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.