Eliphalet FOSTER (1777 – 1834) was Alex’s 5th Grandfather; one of 64  in this generation of the Shaw line.

Eliphalet Foster was born on 20 Oct 1777 in Winthrop, Kennebec, Maine.  Alternatively he was born 20 Oct 1780.  His father moved around a lot, but his great uncle Timothy Foster was the first settler in 1765 in what became Winthrop, Maine. Timothy’s farm was on the west shore of Cobbossecontee  Lake about two miles from its northerly end.  See Maj. John FOSTER‘s page for Timothy’s story.

Eliphalet’s parents were Samuel FOSTER and Leah EVERY. He married Prudence PERKINS 13 Feb 1803.  Eliphalet died 17 Jun 1834.

Prudence Perkins was born in 21 May 1775 in Saratoga, New York.  Her parents were Oliver PERKINS and [__?__].  Prudence died  24 Mar 1856 in Farmington Township, Tioga County, PA.

Children of Eliphalet and Prudence

1810 Census -Eliphalet resided in Northumberland, Saratoga, New York
…………………… Male                       Female
Under 10                  1     Josiah (2)         2  Caroline (4),  ?
10-15                        1     Elias (8?)          1   ?
26-44                        1     Eliphalet           1 Prudence

Northumberland, Saratoga, New York –  Stone & Stewart Publ., Philadelphia, 1866

The town of Northumberland was first settled about ten years before the Revolution. Hugh Munroe came to Northumberland in 1765 and erected a saw mill on the bank of one of the creeks in the eastern part of the town at Gansevoort. He was a noted Tory. He fled to Canada and his property was confiscated. James Brisbin settled, also in 1765, about a mile and a half west of Fort Miller. Archibald McNeil probably was the first to locate at what is now Northumberland village.

Fort Miller was built in this town in 1755, under the direction of Colonel Miller. It was located upon the flat, above the rapids, and was inclosed on three’ sides by the river. A blockhouse was built on the heights that commands the position on the west. Fort Miller bridge was first erected by a company incorporated March 16, 1803. A new bridge was built in 1845. John De Monts opened a store just above Fort Miller soon after the Revolution. Alexander Bacon had the first store at Bacon Hill and Charles Carpenter at Northumberland village.

There are three small villages in Northumberland. – Gansevoort was named after Colonel Peter Gansevoort, a Revolutionary hero who, at the close of the war, bought the estate of the Tory Hugh Munroe, discovered the irons of Munroe’s mill and erected a saw mill and a grist mill. Bacon Hill was named after Ebenezer Bacon, who came from Connecticut and settled there in 1794, opening the first frame tavern in town that year. The place was formerly called Fiddletown and Pope’s Corners. Northumberland lies on the Champlain canal in the extreme southeastern part of the town.

The Reformed church of Northumberland, organized in 1820, was a branch of the pioneer church at Schuylerville. The Reformed church of Gansevoort was formed in 1839, the M. E. church of Gansevoort in 1839.

The town of Northumberland was formed from Saratoga March 16, 1798. A part of Hadley was taken off in 1801, Moreau in 1805, and Wilton in 1818.

1820 Census – Eliphalet resided in Colchester, Delaware County, New York

………………………..Male                   Female
Under 10                  2     Horatio (9)  ?     1 Mary Ann (8)
10-15                        1     Josiah (12)        1   Caroline (14)
26-44                        1     Eliphalet           1 Prudence

Elias would have been about 16 in 1820, but he is not present in the census.

Colchester, Delaware County, New York

Colchester – was formed from Middletown, April 10, 1792. A part was annexed to Walton in 1799; Hancock was taken off in 1806, and a part of Walton was annexed in 1827. It occupies a central position upon the S.E. border of the co. Its surface is a mountainous upland, broken by the narrow valleys of the streams. The E. branch of the Delaware flows westward through the N. part of the town, dividing the highlands into two distinct parts. From the N. it receives West Trout, Downs, and Coles Brooks, and from the S. Clearwater and several smaller brooks. Beaver Kil flows through the S.W. corner, receiving Spring Brook as a tributary. The valleys of these streams are all narrow, and many hundred feet below the summits of the hills which rise on either side. The soil is a reddish clay, and is often very stony. A considerable share of the surface is still covered with forests. Lumbering is extensively pursued. Downsville, on the Delaware, at the mouth of Downs Creek, contains 3 churches. Pop 206. Pepacton and Colchester are p. offices. The first settlement was begun in May, 1774.** The first religious services (Bap.) were conducted by Elder Haynes, and the first church (Bap.) was formed in 1803.

