Generation Four

 

 

22.  Madison⁴ FOSTER (James³, Isaac², William¹) was born September 15, 1809 in Monroe Co., VA^[1],[2] and married Catherine Filenger, daughter of Jacob Filenger and Elizabeth Songer, June 15, 1825 in Giles Co., VA.   Madison died November 7, 1885 at age 76 and is buried in the Fairview Baptist Church Cemetery in Summers Co., WV.^[3]

     He was a laborer in 1850 in Monroe Co., VA^[4]  and a farm laborer with $50 in personal property in 1860 in the Red Sulphur District in Peterstown, VA.^[5]  Madison lived in 1880 in the Red Sulphur District in Peterstown, WV.  Madison and Catherine were living with son, John, and his family in 1880.^[6]

     The marriage record reads, “Foster-Madison & Catherine Fillenger.  15 Jun 1828; perm-James Foster.  wit-Robert Foster & James Lockerridge.  Perm-23 Jun by Jacob (X) Fillinger.  b-24 Jun by Robert Foster.”

     Catherine FILENGER was born on June 16, 1802 in Monroe Co., VA.^[7],[8] She died on June 7, 1887 at age 84 and is buried in the Fairview Baptist Church Cemetery in Summers Co., WV.^[9]

     Children of Madison⁴ Foster and Catherine Filenger were as follows:

        24.        i.    James⁵ Foster; born 1829 in VA.^[10]

        25.       ii.    Elizabeth Foster; born 1830 in VA.^[11]

+      26.     iii.    Jacob H. Foster, born 1832 in Monroe Co., VA; married Martha A. Criner.

        27.      iv.    Martha Foster; born 1834 in VA.^[12]

        28.       v.    Mary Foster; born 1836 in VA.^[13]

        29.      vi.    Nancy J. Foster; born July, 1837 in Monroe Co., VA;^[14] married Wiley R. Ferguson, son of John Ferguson and Ann Dowdy, January 8, 1857 in Monroe Co., VA.  (A troublesome marriage record, Wiley's parents are given as John and Nancy instead of John and Ann.  Nancy J. Foster's parents are Madison Foster and Katherine Fillenger yet the census records don't list a Nancy J. as a daughter of Madison and Katherine.^[15])

        30.    vii.    Margaret Foster; born 1838 in VA.^[16]

        31.    viii.    Michael H. Foster; born 1841 in Red Sulfer District, Monroe Co., VA;^[17],[18] died May 29, 1875 in Forest Hill, Summers Co., WVA.  The cause of death was "shot in war;" the effects of his Civil War wound received at Hatcher's Run; buried at Fairview Baptist Church Cemetery in Summers Co., WV.^[19],[20]  Foster's unmarked grave was marked by a granite shaft six years after a marker to the memory of the Monroe Guards was dedicated 1907 in Summers Co., WV.^[21]

     He was a day laborer living with his older brother Jacob Foster in 1860 in Monroe Co., VA.^[22] He began military service on May 9, 1861 in Union, VA, when he enlisted in Co. D of the 27th VA INF (the Stonewall Brigade of Jackson's  then Ewell's Corp).

     MICHAEL "MIKE" FOSTER

     Present until absent sick with typhoid fever in Charlottesville hospital October 13-31, 1861.

     Absent on leave November 16, 1861 for 20 days.

     Present January-February 1862.

     Absent sick in Lynchburg hospital March-April 1862.

     Absent without leave October 24-December 14, 1862.

     Present December 14, 1862 to February 1864.

     Issued clothing 3/31/65 then 4/20, 5/31, 9/17, 10/1, 11/1, and 12/1/64.

     Wounded In Action (hip, bladder and thigh) at Hatcher's Run on February 9, 1865.

     The "Lexington Gazette" reported in 1893, "Mike Foster, Monroe Guards, 27th VA INF, wounded repeatedly was presented a laurel wreath by Gen. R. E.

Lee as the bravest, and most efficient soldier in the Stonewall Brigade while in the hospital in Richmond in 1863.  He was wounded and captured at Hatcher's Run in 4/65 (sic).  Gen. J. B. Gordon offered 50 Federal prisoners of war to get him back. He was terribly wounded and died from the effects at Forest Hill, WVA on May 22, 1875."  Buried in Forest Hill, WVA Confederate Veterans Camp in Monroe Co., WVA named in his honor.  "Distinguished for gallantry on every battlefield."

     The 27thVirginia Infantry reports on page 4, “Of the 108 members of the company none achieved greater distinction than Michael Foster, a 21- year-old farmer, from Summers County.  Contemporary accounts reveal that Foster was adjudged the bravest men in the company as well as in what came to be known as the Stonewall Brigade.

     The twin accolades resulted from a gesture by the ladies of Rockbridge County who sent five suits of clothes and a wreath to Stonewall Jackson

instructing him to award a suit to the bravest soldier in each of his five regiments and the wreath to the most valorous man in the brigade.

     Foster was captured late in the war and, it was written, was so highly regarded by John B. Gordon that the general  offered 50 Federal prisoners in

exchange for him.  Mike died shortly after the war, allegedly as a result of his numerous wounds.

     Foster's grave remained unmarked until 1907, when old comrades dedicated a granite shaft "in the presence of one of the largest if not the largest crowds of people that ever assembled within the boundaries of the county."  The monument to Foster was erected six years after a marker to the memory of the Monroe Guards was dedicated.  Sponsors of  the memorial expected that a highway would be rerouted into close proximity of the monument and erected it in a farmer's field.  The highway department failed to cooperate and today the monument stands as a lonely sentinel in pasture land, a reminder of political mischief.”

     Later on page 78, “After two nights at Hamilton's Crossing the Stonewall Brigade commenced its march toward Chancellorsville for its rendezvous with Hooker's legions.

     A heavy fog blanketed the countryside when shortly after midnight on April 30, the columns took to the road.  A short distance west of Frederickburg the graycoats diverged to the left on the Plank Road, where they bivouacked in the woods.

     Four members of Company D, 27th Virginia, all of whom had enlisted at Union in Monroe County in May 1861 served as sharpshooters during this operation.  They were Lieutenant John Tiffany, 21, who had been a student prior to the war; Mike Foster, 23, a prewar farmer; George Lynch, 23, also a farmer and Addison Leach, 28, a saddler.

     Writing to his parents, Tiffany described the activities of the sharpshooters on May 1:

     The first Brigade sharpshooters were thrown to the front on the first day of May where they continued until the fight was over without sleep or rest, in

sight of the enemy all the time making many a shot tell a sorrowful tale to some family North†Nothing but the love for one's country would cause men to undergo what we have done.  Mike Foster distinguished himself for his accurate shooting, and watchfulness.  When you heard his gun crack you knew one was hurt.  If he did not kill him, you would hear him squeal from the pain of the wound.”^[23]

     He was wounded in hip, bladder and thigh on February 9, 1865 at Hatcher's Run, VA.^[24]

        32.      ix.    Eliza Foster; born 1842 in VA.^[25]

+      33.       x.    John Foster, born February 20, 1844 in VA; married Ann R. Ferguson.

        34.      xi.    William Foster; born 1846 in VA.^[26]

 

 

 

 

 

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