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WHO WAS WHO in PLUM TOWNSHIP
Titusville Herald – October 4, 1962
By H. W. Strawbridge

Joshua Miles Foster

Joshua Miles Foster was born May 9, 1827 at North Liberty, Mercer County. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. John Foster. His mother’s maiden name was Weekly. Joshua was one of at least eight children.

Little is known about his early years. He was reared in Mercer County. He made an early acquaintance in Plum Township, probably through relatives, but he didn’t reside in the township until 1865 or 66, according to records.

On August 13, 1862 Joshua enlisted as a corporal in Company I of the 142nd Pennsylvania Volunteer infantry. This regiment lost nearly half of its men in one hour at the Battle of Fredericksburg on Dec. 13, 1862.

Foster’s name, along with thousands of other Pennsylvanians, can be seen on the bronze tablets on the huge state Memorial at Gettysburg, listing their presence in that conflict. Joshua was discharged June 29, 1865.

Tells of Husband’s Death

Tradition states that he delivered the news of the death in a Confederate prison of a Plum Township soldier, Lewis McFadden, to his young widow, Mrs. Rebecca McFadden.

An acquaintance was made which resulted in the marriage of Joshua and her on Sept. 12, 1866 by a justice of the peace, Thomas Galloway.

She was born Dec. 5, 1839, he second of five children of Eli and Martha Jennings Holder. By her first marriage to McFadden there were two children, Mrs. Mary Reynolds and John E. McFadden, the latter dying in his youthful days.

Joshua and Rebecca began housekeeping in Plum Township, probably in Sunville and Chapmanville. He was listed as a blacksmith at that time, but there is no indication of exactly where he blacksmithed.

In 1869 and 70 the Fosters bought two chunks of land in Chapmanville and lived there awhile. The 1873 assessment records Joshua as having been a butcher.

In September 1873 Joshua bought a lot in Diamond from a man named F. B. Guthrie, who had purchased it less than a month earlier at a sheriff’s sale. It was here that Joshua and Rebecca lived the rest of their married life. They lived in a low, one-story house which sat broadside to the road. One went into the house on the east end. Just west of the house stood Joshua’s blacksmith shop. In fact he erected a larger blacksmith shop the fall of 1887.

Lists Children

Joshua and Rebecca had the following six children: Hannah R. Foster, May 6, 1867; Martha E. Foster, April 3, 1869; Nadora S. Foster, April 18, 1871; Ambrose D. Foster, Aug. 22, 1873; Edra M. Foster, May 8, 1876 and W. Byron Foster, June 24, 1881.

Hannah was married on April 23, 1889 to Rev. John A. Lavely, a Methodist minister from New Bethlehem, and a member of the Erie Conference. They lived in various places during his pastoral appointments. She died July 6, 1940 at Akron, Ohio. They had the following children: Horace Lavely of Nashville, Tenn.; Paul H. Lavely of Dunedin, Florida; Mrs. Ruth Hart of Englewood, Florida; Miss Rachel Lavely of Muskegon, Michigan; Herbert A. Lavely of Charleston, W. Va.; John H. Lavely, deceased of Richmond, Calif., Mrs. Katherine Bloomquest of Muskegon, Michigan; Mrs. Mary Williams of Morgantown, W.Va. and Mrs. Shirely Koch of Salem, Oregon.

Martha was married to a Mr. Bacon. They lived several years at Olympia, Wash. The writer was unable to gain any further information on this branch of the family.

Madora was married to W. C. Tompsett of Tidioute in January 1889. He was in the oil business. She died June 29, 1940 and he in 1945. They had the following children: Charles Tompsett, deceased; Clarence Tompsett of Oil City; Mrs. Ina Jenkins of Erie; Mrs. Mae Quinn of Toledo, Ohio; Mrs. Lucy Watson of Tidioute; Harold Tompsett of North Hollywood, Calif.; Miss Harriett Tompsett of Erie; Robert Tompsett of Chester, N.Y.; Dr. Ralph Tompsett of Dallas, Tex. And Wayne Tompsett, deceased.

Ambrose died April 8, 1875 at the age of little more than a year and half. He is buried at Diamond.

Edra was married to a Mr. Currance. They lived in Parsons, W. Va. They had at least three children: Fred, Lillian and Foster. These children stayed quite awhile with their grandparents in Diamond.

Had Taught School

Byron was married to Miss Ethel Rose Britt at New Castle the winter of 1914. He taught schools for a number of years. They reared a family. His wife died a number of years ago and Byron died at Uniontown in 1961.

Around 1883 Joshua and his family rented the property on the southeast corner in Bradleytown where he ran a blacksmith shop. He moved back to Diamond in April 1884 and the Hiram Dingman family moved into the Bradleytown property.

Joshua was summoned as a Venango County grand juror the fourth Monday of January, 1875. He also served as a juror about 1899.

In 1883 he served as Plum Township assessor. He may have served as a school director in the 1890s.

