigrants moved up the river to where the town of Saxton now stands and there 
built a block-house and surrounded the tract of land with a stockade. That 
same ground is now the site of the Fockler cemetery. 

When July, 1780, rolled around they had a considerable crop of grain to 
harvest and were engaged in that work on a certain Saturday on the 15th of 
July, 1780, when alarm was spread through the little colony by the sight of 
smoke arising from Shy Beaver block-house, six miles down the river. This was 
an indication that the Delaware Indians were on the war-path. An attack had 
been expected and by a code of signals the settlers were called to the Shoup 
block-house, and ere the dawn of Sunday, July 16, 1780, the twelve families 
that had made their way to the Juniata valley had started on their way back to 
Maryland. There were forty persons in the party. Seven years later, in 1787, 
the same twelve families and several other families in addition returned to 
the Juniata valley, and the Fosters pushed their way into the wilderness six 
miles southeast of where they had made their first settlement. In 1789 Basil 
Foster and his son, Richard L., built a hewed-log house in Bedford county, 
Pennsylvania, which has since sheltered six generations of the family, and is 
still occupied.

Richard L. Foster, one of the sons of Basil Foster and the grandfather of our 
subject, was born in Maryland, September 16, 1770, and was therefore about 
nine years of age at the time of the first emigration to Pennsylvania. When 
the settlers were driven from their new home through fear of the Indians he 
and Charity Johnson, then a little maiden of ten summers, were placed upon the 
same horse and thus traveled to the Potomac river. The little girl was born in 
Maryland, September 27, 1769. In the seven years which followed their return 
to their native state their friendship continued to grow, and ultimately 
ripened into love. In 1793 they were married by the famous Bishop Asbury of 
the Methodist church. Their union was blessed with the following children: 
Wealthy, born April 8, 1794, died in Bureau county, Illinois, in 1879; Sarah, 
born September 26, 1795, died in Bureau county, in 1885; Ephraim, born January 
12, 1797, died in Fulton county, Pennsylvania, in 1877; Eli, born July 10, 
1799, died in Grundy county, Illinois, in 1875; Richard, born August 29, 1801, 
died at Wallace, Knox county, Illinois, August 29, 1888; Lewis, born February 
9, 1803, was living in Lucas county, Iowa, in 1888, but since that time has 
not been heard from; Thomas, born September 30, 1805, died in Bedford county, 
Pennsylvania, June 8, 1886; Ruth, born July 10, 1808, was living in Decatur 
county, Iowa, in 1888; Josiah, born March 28, 1810, was living in Highland 
county, Ohio, in 1888; and Septimus, born October 2, 1813, was living in 
Fulton county, Pennsylvania, in 1888. After their marriage the parents of 
these children moved into the old log house in Pennsylvania that Richard L. 
Foster, the father, had erected. Richard Foster was renowned as a hunter, and 
many interesting stories have been told of his exploits. It is believed that 
both he and his father were in the battle of Bloody Run, Pennsylvania. He 
lived to the venerable age of eighty-eight years, passing away November 30, 
1853, while his wife died October 22, 1843. Many of their descendants are 
scattered throughout the United States, the representatives of the family 
being particularly numerous in Illinois.

Eli Foster, the father of our subject, was born July 10, 1799, in Maryland, 
became a pioneer carpenter and cabinet-maker of Pennsylvania, and was married 
in Bedford county, that state, April 29, 1827, to Catherine Steele. Their 
marriage occurred where the original settlement of the family was made, on the 
Raystown branch of the Juniata river. The lady was born in that locality, 
April 24, 1810. The Steeles were an old Pennsylvania Dutch family, and the 
father was a pioneer of Bedford county, that state, where he cleared and 
developed a large farm and became a well-to-do agriculturist. His children 
were: Jacob, a Dunkard minister, was the father of eleven children, and after 
giving to each one of them eight hundred acres of land he had eleven hundred 
acres left. He also owned a sawmill and gristmill, and was a prominent and 
influential citizen, who enjoyed the confidence of the entire community. He 
transacted business for the entire neighborhood, and no trust reposed in him 
was ever betrayed. The other children of Mr. Steele were George, Solomon, 
Catherine and Lydia, all of whom became well-to-do farming people.

