My Early Girlhood Days In Berwick

My Early Girlhood Days In Berwick
(By Mary Elizabeth (Foster) Darling)

THE FIRST SECTION
(A four part sketch)

Image courtesy of www.OldFashionedClipArt.com "I am only asking you to go a piece of the way with me – just through the first section: possibly in this short jaunt you may review some familiar situations and parallel incidents of your own experience.

It is not a "make believe" as the children say; it is a really true story, a memory sketch including some of the current events of that time.
- Mary Elizabeth Darling
"

Part one
Nov. 27, 1929
Part two
Dec. 4, 1929
Part three
Dec. 11, 1929
Part four
Dec. 18, 1929

(This is Mary's father - PV)

Berwick Register,

Thursday, Sept. 5th, 1901.

Death of Mr. E. C. Foster.

At eleven o’clock yesterday morning at his home in Berwick, Edward C. Foster passed away.

The announcement of his death will cause the deepest sorrow in the hearts of hosts of friends. There are few men or women in Western Kings who have not known Mr. Foster, and he has ever been found a wise counsellor and a sincere and faithful friend.

His love of children, a prominent feature of his character, kept him in touch with those who have grown to manhood and womanhood during his later life. Though he had almost reached the age of eighty five years, he has not, until the last few days, been laid aside from the performance of business, public or private. At an age when many men are almost forgotten, except by those immediately about them, Mr. Foster was, therefore, almost as widely known as when in the prime of life, and the news of his death will call forth more than a passing expression of regret.

Edward Clark Foster was born near Bridgetown in May, 1817. When a lad of fifteen, he left the district school and went to Annapolis town, to attend the Academy under Dr. Henderson. At the age of eighteen he began teaching school, and from that date until his thirty-fifth year he spent the greater part of his time in the instruction of the young.

In 1846 he removed to Berwick with his parents, who had purchased a farm, east of the village. In the following year he was married to Harriet Lovica Tupper, also of Annapolis county, and brought her, a bride, to Berwick. Five sons and one daughter came to bless this happy union, all but one of whom are now living.

Mr. Foster was for some years engaged in mercantile life. At the election in 1867 he was a candidate of the “Confederate” party for a seat in the local legislature. Ten years later he was appointed post master at Berwick, which office he held for twenty years, retiring in 1897.

In religious circles Mr. Foster has been one of the foremost lay men of the County. To his energy and perseverance were largely due the building of the Methodist place of worship in Berwick. He has been for years a class leader of that church, and has been ever ready for any services required of him, whether in the Sabbath school, the class meeting, the prayer service, or in the temporal business of the congregation.

For the aged widow who survives him, the deepest sympathy will be felt. The loss of one who has been a companion for fifty four years will cause a feeling of loneliness which can not be assuaged. Mrs. Foster has been the constant and unassuming assistant of her husband in every good work and now in her hour of bereavement, her sorrow is shared by many who have been made happier through her life as well as that of the departed.


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