Among the sturdy and enterprising farmers of Foster township, Marion
county, is the gentleman whose name appears above, whose life has been one
of industry and strict adherence to honorable principles, which has resulted
in gaining a comfortable living and at the same time winning the respect of
his fellow men.
Henry C. Foster was born in Clinton county,
Illinois, January 29, 1842, the son of William Henry and Nancy (Lowe)
Foster, the former of Georgia and the latter of Tennessee. William Henry
Lowe came as a boy with his parents to Illinois and located in Clinton
county, where they were among the early pioneers. They later came to Foster
township, Marion county, and purchased wild land and made extensive
improvements on the same. The subject's father grew up in Foster township
and received only a limited education, having scarcely any chance to attend
school. He married here and lived at the old homestead. Although he at one
time conducted a store, he devoted his life to farming pursuits. He was a
Republican but never aspired to office. He and his wife were members of the
Methodist Episcopal church. The following children were born to them:
William, deceased, married Pyrena Nichols; John was in Company I, One
Hundred and Eleventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, who lived in Clinton
county, Illinois, after the war until his death; Jane, who married David
Nichols, of Foster township, the former is now deceased; Elizabeth,
deceased, married David Nichols, of Foster township; Andrew J. was in
Company F, Seventh Illinois Cavalary, having served four years and four
months, who located in Kinmundy after the war, where he has since resided;
Henry C., our subject; Irwin W., a farmer of Labette county, Kansas, who was
in the Union army during the Civil war; Winfield Scott is single and living
in Foster township.
The subject of this sketch had little chance of
attending school. He lived at home until he reached the age of twenty-one
years. On September 30, 1869, he married Cynthia A. Garrett, of Foster
township, and a daughter of Moses and Hannah (Morris) Garrett, both natives
of Georgia. They were pioneers of Foster township, this county, where they
devoted their lives to farming. Four children have been born to the subject
and wife, namely: Charles H., who has always lived at home; Nola married S.
Williams, of Foster township, and they are the parents of two children,
Flossie and Relzia; Fannie C. married Jake Thomas, of Foster township, and
they are the parents of five children, namely: James, Carrie, Nona, Eva and
Van; James Emery, the subject's youngest child, is living in Foster
township. He married Maude Holland, of Patoka, and they have three children:
Basel, Waneta, deceased, and Harrell.
One of the patriotic men of
this state who felt it his duty to offer his services in defense of the flag
was the subject of this sketch, who enlisted in Company F, Seventh Illinois
Cavalry, at Camp Butler, where they drilled for awhile, after which they
were sent to Nashville, Tennessee. The subject was in the second battle of
Corinth. He was on an eight hundred mile march from Lagrange, Tennessee, to
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which took sixteen days, having been in many
skirmishes all along the march. He was taken sick and went home on sixty
days' furlough. He rejoined his company at Germantown, Tennessee, and went
up the Mississippi river and was in Tennessee until the close of the war. He
was sick a great deal and his eyes were affected, having lost the sight in
the left one. He was discharged November 9, 1865, at Springfield, Illinois,
after gallantly serving in the Union ranks. After the war he located in
Foster township, and in 1878 bought the farm where he now lives, this having
been his home since that time. The place consists of one hundred acres in
section 23. He has made all the improvements, his farm now ranking with any
in the township. He has always been considered a first class farmer. He has
a substantial and comfortable residence and everything about his place shows
good management. He is a Republican in politics. He ably served as School
Director for many years. He is a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal
church.
Extracted 27 May 2019 by Norma Hass from 1909 Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay and Marion Counties, Illinois, pages 525-527.