Joshua was perhaps five feet, 6 or 7 inches in height and of average proportion. He had a white beard and is remembered as using a cane his last years. He chewed “Fine Cut” tobacco. Besides his blacksmithing he may have helped a neighbor, August Fabian, in the wagon shop to a small degree. A single photograph of him could not be located. There is an old photograph of him sitting on the old Diamond store porch taken around 53 years ago. However, his form is set too deeply to get a satisfactory print from it. He often “loafed” at the store. Four other persons shown in the photograph are J. M. Shriver, D. F. Thomas, Homan Tracy, all deceased, and H. D. Shriver, present Diamond postmaster.

Rebecca Foster was a large woman, having been taller and heavier than her husband. This very early photograph of her was taken at the time during her first marriage to McFadden. It is possessed by Mrs. Gertrude Jennings of near Cooperstown. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. T. S. Strohecker were good friends of the Fosters.

Rebecca was a good neighbor in times of illness. For instance, if any of the A. R. Alcorn family who lived nearby became ill, they summoned Mrs. Foster.

Both were consistent Christians. They were members of the Daimond UB Church for years. They also were affiliated awhile with the former Free Methodist Church of Diamond.

Joshua sat in the second pew from the front on the left-hand side which was the men’s side in the UB church. The women’s side was the right-hand side. Joshua liked singing and one of his favorite hymns was “Beulah Land.” He is still remembered as rising from his seat at testimony meetings after regular church services and begin singing that hymn: “I’ve reached the land of corn and wine, And all its riches freely mine.” He always started his testimonies with these words: “Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord.”

Rebecca also gave grand testimonies at these meetings. One time though, she was rudely interrupted. She was kneeling at her pew, testifying, whiled the sun shone brightly through the windows. A couple of young fellows, seated farther back in the church, had a mirror and they held it so a bright reflection struck Rebecca’s face. Upon this she stopped suddenly and didn’t say anything for several seconds. Then she continued in words something like these: “And Lord, have mercy on those who are doing this to me now.” The fellows immediately stopped their mischief and left the church rather shamefully.

In the early part of May 1890, Joshua met with a painful injury. He was in the woods back of his place chopping, when he struck one foot and cut it badly. He managed to hobble to the house mainly on his good foot. He was laid up for at least two weeks. Their good neighbors gave a helping hand to them. A “donation” was held one evening. That was an occasion when everybody brought in many foodstuffs, and the Foster table was piled high with the donations.

Mrs. Foster was sick awhile that summer, but she recovered entirely.

Attacked by Animal

Perhaps her worst injury occurred in July 1892. A man named Meade Johnson was driving cattle through Diamond when one became infuriated and attacked her. She was confined to her room for several days by the injuries.

On Monday, April 27, 1906, Rebecca had a mild stroke. For a couple of nights it was necessary for someone to sit up with her. By Wednesday evening she was much better and insisted that no one watch her, so everybody went to bed.

At 2 o’clock in the morning Joshua became restless and he got up to watch over her. The fire had gone out. The wood he put on was reluctant to burn, so he poured kerosene on it. There was an explosion which flashed into his face, singeing off his beard, his eyebrows and the hair on the front of his head. Dr. W. J. Richey of Chapmanville was summoned and he dressed the burns.

Joshua and Rebecca moved to temporary places. In 1889 and the winter of 1890 they lived at Tidioute. They returned to Diamond in April 1890. It was further reported: “When they left Diamond they had four girls, but none returned. Marriage did it.”

In September 1890, Joshua and Rebecca moved to Pithole and operated a boarding house for awhile. In October 1895 they moved to Carraraugus, N.Y., where they spent the winter with their daughter. They generally spent their winters with Mrs. Lavely wherever Rev. Lavely’s charge was situated.

About 1898 Joshua went over to the Allen Wheeling place near Fairview and asked Mr. Wheeling if he would take young Byron and teach farming to him. He consented and took Byron for $5 a month. It was about that time that Byron attended select school at Sunville, then later taught.

Joshua retired from blacksmithing during his last years and different ones rented the shop. He got a Civil War pension from 1885 until his death.

Joshua was one of 12 Diamond residents who signed an application for chartering or forming a corporation known as The Diamond Cemetery Company on April 27, 1907. Joshua’s name is the first one on the document. The application was approved by Venango County Judge George S. Criswell on May 27, 1907. Previous to this chartering, the community cemetery was without any organization whatever.

Joshua Foster died Sunday afternoon, April 16, 1911, in his Diamond home from a complication of grippe, heart trouble and infirmities of old age. He had been in failing health for quite some time.

His funeral was 10:30 Tuesday forenoon in his home with a large attendance that entirely filled the house. Rev. A. Jordan preached the sermon. He was buried in the Diamond Cemetery.

Immediately after the funeral Mrs. Foster and Byron moved to Meadville with Mrs. Lavely. They sold their Diamond property in July to MR. and Mrs. William Shadle, nextdoor neighbors, who tore down the old Foster home and rebuilt the house which is presently owned by Mr. and Mrs. Ben Armstrong.

Rebecca Foster died in Meadville on Dec. 12, 1913, of bronchial-pneumonia. Following service in the Diamond Church by Rev. J. L. Strong, she was buried beside her husband.

Transcribed by Penny Kulbacki Minnick
minnick862@verizon.net

Disclaimer:there may be errors due to transcription ofinformation from both early and late (current contributors) work.