Person:William Foster (112)

From the Diary of John Hull ^S2 in 1671: "8 ber, 21 [21 Oct]. We received intelligence that William Foster, master of a small ship, was taken by the Turks as he was going to Bilboa with fish." He returned home November, 1673. Cotton Mather, vol. 1, p. 544, gives the following account of this as part of his "The Life of the Renowned John Eliot".

There was a godly gentleman of Charlestown, one Mr. Foster, who with his son was taken captive by Turkish enemies. Much prayer was employed, both privately and publickly, by the good people here, for the redemption of that gentleman; but we were at last informed that the bloody prince in whose dominions he was now a slave, was resolved that in his life time no prisoner should be released; and so the distressed friends of this prisoner now concluded "our hope is lost!" Well, upon this, Mr. Eliot, in some of his next prayers, before a very solemn congregation, very broadly begged, "Heavenly Father, work for the redemption of thy poor servant Foster; and if the prince which detains him will not, as they say, dismiss him as long as himself lives, Lord, we pray thee to kill that cruel prince; kill him, and glorify thy self upon him!" And now, behold the answer: the poor captived gentleman quickly returns to us that had been mourning for him as a lost man, and brings us news that the prince which had hitherto held him, was come to an untimely death, by which means he was now set at liberty. full text here.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Joslyn, Roger D. Vital Records of Charlestown, Massachusetts to the Year 1850. (Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1984-1995)
   181.

   William Foster, navigator, about 80, d. May 8, 1698.
   [Birth about 1618.]

2. ↑ Pierce, Frederick Clifton. Foster Genealogy: Being a 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., with Wills, Inventories, Biographical Sketches, Etc.; Also the Record of all Other American Fosters. (Chicago: The Author, 1899)
   2:485, 490.

   Children of Rev. Thomas Foster and Abigail Wimes: 3) William, b. England 1618, m. (1) Susanna ---, m. (2) Anne Brackenberry. Sea captain, and master of Dolphin in 1669. Will of "William Foster of Charlestown", dated 7 May 1696, proved 7 Jul 1698, mentions "beloved wife Ann", daughter Mary Phillips, granddaughter Ann Foster when she marries with consent of her parents and her "Unckle and Aunt Stanley", other grandchildren not named, "Kinswoman Eleanor Davis in England and her Daughter Mary Davis", "divided amongst my Children" not named, sons Richard and John and wife Executors.

3. ↑ Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England: Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, on the Basis of Farmer's Register. (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1860-1862)
   2:191.

   Foster, William, Boston 1644, had w. Susanna, rem[oved] I think in a short time to Charlestown, where he was adm[itted] of the ch[urch] Aug. 1652, m. sec. w. Ann, d. of William Brackenbury, had beside the Isaac, H.C. 1671; and Richard, b. 10, bapt. 16 Aug 1663, bef. ment.; John, b. 15 July 1656, wh. d. 18 Dec. 1659; Ann, bapt. 5 Sept. 1658; Mary, 6 May 1660; Eliz. 5, bapt. 9 Apr 1665; Deborah, bapt. 1 Mar. 1668, d. soon; and John again, 12 Aug 1666 [sic, corrected from 1668 to 1666 per Vol. 3, p. 621, making it appear out of order]. Being an enterpris. merch. he was taken, with one of his s. by a Barbary corsair on the coast of Spain. From that captiv. his restor. is attribut. in the Magn. III. 183, to the untimely d. of the Day, caus. by imprecat. of our Apostle Eliot. He d. 8 May 1698, aged 80 and his wid. d. 22 Sept. 1714 in 86th yr.