This is a mystery girl:
"Victoria Foster" is now Matura J. Foster

The Resolved Mystery of a Gal  Wrongfully Given the Name of Victoria Foster

And the mind set of never giving up - by Carm Foster

   In 2004 I was sent a copied picture of this very photogenic young girl from an old Wallace Family album held by a wonderful lady in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada.  She hoped I would know who this young lady was and might be able to supply some information about her.  The name written on the picture was Victoria Foster.

   About a year later after exhausting all efforts in trying to determine who she was,  I contacted Randy Saylor to see if I could post the picture on his site.  I hoped some of the many who accessed his site might have seen the picture before and would help resolve the mystery.  He was concerned from the aspect of wanting to keep his site committed to the area of the Bay of Quinte.   I agreed with Randy but mentioned the picture was taken in Picton, Ont. and I thought the Quinte connection was there.  He agreed and posted it with comments.

   This past weekend of June 10th. 2011 my wife and I made a 2nd. trip to a place called Victor, NY. located just south of Rochester to meet with descendants of my Great Grandfather and Grandmother Jonathan B. Foster and Catherine L. Wallace who had lived in Prince Edward and Hastings Counties, Ont.

   On the morning of the second day while in Victor one of the descendants brought a picture.  He casually pulled it out from among several and asked me if I had ever seen it before.  Later he said my eyes turned to saucers, my body was agitating and I know I had problems trying to get my jaw off the floor.  I was flabbergasted.  There she was, my Mystery girl!  I was so excited a jumble of thank you words streamed from my mouth which I doubt made any sense to him at all.  He had never seen the picture I had, nor had I ever mentioned to him my quest to find the origin of my Mystery Girl.  He couldn't understand my excited state.

  I explained to all how I came by the mystery girl picture many years ago.  I went looking for it on my laptop to show them.  The excitement was still in me, with frustration building I couldn't find it at that time.  I had a wi-fi hookup at the hotel where we were staying so I accessed Randy's site.  There she was patiently waiting to be discovered.  With distant cousins surrounding my laptop like a scene out of the wild west, we all agreed it was the same person but possibly the pictures were taken several years apart.

   My point and belief when you come to a brick wall.  Don't stop looking, and never give up! 

Someone out there has a snippet of information which when tied to one's own information creates a break in that wall opening up a new landscape to be explored.  Keep prying, keep trying.  It will happen!

Who was this young lady?  
   Her name was Matura J. Foster or better known as Turie or Tura Foster.  She was born on the 4th. of March 1867 probably in Hallowell or Sophiasburgh Twps. in Prince Edward County.

   Her parents were Jonathan B. Foster and Catherine L. Wallace.  Jonathan, born 1838, was the son of Samuel Foster and Eleanor Bowerman, sometimes known as Helen.  Catherine, born 1843 was the daughter of William Wallace and Margaret Wilson.  She was born in Hungerford Twp., Hastings County, Ont.

   Matura married a Charles K. Kennett.  This probably occurred in NY. State about 1889.  She had 3 children from that union.  Henry J. Kennett b. 1890, died 1890 4 days after birth.  Frances E. Kennett b. 1893, d. 1969 who married a Frank A. Welker and William F. Kennett b. 1894, d. 1949 who married a Hazel Unknown.

   Charles K. Kennett died 11 Aug. 1898 and  Matura re-married a Charles Clark.  This marriage occurred 20 Mar. 1901 at Macedon Center,  Wayne Co., NY.  There were probably no children from this marriage.  Matura died 25 Mar 1949.  Matura, Charles Kennett, Charles Clark, some of the children and descendants are buried in the Macedon Center Cemetery at Macedon, Wayne Co., NY.

   The attached picture is a composite showing both the front and reverse in one plane.  It is of Matura J. Foster which may have been taken in Palmyra NY., about the mid 1880's.
Source: Carm Foster, email June 13, 2011