Person · 1777 - 1857
Samuel Foster
Samuel Foster
| Born | 1777-04-26 |
| Died | 1857-08-01 Billerica, MA |
| Representative to the General Court | |
| In Office | 1840 - 1840 |
| Preceded by | Thomas Spaulding |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Spaulding |
| Father | Joseph Foster |
| Mother | Elizabeth Hilton |
| Spouses |
Anne Whitney |
| Children | Dudley (b. 1809-11-15) |
Capt. Samuel Foster (1777-1857) was a shoemaker who lived for almost sixty years on the Boston road a short walk north of the meetinghouse in Billerica Centre, and the town's Representative to the General Court in 1840.
He was born on April 26, 1777, a son of Joseph Foster and Elizabeth Hilton of Manchester. His father was the son of a Joseph Foster of Ipswich; the children were born in Beverly, and the father died in Billerica in 1802. On October 29, 1798 Samuel, then a cordwainer, bought from James Sumner Jr. of Beverly, for $100, a strip of land 43 feet wide on "the Country road," and by 1805, when he sold a half interest "with half the buildings thereon standing" to his brother Joseph Foster, also a cordwainer, he had built his house and shop there. Joseph sold the half back in 1806. The house, the Samuel Foster House, stood until about 1900. Samuel added three acres next to it from Alexander Bowers and the widow Dorcas Bowers in 1810, and three acres more on the north from Thomas Sumner in 1824.
On January 14, 1802 he married Anne Whitney, a daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Duren) Whitney of Stow. Their children were Thomas (1803-1804); Sally (born 1805), who married James Damon of Reading; Elmira (1807-1809); Dudley Foster (born 1809), later the town clerk and treasurer; Edwin (born 1812), who married Ann L. Callender; Daniel Whitney (1814-1815); Elizabeth Ann (1816, died as an infant); a second Elizabeth Ann (born 1817); Mary (born 1819), who married Edward Mansfield in 1843 and died in 1846; Joseph (born 1821), who married Lydia A. Dutton; Jonathan (born 1823); and Sumner (born 1829), who married Elizabeth Putnam.
Foster cut lots for his family out of the homestead. In 1838 he sold an acre and a quarter on the south side to Dudley, "reserving the shop," and Dudley built the Dudley Foster House there. In 1841 he sold an acre on the north side to his son-in-law Edward Mansfield; after Mary's death it came back to him, and in 1850 he deeded it, as "the Mansfield Place ... with the buildings thereon," to his son Joseph. He was an executor of the will of his brother John Foster in 1841 and a surety for the administrator of Reuel Goodwin's estate in 1846.
His will, made on March 26, 1850, left his wife "the use and improvement of all my real estate" for her life, then to be divided among his legal heirs, with Dudley as executor. Anne Foster died on April 13, 1857 and Samuel on August 1, 1857. The will was allowed at Lowell on September 1, 1857; the inventory valued the homestead at $2,000, and in 1858 Dudley bought out the other heirs and lived on in his father's house.
References
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Property | Recorded |
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| February 5, 1799 | Deed | James Sumner Jr. of Beverly, mariner (wife Betsey releasing dower) | Samuel Foster of Billerica, cordwainer | Details | John D. Foster House Samuel Foster House Amos Warren Proctor House |
130/489 (South) |
For $100, "a certain piece of land in Billerica", beginning at the northeast corner, south by the Country road 43 feet to land of Capt. Bowers, west by Bowers 26 poles 22 links to land of Dr. Bowers, north by Dr. Bowers 43 feet, then east by "land belonging to myself" to the first corner; Foster to build any partition fence "between the aforesaid strip of land & my own land" at his own expense. Dated Oct. 29, 1798; witnesses Nehemiah Roundy and Joseph Foster. Billerica town book 9, pages 389-390. The first piece of the Foster homestead: a narrow strip on the west side of the Boston road north of the meetinghouse.
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| April 17, 1806 | Quitclaim | Samuel Foster of Billerica, gentleman (wife Anna releasing dower) | His brother Joseph Foster of Billerica, cordwainer | Details | John D. Foster House Samuel Foster House |
166/230 (South) |
For $400, quitclaim of "one undivided half of a certain peice of land with half the buildings thereon standing in Billerica": the 43-foot strip on the country road between Alexander Bowers (south), Doct. William Bowers (west) and James Sumner Jr. (north). Dated Nov. 1, 1805; witnesses John Foster and Benjamin H. Foster. Billerica town book 10, pages 336-337. The brothers, both shoemakers, shared the house and shop; Joseph sold his half back in 1806.
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| November 20, 1815 | Quitclaim | Joseph Foster of Billerica, cordwainer (wife Lucy releasing dower) | Samuel Foster of Billerica | Details | John D. Foster House Samuel Foster House |
211/356 (South) |
For $400, quitclaim of "one undivided half of a certain piece or tract of land and half the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica": the 43-foot strip on the County road, south by Alexander Bowers, west 26 poles 22 links to Doctor William Bowers, north by William Bowers 43 feet, east by James Sumner Jr. Dated Nov. 22, 1806, acknowledged 1810 before Blaney Abbott, recorded Nov. 20, 1815. Billerica town book 11, pages 355-356. The first record of buildings on the lot: the Foster house and shoe shop stood here by 1806.
