Reginald Foster, husbandman born at Exeter, Devonshire, England. His will was proved at Ipswich, MA on 9 Jun 1680/1, aged over 80 years. He came from England in 1638 in one of the ships embargoed by King Charles the First. He brought with him his wife, Judith and five sons and two daughters. They settled at Ipswich, Essex Co, MA, where they were among the first inhabitants of the town. His home was near East Bridge. Reginald was active in the affairs of the town.

Had a grant of land in Ipswich in 1641, and appears to have been a person of much consequence among the planters there, being frequently addressed as Goodman Foster. He was a man of substance and influence, but apparently had no desire to act in an official capacity.235

His name is mentioned on 19 Dec 1645, as paying a portion of money raised to pay Major Denison and his military forces for services rendered against Indian attacks; he is again mentioned in 1652 as working with Thomas Clark laying boundary lines. In 1655, Reginald Foster bought a house with land reaching from the present Green Street to Summer Street. He had quite a bit of property, as is shown by his will, dated 30 Apr 1680. A copy of the will is in the Snow-Estes Ancestry. In the will he bequeaths to wife Sarah, sons Abraham, Renold, Isaac, William and Jacob; daughters Sarah, wife of William Story; Mary, wife of Francis Peabody; and grandchild Hannah Story.236,237,238,83, Vol. 1,239,240,33,2

The family of Reginald Foster is honorably mentioned in Scott's "Lay of the Last Minstrel" and in "Marmion". The Snow-Estes book shows an interesting line back 24 generations from Reginald to Charlemagne.

He was descended from an ancient and respectable family settled in the west of England. He came from England in 1638 with his family on board a vessel embargoed by King Charles I. He settled at Ipswich with five sons and two daughters. He resided near the bridge and is one of 24 inhabitants who in 1646 "promise carting voluntary toward the cart Bridge, besides the rate, a day work a piece." He was a commoner in 1641. In 1648, he and his son Abraham are subscribers to an allowance for Major Dension. In 1661, he was a surveyor of highways. His name and the names of his sons, Abraham, Reginald, Isaac, and Jacob, are in a list of inhabitants that have shares in Plum Island on Feb. 14, 1664. Those same names are on a list of those that by law are allowed to have their vote in town affairs on Dec. 2, 1679. Per the article, he lived to an extreme old age but a record of his death has not been found. His will bequeathed to his wife Sarah what she brought at marriage, and other things; to sons Abraham, Renold, Isaac, William and Jacob; to daughters Sarah, wife of William Story, and Mary, wife of Francis Paybody; to grandchild Hannah Story.33, pg. 352

Son of Renald, desc. of Sir Richard Forester, brother-in-law of William the Conquerer. Settled at Ipswich, MA, 16381