The Presbyterian Church of Farmington (Tioga County, PA) 1844 – 1944 by Victor Detty

Several persons, members of different Presbyterian Churches, residing in the Town of Farmington, Tioga County, Pa., including Prudence Perkins Foster, having united in a petition to the Presbytery of Chemung for the organization of a Church in said Town, the Presbytery appointed a committee to organize a Church as requested by the petitioners. By agreement of the Committee the Rev. S. J. McCullough, one of the members proceeded to Farmington and met the persons wishing to constitute the Church at the house of Johnson Butts on Saturday the 10^th of February 1844

Children

2. Caroline Foster

Caroline’s husband John Crippen was born 12 May 1796 in Delaware Co., NY.  His parents were  Roswell Crippen (~1755 – 1812) and Sarah Griffis.     He lived in Rutland, this county, from 1824 to 1827; then bought 50 acres of wild land on Farmington Hill. He cut his way through the woods to that place, where he was one of the first settlers. He served in the war of 1812 at New York.  John died  17 Mar 1875 in Farmington Hill, Tioga Co., PA. After his death, his widow lived at the old homestead.

In the eastern part of Farmington John and Daniel Crippin penetrated the dense wilderness, and began to make improvements. They were soon followed by others–Johnson Butts, Henry B. Turk, Harvey Foster, Hiram Merritt, Samuel Buckbee, Daniel Buckbee, Abner Webster and others–who began improvements; but, as usual in such cases, these improvements changed hands quite often, until the year 1841, when the entire township was entered and occupied by permanent settlers; with very few exceptions these lands were held by the trustees of the estate of the late Mr. Bingham, by virtue of warrants issued from the surveyor-general’s office at Harrisburg, and were located and numbered. Although considerable opposition was made at first by the settlers the courts subsequently decreed the validity of their claim, and their title has been fully established.

In the eastern part there are two churches-Presbyterian and Methodist. There are eleven fine schoolhouses, and they are usually kept open about six months in each year, with competent teachers.

There is no place in the township where intoxicating liquors are bought and sold. The people, are all engaged in agricultural pursuits.

Children of Caroline and John

i. Prudence Crippen b. 21 Jan 1825, NY; d. 4 Dec 1907; m. 17 Nov 1844 to Samuel Buckbee (b. 1821 New York –  bef. 1870 census )

In the 1850 census Samuel and Prudence were living in Berlin, Rensselaer, New York.

By the 1860 census, they had removed to Union Grove, Whiteside, Illinois.

ii. Mary Ann Crippen b. 25 Sep 1826, PA; d. 10 Aug 1866; m. 22 Sep 1844 to William Thomas

iii. Sarah Crippen, b. 1829, Farmington Twp, Tioga, PA; d. 1915, Farmington Twp, Tioga, PA; m.  2 Apr 1854 to Jesse Howe

In the 1880 census, Sarah and Jesse were farming in Middlebury, Tioga, Pennsylvania.

iv. Leonard Crippen, b. 12 Mar 1832, Farmington Twp, Tioga, PA; d. 18 Sep 1906, Farmington Twp, Tioga, PA; m. Abby Henry

In the 1880 census, Leonard and Abby were farming in Farmington, Tioga, Pennsylvania.

v. George Pine Crippen, b. 25 Aug 1836, Farmington Twp, Tioga, PA; d. 06 Jun 1921, Farmington Twp, Tioga, PA; m. 7 Dec 1861, St. Bend, PA to Adelia Brown.  Arthur and Herbert, sons of George lived at Rochester, N.Y. Arthur married Ida M. Hall of Farmington.

