Individual Details

Andrew Foster

(Abt 1579 - 7 May 1685)

Andrew Foster is on the list of first settlers who came to Andover about 1640. He was made a freeman in 1669. Twelve grants are made out to him though only one is dated for July 10, 1682. This piece was for two acres "on the west side of Shawshen River". His first grant was for a five acre house lot with an acre to build on, probably along Cochickewick Brook between the Great Pond and the Merrimack River where many of the first settlers resided. It bordered land owned by John Lovejoy and Thomas Rowell. Most of his grants were in the extreme southery corner near Wilmington and around Foster's Pond far from the town center. He is not found in town records holding offices which could be due to be his living a distance from town. His inventory at death showed him to be a good manager of his estate.


Deed; 151 - Jan. 18, 1673 - Andrew Foster, husbandman, and wife Ann, for natural love and affection borne to their 2nd daughter Hannah, in consideration of a marriage contracted and consumated between her and Hugh Stone, carpenter, of Andover, give Hugh and heirs of Hannah, 10 acres of upland adjoining a plain commonly called "Indian plain" - bds. in walnut trees - white oaks. He is to pay minister's fee, 1 sh., "as long as that way of rates goes." If they die without heirs land reverts to Andrew Foster's estate.
Witnesses - Dudley Bradstreet; John Lovejoy.

Events

BirthAbt 1579England
MarriageAbt 1637England - Anne Alcock
Will18 Apr 1685Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, British America
Death7 May 1685Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, British America

Families

SpouseAnne Alcock (1617 - 1692)
ChildAndrew Foster Jr. (1640 - 1697)
ChildHannah Foster (1643 - 1689)
ChildSarah Foster (1642 - 1697)
ChildAbraham Foster (1648 - 1723)
ChildMary Foster (1652 - 1702)

Notes

Marriage

Not much is known about Andrew Foster's life in England. Pierce feels he married Anne before 1639 (1032). It is probably that Ann is his second or later wife as he was in his fifties when he married her.

Will

His wife Ann was executrix of her husband's will.
His will left to his 'deare and loving wife Ann Foster" the use and sole liberty of living in that end of my house I now live in." This house was a very pleasant and comfortable home by Rogers' Brook. He left to his son Andrew four acres of meadow land, five acres swamp land, forty acres of "poelhill ground" and one acre of land in Cocheckek field. His daughter Sarah two sheep besides what she was already given. Daughter Hannah already had her portion. Daughter Mary was given twenty acres of land in Shawshen field. Besides the house, he gave his wife Ann, three cows, twelve sheep and his household goods. Abraham received "my farme of about one hundred acres of upland, with all the meadow adjoining or near adjoyneing," also the house and home-lot and orchard, and all the land adjoining and the remainder of the home meadow bought of Andrew Allen, and the remainder of the stock. Abraham was during the natural life of his mother, to winter her cows and sheep, to deliver her half the "corn English and Indian grown upon the home-lott threshed and winnowed," half the fruit of the orchard made into "sydar" and sufficient firewood. His wife Ann was executrix and his son Abraham executor. Witnesses were Thomas and William Chandler. The Chandlers inventoried his estate for probate at £504.

Death

A town record reads "aged one hundred and six years" at his death. It's possible 106 is exaggerated since his birth record hasn't been found, but Andrew was "very aged" at his death. Court files in 1653 released Andrew from training in respect to age and infirmites.

Endnotes

1. Pierce, Frederick Clifton,, Foster genealogy : being the record of the posterity of Reginald Foster, an early inhabitant of Ipswich, in New England, whose genealogy is traced back to Anacher, great forrester of Flanders, who died in 837 A.D. ... (Chicago: F.C. Pierce, 1899, 1085 pgs.), p 1032.

2. Pierce, Frederick Clifton,, Foster genealogy : being the record of the posterity of Reginald Foster, an early inhabitant of Ipswich, in New England, whose genealogy is traced back to Anacher, great forrester of Flanders, who died in 837 A.D. ... (Chicago: F.C. Pierce, 1899, 1085 pgs.), p 1032 (m. in England, Anne UNK, d. 3 Dec 1962).

3. Pierce, Frederick Clifton,, Foster genealogy : being the record of the posterity of Reginald Foster, an early inhabitant of Ipswich, in New England, whose genealogy is traced back to Anacher, great forrester of Flanders, who died in 837 A.D. ... (Chicago: F.C. Pierce, 1899, 1085 pgs.), p. 1033.

4. Pierce, Frederick Clifton,, Foster genealogy : being the record of the posterity of Reginald Foster, an early inhabitant of Ipswich, in New England, whose genealogy is traced back to Anacher, great forrester of Flanders, who died in 837 A.D. ... (Chicago: F.C. Pierce, 1899, 1085 pgs.), p 1032.