Question. Is the Henry Foster in Barren Co., Kentucky the same person as the Henry Foster who later shows up in Giles Co., TN? My problem is that I can’t be absolutely certain if there is just this one Henry Foster or two men of the same name who are about the same age. To put it another way, is the Henry Foster in Giles Co. a son of John Foster and Lucy Smith of Barren Co. or is he a son of Joel Foster and Edy Amos who were next door in Allen Co., KY? There is evidence that seems to support either possibility. Here’s what I’ve been able to find: Barren County, Kentucky land records -- 25 Nov. 1826, Sarah Foster, Paschal Foster, Henry Foster, James & Frances E. Cardin, Thomas & Judith Duncan, John T. Foster, and Francis L. & Mirandy Smith (legatees of John Foster Sr.) to Joseph G. Cockrill, 1826. 25 Nov. 1826, Sarah Foster (/s/ Sally (X) Foster) of Allen Co. KY, Paschal Foster, Henry Foster, James Cardin and wife Frances E., Thomas Duncan and wife Judith, John T. Foster, and Francis L. Smith or his agent and wife Mirandy, of Barren Co. KY, all legatees of John Foster Sr., decd, to Joseph G. Cockrill ... March 1843, decree of Barren Co. circuit court Session. Henry Foster married Susannah Vaughan 25 Dec 1820 in Barren Co. Nottoway Co., Virginia, Deed Book 3 2 Dec 1807 Lucy Foster wife of John Foster relinquishes right of dower . . . Between Burwell P. Foster . . . In witness thereof John Foster, Sr. Paschal Foster Henry Foster Nottoway Court 3 Sept. 1807 Barren Co KY Will Book 3, p. 101 Lucy Foster, 14 March 1831 Probated: November Court 1835 Grandchildren: Lucy Ann, Elisa Jane and Mary William Smith Daughter: Miranda S. Smith Notes held on John Herndon, David Lock, James Hall, William Denton, Samuel Harston [administrator of John Foster Jr, decd] Executor: Son - John T. Foster Witnesses: B Mills Crenshaw, Nathaniel Wheeler, James Wheeler. This would seem to be ironclad proof that this Henry Foster is a son of the John and Lucy Foster mentioned above. But I can find no further mention of Henry or Susannah Foster after 1826. They do not show up in any census record that I can find. If anyone knows more about them please contact me. Digression. My research indicates that John Foster married Lucy Smith, probably in Amelia Co., VA. They moved to Kentucky because of the bounty lands awarded to their deceased relative Ensign Robert Foster’s Revolutionary War Service (His original service records can be viewed on Footnote. They are quite extensive.) As proof of John Foster’s patrimony, I submit the following. For the record, these documents are posted online in various places as well as being available at the LVA. I’ve seen the microfilms and am satisfied with their accuracy. Nottoway Co., Virginia, June 17, 1800 Abraham Foster, and Annas (nee McGehee, my note), his wife, of Prince Edward Co., George Foster and Elizabeth, his wife, of Prince Edward Co., John Foster and Lucy, his wife, of Nottoway Co., Shadrach Holt and Judeah (sp?), his wife, of Nottoway Co., James Fowlkes and Sally, his wife, of Pittsylvania Co., and James Foster, of Daverson [Davidson, my note] Co., Tennessee, to Nathan (Norton?) Dickerson, of Nottoway Co. £300; 226 acres in Nottoway Co. Will of Abraham Foster, Prince Edward Co., VA Nov. 28, 1808, pr. Jan. 16, 1809 Legatees, sons Booker, George, and John Foster Daughters Sally, Betsey, Nelly, Polly and Nancy Foster Executors sons Booker and George and friend Edmond Lockett Witnesses Thomas C. Armstrong, James Dillon, George Foster, Williamson Foster Security Simon Walton, John Clark, Archibald Fuqua, James J. Foster There seems to be some confusion about which John is which. I believe that the John Foster referenced in the 1800 Nottoway land transaction is actually Abraham Foster’s brother, not his son. Abraham Foster’s son John is mentioned in a history of McCracken Co., KY. This John Foster married (1) Mary Hester Walton and (2) Elizabeth Leigh. He died 8 Dec 1874 in McCracken Co. Now, back to the Henry Foster in Giles Co., TN. On the 1840 Giles Co., census a Henry Foster is living next door to Stith Wilson who married Nancy Foster, a daughter of Joel Foster and Edy Amos (Nancy’s relationship is inferred from the 1860 Pope Co., Arkansas census where Eady Foster, then aged 94, is living with her granddaughter Edith Wilson, daughter of Nancy Foster and Stith Meade Wilson. Source Footnote). Giles Co., Tennessee Deeds Henry FOSTER, Entry 102, 29 1/2 A in Rng. 2, Sec. 2, 14th C.D., on Bigby Creek in Giles and Maury Counties, adj. Elizabeth KERK; county line; Calvin COFFY; W. HOLT; Maj. C. HOWELL. Surv. 12 Sep 1844. James GARRIGUS & Stith M. WILSON, C.C. This would seem to be good circumstantial evidence that Henry Foster is a brother of Nancy Foster. So, if the Henry Foster in Giles Co. is not the same one as the one in Barren Co. where was he prior to 1840? I’ve found the following: Arkansas Federal Land Records (Originals can be viewed on the GLO website) Arkansas Co., Arkansas Foster excerpts FOSTER BOOKER 29 4S 2W 160 1820/11/27 FOSTER HENRY 11 5S 5W 160 1821/04/23 FOSTER STEPHEN 19 5S 2W 160 1822/12/23 FOSTER WILLIAM 17 3S 2W 160 1829/01/28 This Henry Foster was awarded bounty lands for his War of 1812 service. He served as a private in Capt. Riddle’s Co., 8th Inf. Reg. This unit was mustered into service in north-central NC and south central VA. It was stationed for a time at Ft. Hawkins, Georgia. There is also a Henry Foster who was on the 1840 tax list for old Carroll Co., Arkansas. At this time Carroll Co. encompassed much of present day NW Arkansas. A Henry Foster married Naticia Cannon on 7 April 1817 in Madison Co., Alabama. Madison Co. is almost due south of Giles Co., TN. My current working hypothesis is that the Henry Foster in Giles Co. is not the same as the one in Barren Co. But there’s still an element of doubt. Was he indeed a son of Joel Foster and Edy Amos and married Naticia (Natasha?) Cannon? Did he live in Alabama and Arkansas for a time before returning to Tennessee? At some point prior to 1850 he moved to Searcy. He is living with a much younger woman named Nancy. Family tradition says she was Nancy Holman and was first married to a John Foster. How this John was related to Henry is a mystery.