Eli Foster and his wife, the parents of our subject, took up their abode in 
Bedford county, Pennsylvania, where the father worked at the trades of 
carpentering and cabinet-making. He conducted a shop for many years, 
manufacturing furniture and coffins. In 1840 he removed with his family to 
Highland county, Ohio, making the trip in the fall of that year with wagons. 
They were several days on the way, but at length took up their abode in 
Vienna, Highland county, where Mr. Foster conducted a cabinet-making shop for 
many years. His wife died in Ohio, January 14, 1886. She was a lady of many 
virtues and a sincere member of the Methodist church. The children of that 
union were: Reuben, born January 5, 1828; Cyrus, born October 25, 1829; 
Lucinda, born October 31, 1831; Levi, born September 23, 1833; Alfred L., born 
March 8, 1836; Allen, born April 8, 1838, in Pennsylvania, as were all those 
named above; George F., born in Ohio, July 23, 1840; Minerva, August 23, 1842; 
and Sarah E., July 5, 1844. After the death of his first wife Mr. Foster was 
again married, the wedding taking place in Highland county, Ohio, August 21, 
1849, the lady of his choice being Mary Claypool, who was born November 30, 
1819, and was the widow of Perry Claypool. Her maiden name was Halsted. The 
children of this marriage were: Juliana, who was born in 1853 and died October 
8, 1854; and Catherine, born January 29, 1854. In 1849 Mr. Foster removed with 
his family to Illinois, making the journey with wagons and horses and reaching 
his destination after three weeks of travel. He settled in Wauponsee township, 
Grundy county, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of wild prairie land, 
which he improved, making a good pioneer home. He erected substantial 
buildings and transformed the wild tract into richly cultivated fields. His 
death occurred on that farm January 23, 1874, when he had attained the age of 
seventy-four years, six months and thirteen days. In his political views he 
was a Democrat, and held the office of supervisor and other township 
positions. In religious faith he was a Methodist, and was well known as a 
highly respected citizen.

Allen Horton Foster, the subject of this review, was born in Stonerstown, 
Pennsylvania, April 8, 1838, acquired a common-school education and was reared 
to farm life. He came with his father to Grundy county when a lad of ten 
years, and can well remember the journey. They camped at night by the wayside 
in true pioneer style, sleeping in the wagons. There were three two-horse 
teams and three weeks had passed ere they reached their destination. Amid the 
wild scenes of the frontier Mr. Foster was reared, and well can he remember 
the incidents of pioneer life.

He aided in the work of the home farm until after the inauguration of the 
civil war, when, prompted by a spirit of patriotism, he joined the Union army, 
enlisting as a private at Morris, Illinois, August 10, 1862. He became the 
tenor drummer and afterward the base drummer of Company D, Ninety-first 
Illinois Infantry, under command of Captain E. J. Fosha. He served for three 
years and was honorably discharged at New Orleans, on the 5th of June, 1865. 
The Ninety-first Illinois Infantry was organized at Camp Butler, Illinois, in 
August, 1862, by Colonel Henry M. Day, and was mustered in on the 8th of 
September, following. They left Camp Butler on the 1st of October for the 
front and arrived at Shepherdsville, Kentucky, on the 7th of that month. They 
did scouting duty in that state, following Morgan's troops and guarding the 
Louisville & Nashville Railroad from the 8th of October until the 20th of 
December. On the morning of the latter day the rebel general, John Morgan, 
appeared with his forces at Elizabethtown, Kentucky, where the Ninety-first 
was then stationed, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Harry S. Smith. 
Three companies of the regiment had been detached and were captured the day 
before while guarding railroads elsewhere. The remainder of the regiment was 
armed with the old-fashioned flint-lock muskets, and as their ammunition was 
exhausted after a short engagement, at 1:30 P. M., they were forced to 
surrender, seven men having been killed, while several were wounded. The rebel 
loss in killed and wounded exceeded two hundred. The Ninety-first was soon 
afterward paroled. On the 28th of December, 1862, its men scattered, making 
their way to Benton barracks, St. Louis, Missouri. Many of them returned home 
on short visits, but on the 28th of February, 1863, two-thirds of the regiment 
answered to roll call at Benton barracks and were given six months' pay.

On the 5th of June of the same year they were exchanged and were furnished 
with new arms and equipments. In July they were stationed at Vicksburg where 
many were ill, while others died, the result of poisoned water which had been 
contaminated by the dead who had fallen in the memorable siege of Vicksburg. 
From the 25th of July until the 13th of August, 1863, the regiment engaged in 
scouting duty near Port Hudson, after which they were stationed at New 
Orleans, Louisiana, until September 5, 1863. On the 7th of that month they 
were engaged in battle with the enemy at Atchafalaya river, and on the 
following day succeeded in driving the rebels across the river and captured 
two hundred prisoners. On the 23d of October the Ninety-first started for 
Texas, arriving at Point Isabel in that state on the 3d of November. On the 
6th of the same month they started for Brownsville, Texas, and on the way were 
engaged in skirmishing with the enemy during the three-days march. On the 31st 
of December, 1863, the regiment made its famous raid, capturing Salt Lake, and 
on the 9th of January, 1864, they again arrived at Brownsville, after marching 
two hundred miles. On the 11th of September of the same year the regiment was 
attacked by the enemy at Bagdad, on the Rio Grande river, and afterward took 
an active part in the siege and capture of Spanish-Fort and Fort Blakely, The 
same command was also engaged in the skirmish with the enemy on Eight Mile 
creek, which was the last engagement on the Mississippi. Mr. Foster was ill in 
a hospital in New Orleans for a month. He was a loyal and faithful soldier, 
performing his duty promptly and cheerfully. He is now an honored member of 
the Grand Army Post at Morris.

