THE FOSTER FAMILY STORY
Felix Foster 1853 - death date unknown
The forefather of the Foster family was a man named Mr.Choates/ Shultz. He came to the United States from the British Islands as a free man. Sold into slavery in South Carolina, and then sold to a slave owner in Memphis, Tennessee. Mr. Choates/Shultz married in South Carolina and was a talented and skillful individual; he excelled in carpentry, blacksmith and as a manager on a plantation.
Mr. Choates/Shultz had a son named Felix Choates/Shultz, who was born about 1853 in Memphis, Tennessee; there are no other known siblings. Mr. and Mrs. Choates/Shultz died in Memphis, Tennessee and or Jackson, Tennessee date unknown.
Felix Choates/Shultz Foster was born about 1853 in Memphis, TN.
Felix was also talented, intelligent, brave, courageous, strong, gifted, a keen thinker, a highly skilled carpenter, blacksmith, organizer, financial risk taker, outspoken leader and a wanderer. He was a gambler who was small in stature with curly hair. He traveled up and down the river Felix organized his brothers and taught them to attack angry groups of whites when they were attacking them. Felix grew angry and tired of the treatment slaves were receiving on the plantations in Memphis, Alabama, and North & South Carolina and slayed a white man in Memphis. He had to flee for his life from men on horses (using dogs to track him) chasing him. He was able to escape by remembering his mother’s advice, “Dogs would lose the scent of a person’s trail in water” so he used the river as a means of escape. He made it to freedom. Through his struggle, he was able to obtain a boat. The river was unkind to him through most of his journey. His travels ended on the Ouachita River in Louisiana. He was still faced with many dangers on the river. His boat was wrecked near Monroe, Louisiana. A white fisherman rescued Felix and gave Felix his surname, “Foster.” “Foster” is the surname we celebrate today.
Felix is listed as a Mulatto on the census. Felix means happy, fortunate and prosperous in Latin.
Kate Cottingham Foster 1854 - 1945
Further south on the Ouachita River, our Grandmother Kate Cottingham’s life began in Caldwell Parish about 1854. Born of a slave master (Master Ucal Cottingham) and a house slave, Mary Bryant. Kate was raised in the “Big House” with the Masters’ other children. Mary’s privileges as a house cook allowed her to make things better for her family and other slaves. She was able to save lots of silver money by burying it in her backyard; building her grandsons’ first house. Grandma Mary Holmes Bryant was the cook for the Cottingham Plantation and the mother of Abe, Miranda, Moriah, Jerry Jenkins, Hardy Bryant and Kate Cottingham.
When slavery ended, Kate’s father sent Kate’s parents (Mary Holmes Bryant & Issom Holmes) and the rest of Kate’s family (3 brothers and 2 sisters) north on the Ouachita River to Ouachita Parish.
While on the river, as with all newly freed slaves, their raft nearly capsized because it was caught in a whirlpool. The family escaped by holding on to branches of nearby trees. Finally they arrived in Ouachita Parish. There the newly freed slaves were able to purchase large parcels of land in the southern part of parish, which became known as Richwood. Land was acquired by clearing forest. Mary Bryant was very resourceful and persevering.
Grandpa Holmes and Grandma Mary Holmes were married when they were 65 and 70 years old. Grandpa Holmes lived to be 118 years and Grandma Holmes lived to be 102 years old.
Kate means Pure and Clear and is also listed as a Mulatto in census records.
Kate Cottingham Foster Family History
Mama Kate’s sister Moriah was married to Richmond Goins and their children were: Hannah Goins Richardson, Tina Goins, Hunter Nelson and Lizzie Goins Beckwith.
Mama Kate’s sister, Miranda Tatum, was the mother of Mattie Tatum Charleston, Ike Tatum (spouse Julia) and had the following children: Mary Lou, Joe, Malissie, Isaiah and Clemontee: Beaulah Tatum Harris and Pearl Tatum Collins.
Mama Kate’s brother, Abe Bryant was married to Rita and they had one daughter, Celesta. Later Aunt Rita married Horace Hughes.
Mama Kate’s brother, Jerry Jenkins was the father of Pearl Jenkins Douglas.
Mama Kate’s brother, Hardy was the father of Mattie Bryant Charleston (spouse Fred), children; Fred Jr., Dilse Bell, Lillian, Adelea, Nathaline, Telitha, Dallas, Mable, Birdia and Camille.
Descendants of Felix Choates/Shultz Foster & Kate Cottingham Foster
Upon her arrival in Ouachita Parish, Mama Kate met and married Felix Foster. From the union of Kate and Felix were born six children: Elisha, Julia, Orelle, Ida, Abram and Eddie. At the time of their marriage, Kate was also the mother of Josephine and Maggie Ophelia. Using their skills as carpenters and farmers, they raised their family. Felix was not a family man and traveled the river frequently. Mama Kate raised their children with dignity and values. They too acquired much land by clearing the forest and matured to be great achievers. Elisha & Abram built 90% of the homes in Richwood, Louisiana.