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| May 10, 1810 | Deed | Alexander Bowers of Charlestown, merchant, and Dorcas Bowers of Boston, widow (Mary Bowers releasing dower) | Samuel Foster of Billerica, yeoman | Details | John D. Foster House Samuel Foster House Dudley Foster House 377 Boston Rd Hannah Patten Chandler House |
188/344 (South) |
For $300, "a certain tract of land situate in Billerica aforesaid the west side of the road leading from Boston to Chelmsford and about twenty five rods north of the meeting house", "three acres more or less", east on the road, north on James Sumner, west on William Bowers, south on other land of the grantors, "all the lines are as the walls now stand". No buildings named. Dated Jan. 1, 1810. Billerica town book 10, pages 541-542. The main body of the Foster homestead.
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| January 17, 1826 | Warranty Deed | Thomas Sumner of Billerica, gentleman (wife Rebecca releasing dower) | Samuel Foster of Billerica, gentleman | Details | Amos Warren Proctor House | 264/271 (South) |
For $238, "a lot or parcel of land situate in said Billerica containing about three acres more or less bounded East by the highway leading from Billerica Meeting house to Amherst, South by land of said Foster, West by land of the heirs of Doct. Wm Bowers and North by land of Joshua Bennett." No buildings, no title recital. Dated April 12, 1824; witnesses John Baldwin, Joseph Locke and Henry Bridge. Billerica town book 13, pages 363-364. The north end of this lot became the Mansfield acre in 1841.
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| November 20, 1838 | Deed | Samuel Foster of Billerica, gentleman (wife Anna releasing dower) | His son Dudley Foster of Billerica, yeoman | Details | John D. Foster House Samuel Foster House Dudley Foster House 377 Boston Rd |
378/272 (South) |
For $150, "a certain tract or parcel of land situate in said Billerica on the westerly side of the great road leading from Boston to Lowell containing one and a quarter acres", beginning at the southeast corner at the road and land of Justin Smith "formerly Joseph Locke", west by Smith about 26 rods to the heirs of Doct. William B[owers], north by them 8 rods, east "by my own land" about 26 rods to the road, and south by the road 8 rods, "reserving the shop thereon". Dated Nov. 17, 1838; witnesses Marshall Preston and Joseph Foster. Billerica town book 14, pages 495-496. Cut from the south side of the homestead for the Dudley Foster House (377 Boston Road); Samuel kept the old house to the north.
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| 1841 | Will | Estate of John Foster of Billerica, yeoman | His sister Dorcas Foster for life, then nephews and nieces including Levi Thomas Foster | Details | Joshua Abbott House William F. Sanborn House |
Probate #32105 |
Will dated June 14, 1841, allowed Sept. 7, 1841, brother Samuel Foster and nephew Dudley Foster executors. His sister Dorcas had "the use and improvement of all my estate" for life; after legacies, half the residue went to the children of his brother Samuel and half to "Levi Thomas Foster and John Foster sons of my brother Levi." The inventory of Aug. 20, 1841 values "The Homestead Farm of said deceased situate in said Billerica containing about 37 acres" at $3,000. The account of 1850 includes "Alvin Wright's bill of repairs on buildings," and the residuary legatees receipted in February 1851, after which the homestead was held by Levi T. Foster.
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| December 23, 1841 | Deed | Samuel Foster of Billerica, yeoman (wife Anna releasing dower) | Edward Mansfield of Billerica, yeoman | Details | Samuel Foster House Amos Warren Proctor House |
409/469 (South) |
For $150, "a certain tract or parcel of land situate in said Billerica on the westerly side of the great road leading from Boston to Lowell containing one acre", beginning at the southeast corner at the road "and my own land", west by the grantor about 25 rods to the heirs of Doct. William Bowers, north by them about 6 rods to Joshua Bennett, east by Bennett parallel to the first line to the road, and south by the road 6 rods. Dated Nov. 29, 1841, acknowledged before Dudley Foster. Billerica town book 17, pages 228-229. The north end of the Foster homestead; Samuel kept the house lot between this and Dudley Foster.