Returning to his home, Mr. Foster engaged in farming, and in Mazon, on the 1st 
of January, 1867, when twenty-eight years of age, was united in marriage to 
Miss Hattie Fuller, whose birth occurred December 28, 1847, in Mazon township, 
one mile southeast of the village, her parents being William and Sarah (Royal) 
Fuller. Her father was born in Jefferson county, near LeRay, New York, 
February 21, 1811, and was a son of Perley and Rebecca (Rogers) Fuller. Her 
great-grandfather was Porter Fuller, who was born in Vermont and was of 
English descent. He removed to New York during the pioneer settlement of that 
state. The Fullers, however, were representatives of an old colonial family 
connected with the Puritan emigrants, one of their ancestors having come from 
England with the Pilgrims in the Mayflower in 1620, when a settlement was 
effected at Plymouth. Perley Fuller was a farmer of Jefferson county, New 
York, and there reared his family, his children being William, Rebecca, 
Almeda, Richard, Fannie, Julia, Hattie and Perley. All were born in the Empire 
state, after which the grandfather of Mrs. Foster removed to Ohio, dying in 
Garrettsville. The year of his emigration westward was 1833. He settled upon a 
tract of heavily timbered land, and in the midst of the forest developed a 
large and valuable farm, containing about five hundred acres. He served as a 
soldier in the war of 1812 and was a member of the Presbyterian church. His 
wife died in 1874, at the age of eighty-one years.

Their son, William Fuller, the father of Mrs. Foster, left his home in New 
York when about thirty years of age and removed to Chicago, where he lived for 
one year. He purchased an acre of land at Joliet, but came to Mazon, living 
with Owen Fuller for a year. He then purchased eighty acres of wild land in 
Mazon township, for a dollar and a quarter per acre, and paid for the property 
with money gained by splitting rails for thirty-seven and a half cents per 
hundred. On the 10th of January, 1846, in Mazon, he married Sarah Royal, who 
was born in Ohio, December 11, 1824, a daughter of Charles and Mary Royal. Her 
father was of English lineage, a son of William Royal, who had come to this 
country from England. Leaving the Buckeye state, Charles Royal emigrated to 
Illinois and cast in his lot with the pioneer settlers of Mazon township. 
About 1852 he removed to Oregon, crossing the plains with wagons, and died in 
the Sunset state when about seventy-eight years of age. His children were 
Wesley, John, Sarah, Eliza, Fletcher, William, Mary, Elizabeth and James. 
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Fuller located upon his farm of eighty 
acres, and his business interests were successfully conducted. He prospered in 
his undertakings, becoming a substantial pioneer and the owner of a well 
improved and valuable farm of three hundred and sixty acres. He also gave to 
each of his children one hundred acres. These were: Hattie, now Mrs. Foster; 
Gilbert, who was born January 28, 1850; and Mary R., born August 10, 1855. In 
his religious views the father was liberal, but was a man of high probity, 
honorable in all life's relations. He died March 11, 1875, on the old 
homestead, when sixty-four years of age.

Mr. and Mrs. Foster began their domestic life in Mazon township, on a part of 
the Fuller homestead, and there lived until their removal to the village of 
Mazon, in 1897. He prospered in his business undertakings, being ably assisted 
by his wife, who proved to him a faithful and capable helpmate. He now owns 
three hundred and ten acres of land three-fourths of a mile east of the 
village and from his property derives a handsome income. The marriage of Mr. 
and Mrs. Foster was blessed with seven children, namely: Cora May, who was 
born May 19, 1868; Grace, born June 30, 1870; Blanche, born July 29, 1872; 
Pina, born January 11, 1874; Daisy, born July 4, 1876; Hattie, born May 9, 
1881; and Roy A., born June 4, 1886.

Mr. and Mrs. Foster are Methodists in religious faith and take an active 
interest in the upbuilding of the church in which they hold membership. In his 
political views he is a Democrat, but has never sought office, preferring that 
his time and attention should be given to his business affairs, in which he 
has met with creditable and well merited success. He is now living retired in 
Mazon, enjoying a well earned rest. Upon the battle-fields of the south he 
displayed his loyalty to the government, and at all times has been true to his 
duties of citizenship, taking an active interest in everything tending to 
promote the welfare of county, state and nation.

Additional Comments:
Source:  Biographical and Genealogical Record of La Salle and Grundy County, 
Illinois, Volume 11, Chicago, 1900, p736-742

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/grundy/bios/foster75gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/

File size: 17.4 Kb