George Foster 1799 Wybunbury, Cheshire

[Sue1]

Hi All,

My brickwall is named above! Dear old George has led me a merry dance.

George Foster is my GG Grandfather - I have on my tree everyone that I know of from myself to him. However, I would like to go back further. I have tried the Cheshire parish records but he is not there (except a comment in the "notes" saying "Foster - ethnicus??". I have tried checking under his name and his wife's name - Ann Cadman b 1803 Acton, Nantwich. George was born in Audlem/Congelton/Cheshire.

I "suspect", which means I am not at all sure that his father was William Foster b 1775 bap 27.9.1775 Wybunbury and his mother Elizabeth Moore b ? Peeover Superior, Wybunbury. I cannot find Elizabeth ever married William in the Parish Records/BTs.

However, if he did the next generation back, i.e. William's father is JNO Foster b 2.12.1739. Have no marriage for him.

His father was Jonathan Foster - bap 11.4.1709 Congleton
Dcd 12.8.1790 Astbury
bu Astbury same day!

He may have married Mary Carter b ? and ? when married.

Jonathan's father was Ranulphus Forster (the name seems interchangeable with Foster at times) b 1678 Congleton, Cheshire
bap 25.10.1680
mar 30.1.1703 to

Jane Gibson - b 1682 Congleton, Cheshire

I got all the above information from the Mormon site but feel I should be able to confirm this on the Parish Records site and I can't.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I should go from here?
Interestingly, George Foster born 1799 had quite a few children 8 or 9 born either Audlem/Congleton/Wybunbury and none of them appear to be on the records except one marriage - I looked it up to confirm I could correctly use the site as I had the marriage certificate.

I am sure George Foster was not an only child but have been unable to find any brothers or sisters. George was still alive in 1881 (census) living with his son William in London Road, Stapeley, Cheshire. On that entry his place of birth is given as Wrenbury. I think I found his death in 81/2 on the Cheshire BMD. I can remember a while ago I saw something that made me think he was buried in Bunbury but what I saw or where I can't remember - have now learned to keep notes!

The son of George b1799, also a George b1840 and HIS son William b 1880 have Church of England on their military records - not sure if it would make a difference to where I look if George senior was not C of E.

This is my first attempt at tracing people before the certificate era and I have to admit it seems to be defeating me.

Any advice gratefully received.

Sue

[KiteRunner]

Hi Sue,
Do you have the parish register entry for George and Ann's marriage? And do all the censuses agree about his birthplace? My guess is that the family were non-conformists, so have you looked on the BMD Registers site to see if there are any entries for them on there?
BMD Registers: The Official Non-Parochial BMDs Service

Have you checked to see whether the people you think might be George's parents left wills?

[Phoenix]

The cheshire Wills site:

Cheshire County Council - Wills Database Online Home

has several Forsters in Astbury. Even if they are not direct ancestors (which they might be) it would be worth getting copies, to get a picture of the family.

[Sue1]

Hi Sue,
Do you have the parish register entry for George and Ann's marriage? And do all the censuses agree about his birthplace? My guess is that the family were non-conformists, so have you looked on the BMD Registers site to see if there are any entries for them on there?
BMD Registers: The Official Non-Parochial BMDs Service

Have you checked to see whether the people you think might be George's parents left wills?

No, I don't have it. I got the info on the marriage from IGI (mormons).

I didn't keep a record of all the census I looked at but cannot remember anything other than Wrenbury on the census except for 1881 when it said Stapeley and he was with son and daughter-in-law. He was, on that census, down as "M" for marital state but there was no Ann Cadman in the house on census night.

I haven't been able to find any of them on the BMD site - perhaps they were C of E after all - what did they do with RCs?

I have never been on the Will website before - I didn't know about it - am trying to check but will have to persevere as I can't even get it to bring up Wills I know about but maybe it doesn't do more recent Wills. I have managed to get some Fosters/Forsters actually, up in Astbury but have never heard of any of them although they may of course be related. Still looking .......

One thing I should mention but I really think it is a mistake, is that George Foster junior (b 1840 and son of George senior b 1799) gave his father's name as William on his wedding certificate! The census records do not agree with this and give his name as George with all the correct children.

Thank you very much for your input - I shall keep looking.

Sue

[Phoenix]

Re the wills, you would not normally expect any county site to have wills after 1858. They may have added wills proved in Cheshire post 1858 to their database, but there will be others for Cheshire residents that were proved elsewhere.

If you have a look in our Wiki, there will be information telling you how to find a modern will.

[jean]

from http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/RecordOff...ts/search.aspx

HUGH FOSTER NANTWICH STAYMAKER 1790
WILLIAM FOSTER NANTWICH GENTLEMAN 1812more details
ELIZABETH FOSTER NANTWICH SPINSTER1823
WILLIAM FOSTER NANTWICH PROVISION DEALER 1871

There are 4 pages 1775-1875. Others from around the area. www.genuki.org will give you villages in the area or alternatively just shout and I will let you know!

[jean]

have you also looked at FamilySearch Record Search#

[Northern Light]

The only marriage I can find from the Cheshire disc is ...

Ranulph Foster X Jana Gibson, 3/4/ Jan 1703 St Marys Church Astbury Cheshire.

[Olde Crone Holden]

Sue

The IGI has very poor coverage of Astbury on line and you really need to get the Astbury parish registers to check for marriages.

OC

[garstonite]

Sue...could George b 1799 have been christened William George,and only used the George as his christian name??...allan

[Sue1]

Sue...could George b 1799 have been christened William George,and only used the George as his christian name??...allan

Dear Allan,

I have been wondering about that and it would make perfect sense. Each head of family in each generation of that family from the youngest, was George, his father was William and this recurred backwards. George Foster would be out of sequence if they stayed true to form - he should be a William. If I have the right ancestor for George 1799 however, his father's name is William b 1775 (IGI) but I am suspicious that I do not have the right ancestor.

I have been Looking continuously for him for so long BUT I have seen him on a census as George (with wife Ann Cadman and the correct children) and even in 1881 he was George on the census (living in Stapeley with his son William who I think was the oldest son).

Co-incidentally, his grandson b 1880 (my grandfather), called himself George -this name was not on his birth certificate nor on his army record but caused great confusion - his name was William - he also named his oldest son George!

The actual tree is: (as I have it)

George Foster b 1799 Wrenbury, Cheshire - m - Ann Cadman b1803 Acton, Nantwich

George Foster b 1840 Audlem, Congleton, Cheshire m Mary Ann Rowland b1849

William Foster b 1880, Forton Barracks, Alverstoke, Hampshire - m - Lizzie Bright b 1885 Islington, London

Gladys Foster b 1910 Wood Green, London - m - Percival Woods b ?

I am beginning to think perhaps I will have to leave it as it is but hate to be "beaten"!

Can't find a will but am still checking on "Family Search" (advice above).

Sue

[Sue1]

George FORSTER

I thought I would let all the kind people who helped me, know that I found George Foster (who did turn out to be FORSTER). He was born on 29th October 1844 at Whetstone Edge, Congleton, Cheshire. He was baptised at Astbury St. Marys. His mother was Keziah Bailey and his father William Forster b 1817 died 1848. William 1817's father was another George - I have not attempted to find him!

The information came from Family Search Laboratories (I think that is what it is called) and then having added him to my anc.co tree I found someone else already had him on their tree. He also had a sister Ellen Forster b 1847 - I have found out no more about her sadly.

Thank you all so much.

Sue