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| 1846 | Administration | Estate of Reuel Goodwin of Billerica, yeoman (died intestate 1846) | His heirs: Benjamin F. Beard, Daniel Richardson, Reuel Goodwin and Caroline Goodwin, among others | Details | Ditson School 39 Cook St Reuel Goodwin House |
Probate #32868 |
On Sept. 14, 1846 the heirs at law Benjamin F. Beard, Daniel Richardson, Reuel Goodwin and Caroline Goodwin asked the court to appoint Marshall Preston of Billerica administrator; he was appointed Oct. 13, 1846 with Samuel Foster and Dudley Foster as sureties. Abner Shed of Burlington, Francis Carter and William S. Gleason appraised the estate (real estate $2,412, personal $505.53): "The Real Estate consisting of the farm with the Buildings thereon". On the petition of Benjamin F. and Betsey C. Beard the court on Jan. 11, 1848 appointed Abner Shed, William S. Gleason and Cyrus Thompson of Woburn to divide it (recorded probate vol. 188, p. 668). They valued eight pieces at $2,686, first "About four acres of Mowing & tillage land, with the House standing on the same", $610, and the "Barn lot" of 19 1/4 acres "with the Barn standing thereon", $350, then the Logging pasture, Swamp lot, Lathrop lot, River pasture, Tillingham corner and a horse shed at the Burlington meeting house. To Caroline Goodwin, one fifth, they set off "the westerly part of the dwelling house late of said Deceased", divided by a line "through the house" along the west wall of the entry, with eight feet of the cellar and the use of the stairs, entries and well "so long as said house shall stand", and 21 acres of the River pasture. "The Easterly part of the house" with the rest of the house lot, the River pasture and the Barn lot went in common to Reuel Goodwin Jr., Mrs. Betsy C. Beard and her husband, the minors Barbara Ann and Melvina Richardson, and Charles O. Reed; the Lathrop lot went to the other children of Rhoda Reed.
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| February 18, 1847 | Quitclaim | Daniel Mansfield of Lynnfield, yeoman (wife Esther releasing dower) | Samuel Foster of Billerica, yeoman | Details | Amos Warren Proctor House | 505/327 (South) |
For $900, quitclaim of "all my right title interest and estate in and to all the estate of the late Mary Mansfield that I have any claim to by virtue of a provision in a quit claim deed to her signed by me dated the ninth day of March A.D. 1846" (Book 488, Page 463). Dated November 24, 1846, acknowledged in Essex County; witnesses Ezra Mansfield and Dudley Foster. Copied twice in the Billerica town books (18/311 and 19/182-183). Mary Mansfield had died within the year, and the Mansfield acre came back to Samuel Foster.
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| 1850 | Deed | Samuel Foster of Billerica (wife Anna releasing dower) | Joseph Foster | Details | Samuel Foster House Amos Warren Proctor House |
577/380 (South) |
Warranty deed of "a certain parcel of real estate situate in said Billerica called the Mansfield Place containing one acre ... with the buildings thereon", north on Joshua Bennett about 26 rods, west by the heirs of William Bowers about 6 rods, south about 26 rods "by my own land", east on the road from Billerica to Lowell about 6 rods. Dated Jan. 9, 1850; witness Dudley Foster. Billerica town book 21, pages 18-19. The 1841 Mansfield acre had come back to Samuel; this deed again confirms that Samuel's own house lot lay just south of it.
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| September 1, 1857 | Will | Estate of Samuel Foster of Billerica | Widow Anna Foster (life estate), then his legal heirs; Dudley Foster executor | Details | Samuel Foster House John D. Foster House Dudley Foster House Hannah Patten Chandler House |
Probate #32131 |
Will dated March 26, 1850 (witnesses Gardner Parker, Theodore L. Haynes, Elmira Pollard), allowed at Lowell Sept. 1, 1857: to "my beloved wife Anna Foster, the use and improvement of all my real estate" for life, and at her decease "my real Estate ... be equally divided among my legal heirs"; son Dudley Foster sole executor. Inventory Aug. 27, 1857 (Lyman Haynes, Gardner Parker, Amasa Holden): "Homestead of said deceased" $2,000, "Parker Lot" $350, "Plain Land" $175, "Cove Land" $100; personal estate $1,744.46 including hay in the barn, a cow, wagons, and boots and shoes. First account allowed Dec. 7, 1858, assented to by James and Sally F. Damon, Elizabeth A. Foster, Joseph Foster, Sumner Foster, and Dudley Foster as guardian of Anna L., Edward M. and Francis H. Foster.
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| March 27, 1858 | Deed | James Damon and Sally F. Damon (in her right), Elizabeth A. Foster, all of Charlestown; Joseph Foster of Billerica; Sumner Foster of North Reading (heirs of Samuel Foster) | Dudley Foster of Billerica | Details | Samuel Foster House John D. Foster House Dudley Foster House Hannah Patten Chandler House |
13/530 |
Conveys "four undivided sixths" of "the homestead of Samuel Foster late of Billerica deceased, containing about four acres with the buildings thereon standing", beginning at the northeast corner at land of Joseph Foster on the road from Billerica to Lowell, west by Joseph to the heirs of Dr. William Bowers, south by them to land of Dudley Foster, east by Dudley to the road and north on the road, "as the wall now stands"; with four sixths of the Parker lot, a 5-acre lot on the Tewksbury road and 15 acres of plain land (S.393/155), all "as legal heirs" of Samuel Foster. Acknowledged March 25, 1858 before Thomas Sumner; wives Lydia A. and Elizabeth P. Foster release dower. Middlesex North 13/530-532.
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Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted; Probate # is a Middlesex probate case, Ctf a Land Court certificate of title.