Burrell & Averilla Foster

Hello folks!  Been awhile since you heard from me so I thought I’d check in and make certain you knew I was still digging.

One of the “speculations” I had made about James Foster, Sr. is that Burrell Foster was his son.  Up until now, all I had to go on was that James had a son born in Illinois that was the right age and that Burrell had settled in the same area as James Sr,’s children.

Burrell made it difficult on us by dying at 31 and leaving only one known descendant, Averilla Foster.  Averilla lived an even shorter life, dying at the age of 31, too, but she had 6 children, that we know of.

Anyway, I was searching for Burrell today and ran into this site:  http://mjgen.com/willard/2martin.html.  It contains information about Burrell and his wife, Elizabeth Jane Willard.  One of the items mentioned by the author of the site is that, after Burrell died, she could not find Elizabeth or Averilla in the 1860 or 1870 census.  we know Averilla had married Elisha Smith in 1870, but I just knew we should be able to find Averilla in 1860 using the name Foster.

I think I found her.  In 1860 there was an “Aravella Foster” living with another Foster family.  Her age was listed as 9 years old, which puts her in the right ball park.  She was listed as the 8th child in the family, but she would have been the 4th oldest.  As I’m sure you are aware, this usually meant that the child did not belong to the parents.  So, I am “reasonably certain” that this is Averilla.  And the family she was living with?  James Foster, Jr and Sally Tally!  if my speculations are correct, this would make Averilla James’ niece.

I know, it’s not proof, but it sure seems that James Jr. and Burrell were brothers!  If you want to see this for yourself, look up the 1860 Saint Clair County, Missouri Census and find James & Sally.

Cheers!

Terry