George Pine Crippin

vi. William Crippen b. 4 Mar 1844; d. 17 Mar 1844

3. Josiah Harvey FOSTER (See his page)

5. Mary Ann Foster

Mary Ann’s husband Hiram Merritt, was born in 1808 in Delaware Co., NY.   He lived in Farmington Twp., Tioga Co., PA. After Mary Ann died, he married Mary McDonald. He may be related to William Merritt (1821 – 1898) who m. Eliza Ann Hazlett and Peter Merritt, William’s father.

In the 1850, 1860 and 1870 census, Hiram and Mary Ann were farming in Tioga, Pennsylyvania.

Victor Detty who wrote The Presbyterian Church of Farmington (Tioga County, PA) 1844 – 1944 says that Josiah FOSTER’s wife was Hiram’s sister, not Mary Ann TURK as I have it.

Four of Mary Ann’s children are buried at the Meritt – Buckbee Burial Ground on Croft Hollow Road, Farmington Twp, Tioga Co., PA. Some stones were removed and used in a sidewalk. The house has burned and ground has been bulldozed. Quite a few graves are marked by fieldstones.

Meritt – Buckbee Burial Ground Farmington Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania

There is a separate burial ground nearby, but no remnants can be found. This Cemetery was recorded by Rev. Victor C. Detty in 1944. The M.E. Church was torn down long ago, so this makes it harder to determine the location of this Cemetery. This is what Rev. Detty wrote –

A child of Josiah H. and Mary Ann Merritt FOSTER is buried in the old and abandoned cemetery located in a pasture about 100 yards North the Farmington Methodist Church. The marble stone, found lying flat, has this inscription – “Jane Maria, daughter of Josiah and Mary Ann Foster, died Sept. 15, 1852, aged 4 years and 17 days”. This land, now owned by Fred Ackert, was once possessed by Hiram Merritt, four of whose children’s names are on stones found there. Hiram Merritt married Mary Ann Foster, according to their niece, Mary Merritt Hall of Osceola, PA.

Children of Mary Ann and Hiram from the inscriptions on the stones:

i. John Merit b. 1831 New York; d. After 1880 census when he was living with his brother Josiah Harvey

ii. Josiah Harvey Merit b. 1836 New York; d. 1915; m. Henrietta (Nettie, Etta) M Butler (b. 4 Jun 1836 Lindley, Steuben, New York – 1818)

iii. Annis Merit (twin) b. 1838 d. 23 Apr 1841 age 2y 6m 25d

iv. Anson Merit (twin) b. 1838 d. 20 Apr 1841 age 2y 6m 22d

v. Sally M. Merit b. 1840 d. 1 Apr 1845 age 4y 7m2 4d

vi. Charles Merit b. 1842 d. 31 Jul 1864 age 22y 3m 11 d,

vii. George Merit b. 1846 d. 22 Mar 1848 age 1y 11m

viii. Mary Ann Merit b. 1847 d. 12 Jul 1852 age 4y 10m 12d.

ix. Sarah Merit b. 1849 d. 10 Jul 1852 age 3y, 3m, 12d.

x. Jane M. Merit b. 1853 Pennsylvania

xii. Orcelia Merit b. 1854. d. 23 Jun 1856 age 1ym 7m, 23d

In addition to these inscriptions there are two others on marble stones:

Temperance E., wife of T. T. Mann, died Sept. 5, 1858, age 40 yr, 5 mo & 7 da

Stone broken – only daughter of Henry and Mary E. Hall died May 1, 1852, aged 7 yr, 10 m & 16 da.  Rhodes Hall had a brother, Henry C.

There are also two Buckbee stones:

S. P. Buckbee, died Jan. 10, 1855, aged 47 yr, 2 mo 9 da

Hannah, wife of Samuel Buckbee, d. Jan. 22, 1854, aged 73 yr, 6 mo, & 5 da.  They were the grandparents of Mrs. L. Palmer (Frankie Buckbee).

Sources:

http://www.joycetice.com/church/farmpres.htm

http://www.newhorizonsgenealogicalservices.com/1776-ny-census-suffolk-southampton-west.htm

http://oocities.com/xvkcym/Crippen2.html

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/15444749/person/324100258?ssrc=

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/10387763/person/95151605