ANDREW FOSTER. Our subject is of Irish parentage and from both sides of the family inherits the wit and humor as well as the quick and nervous vital force of the Irish people. His father was John Foster and his mother was Eleanor (Morrow) Foster, both from Ireland, and having emigrated to this country at an early day, removing to Moultrie County, this State, where they settled in Lovington Township. The father of the family expired on his farm in the township. The mother passed away later, while in the town. They had eleven children, of whom our subject was the tenth in order of birth. Ross County, Ohio, was the place where Andrew Foster was born September 24, 1816. He was about four year old when his parents removed to Pickaway County, Ohio, and there he grew to manhood and there continued to live until 1844, when he came to Moultrie County with his wife and one child and settled in Lovington Township. His marriage took place in Ross County, Ohio, March 2, 1842, and he was united to Lucinda Cochran, who was a native of the county in which she was married. She bore him four children, whose names are as follows: John A., who married Adelia Bicknell and died in Lovington, this State; the other children are Elizabeth E.; Sarah J.; Milton C.; Elizabeth E. is the wife of Henry H. Dawson; Sarah J. was married to James Gregory; while Milton C. was united to Miss E. Bicknell. Mrs. Lucinda Foster died in Lovington October 1, 1854. The original of our sketch was again married in Sullivan, this State, October 28, 1858, to Sarah H. Lewis, nee Hubbard. She was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, September 21, 1834. Six children were the result of this marriage. Their names are as follows: George E., Alva E., Charles G., Urah S. and Frank H.; George E. married Amanda Binkley; Alva E. was united to Miss Lizzie Gailey; Charles G. was united to Miss Allie Souther; Frank H. married Miss Olive Boggs; the other son, Eddie, died when only eight months old. He of whom we write lived on his farm in this county until about 1852 or 1853, when he came to Lovington, where he has since been a resident. He is the owner of five hundred and two acres of good, arable land, upon which he has laid out many improvements. In politics he is an adherent of the Democratic party, its breadth of platform, free trade theories, suiting his ideas of a Republican form of government. His wife, who is personally a most affable lady, with an unusual conversational ability, has ever been her husband's encourager and helper in his work. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and all good words and works find a sure lodging in her sympathetic and motherly nature. Our subject's father, John Foster, died in August, 1852, at the age of eighty-eight years. His wife, Mrs. Eleanor Foster, died in August, 1852 [sic: may have been September 12, 1862?] at the same age her husband had attained when his decease took place. They were kindly and gentle old people, who had fulfilled their mission in life conscientiously and well. They bequeathed to their children principles of honor and rectitude that have followed them through life and have been of great advantage to them in a business way.

Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties, 1891 - p. /

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