Biography: Robert Elisha FosterRowland, Dunbar. The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi, 1917. Centennial Edition. Madison, Wisc.: Democrat Printing Company, 1917. p. 868 ISSOQUENA [sic.] COUNTY ROBERT ELISHA FOSTER of Shiloh, Issoquena [sic.] County, Miss., was born November 26, 1851, at Linden, Copiah County, Miss., the son of Milton Hunter Foster, of Copiah County, who died in 1905, in his 82nd year. Mr. Foster received his early education at Summerville Institute under Thomas S. Gathright, and has served as a member of the Board of Supervisors of his county for 26 years, being President of the Board most of the time. He is a man of wide influence in his community and was elected to the House of Representatives, November 5, 1911, and returned in 1915. The faithful and honorable service which Mr. Foster has, for so many years, rendered his own county is reflected in his service for the State at large. He gives careful thought to every question that concerns the State's best interests and subordinates all partisanship to the public good. He is one of the most efficient and diligen members of the Legislature and is a capable representative of the Great Delta section of the State. On January 1, 1877, he married Nannie E. Heath of Shiloh, Miss. In the Legislature of 1911, he was an able member of the following committees: Pensions, Mississippi Levees, Railroads, Public Lands, Public Buildings and Grounds. In the present Legislature he serves with experience and marked ability as a member of the following committees: Agriculture; Mississippi Levees; County Affairs; Pensions; Drainage. Submitted by Lori Thornton
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi, Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1891. Volume I, pp. 761 Robert E. Foster, planter, Hays' Landing, Miss. Mr. Foster's father,
Milton H. Foster was a successful druggist in his younger days, but later
engaged in planting, and now resides on the farm that he has owned for
forty years. He was a native of Tennessee, and moved with his parents to
Mississippi at a very early day, the Foster family being considered among
the most prominent during ante-bellum days. His uncle, Dr. Grant, was marshal
of Mississippi during that time, and Mr. Foster served as deputy under
him. This was before General Jackson was noted in the state. Milton Foster
was married to Miss Eliza H. Greenlee, a native of Mississippi, and they
reared a family of four children, who are named in order of their births,
as follows: Sarah (wife of C.H. Pearce), Robert E., Milton D. and Maryetta
(wife of W.G. Herrington, of Claiborne county). Mr. Foster served three
or four years in the late unpleasantness between the North and South, and
during that trime held verious offices in his company, filling them with
honor to himself and to the satisfaction of his comrades. After cessation
of hostilities he returned home and again turned his attention to planting.
he and Mrs. Foster are worthy members of the Methodist church. Robert E.
Foister was born in Copiah county, Miss., in 1851, and after receiving
his early education in the common schools attended Summerville institute
(near the Tennessee line) for some time. After finishing his education
he returned home, bought a farm of four hundred acres, with one hundred
and forty under cultivation, in Issaquena county, and in 1882 settled upon
this. He has added to the original tract two hundred and dorty acres and
now has about three hundred and fifty acres well cultivated. He raises
annually two hundred and twenty bales of cotton and plenty of corn, and
he laso raises an excellent grade of stock. He has a fine young peach orchard,
the fruit being large and of an excellent flavor, and his farm in the way
of improvements is the admiration of all beholders. He has good houses
and outbuildings for his tenants, and this year he has addeda b out eight
or ten new tenant and box houses to the farm. he has lately put under cultivation
about one hundred acres of new land, and this makes his property still
more desirable. he is the only man in the county who raised any oats of
importance this year, and his crop yielded forty bushels to the acre. he
stands among the best men of his state as a successful planter, and, although
he is now only in the prime of life, he has made a financial success, so
far, in his chosen occupation. Mr. Foster served as a member of the board
of supervisors for six years, and is a member of the same at the present
time, as president. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Hays' Landing
lodge No. 16, has filled various offices int he same, and is also a membe
rof the American legion of Honor and is a prelate of this order. Mr. Foster
was married in January, 1877 to Miss nannie E. Heath, daughter of John
Heath (see sketch), and the fruits of this union have been three children.
Annie E., Robert H. and Mary L. Both Mr. and Mrs. Foster are members of
the Baptist church.
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