Josephine Harris (Spouse – Lewis Harris)
She married Lewis Harris and died during childbirth.
Maggie Ophelia
Died at an early age.
Elisha Foster 1887 – 1973 (Spouses - Louvilla Goins, Janice Griffin, Ernestine Franklin and Bertha Flentroy)
Elisha was the oldest son born to Felix and Kate Cottingham Foster. His father, Felix, loved to travel and was away from home for long periods of time. As the oldest son, Elisha learned responsibility early in life. Elisha worked to help support his mother and the younger children in the family. He was a carpenter and also enjoyed farming. He was a barber on Sunday mornings and charged $.10 for kids and $.15 for adults but he never let anyone cut his hair. Elisha married 7 times – twice to the same lady. His younger siblings respected him and obeyed him. There was a time when 90% of the homes built in Richwood were built by Elisha and Abram Foster. “Uncle Son,” as we called him lived and worked in Oakland, CA with his cousin Jimmy Jenkins. He was also a carpenter in the U.S. Navy. He paid for his granddaughters (Jewel Hall) college education. He moved back to Richwood after he retired. He spent his final days with his daughter Eunice Foster Washington. He once owned the present site of Richwood’s Memorial Gardens, one of the most beautiful burial sites in northern Louisiana. Children: Eunice E. Foster Washington, Leroy Foster & Felix D. Foster, Elisha Foster
Julia Foster Brown (Husband - Coleman Brown)
Julia left Richwood/Monroe with her husband (Coleman Brown) for Chicago to find work. They left their three daughters (Rosie, Mary Ann, and Ceola) with Mama Kate. Julia didn’t like Chicago because she thought it was too big and Julie and Coleman eventually established their family in Joliet, Illinois. Julia would travel back and forth to Louisiana to check on her mother, Mama Kate. Julie and Coleman owned 3 houses in a row in Joliet all on Joliet street next to the 2nd Baptist church. Mama Kate had several strokes and Julie went to Louisiana often to check on her. When Mama Kate was not able to care for Augusta’s’ children (Lillie Mae & James) they went to stay with their Aunt Julia in Joliet. Lillie Mae eventually moved to Campbell/Youngstown, Ohio where her father and aunt & uncle (Josephine Foster Hunter and Rev. Ambus Hunter II) lived. Julia opened her home and the migration to the Chicago/Joliet area continued with Freely, Ida Mae, Ruth and Odessa eventually moving to Joliet from the Monroe/Richwood area. Ruth and Odessa later relocated to California. Children: Rosie Gardner, Ceola Wilson, Mary Ann Meads
Ida Foster (Married; no children)
She was struck by lightening but did not die from it.
Abram Foster Sr. (Spouse Katie Williams Foster)
Abram was known as “Pa” to his children and grandchildren and was a friendly, easy going, kind, well liked and gentle man. Abram could read, write and was musically inclined playing various instruments. Abram was good with his hands and self employed as a carpenter. Abram worked with the civil rights movement and voter registration drive. In an effort to deny the right to vote to those who were not white, a poll tax and literacy test were imposed. Abram worked with people in the community to make sure blacks could pass the literacy test. The KKK burned a cross at Pleasant Green Baptist Church because of the increase in voter registration. Pa was a Youth Minister at Pleasant Green and was quiet and gentle in nature but would defend what was right. Abram loved having his family around him and was an excellent cook. He loved to cook and feed others - all were welcome at his table. He loved having his family around him and sharing meals together. Abram was resourceful and built 90% of the homes in Richwood with his brother Elisha. He looked out for his mother, family members and community as a whole.
Children: Rev. Lee Andrew “Uncle Toddler” Foster, Linton (Lennon) Foster, Louise Foster Henry Perry, Freely Fulton Foster Sr., McHenry Foster, Gladys Foster, Josephine Foster Hunter, Andrew W. Foster Sr., Seleker Foster Wesley, Rueben Foster Sr., Ruth Lee Foster, Mildred Lee Foster McFarland, William Earl Foster Sr., Julia Odell Foster Calhoun, Abram Foster Jr., Melvin Foster Sr.
Eddie Foster Sr. 1896-1996 (Spouse – Charlotte Saucer Foster)
He was extremely resourceful and smart with his finances. Eddie was strong willed and stuck to his values and beliefs. Eddie was very hard and stern with his children “PaPo” as his grandchildren called his frequently requested that they brush his hair and cut his toenails. “PaPo” was very proud of his grandchildren’s achievements. Eddie was a hard worker and retired from Strauss & Son Wholesale. He was also a farmer. Eddie was very orderly about handling his business and frugal with his money. As a result he did extremely well for someone with an 8th grade education during that time. “PaPo” was a good-looking man. Eddie resided with Ida Mae in Joliet and eventually in Detroit with his daughter Neomi when his health failed. Eddie was memorialized in Monroe, Louisiana.
Children: Ida Mae Foster Saunders, Eddie “Deek” Foster Jr., Vera Foster Rice Smith, Neomi Foster Collins, Ruth Foster Latham, Odessa Foster Goins, Evangeline Foster Boykin.