Local historical reminiscences
A SESQUICENTENNIAL DEDICATION OF A GRAVE MARKER FOR A CITIZEN OF THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS - THOMAS JEFFERSON FOSTER 1836 - 1845
By his great grandaughter Mrs. S. Harold McCollum
A Member of James Butler Bonham Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Dallas, Texas.
Date: May 27, 1984 Time: 2:00 p.m. Grapevine Cemetery, Grapevine, Texas
We have come here today to pay respect to THOMAS JEFFERSON FOSTER, a staunch CITIZEN OF THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS. Though we come to honor his memory we ourselves are honored.
THOMAS JEFFERSON FOSTER was born December 23, 1809 at Plat Creek, Lincoln County, Tennessee. He died May 3, 1901 in Dallas, Texas, and was buried in the Grapevine Cemetery at Grapevine, Texas. His parents were Joel Lewis and Mary Armstrong Poster, who married near Abbeville, South Carolina.
At the age of about fourteen years, his parents sold their land in Lincoln County, Tennessee and moved to Marion County, Alabama. Thomas Jefferson Foster’s first marriage was to Lucinda Holcomb, who was born in Surry County, North Carolina. They had seven children, and she died August 13, 1842, just twelve days after the birth of their son, Lucratus. Lucinda Holcomb Foster was buried at Holcomb’s Bluff, Cass County, Texas.
THOMAS JEFFERSON FOSTER married second, Elizabeth Beaty, on February 27, 1843 in Cass County, Texas. They also had seven children, and Elizabeth Beaty Foster died at the birth of their son, John. She is buried in Cass County, Texas.
THOMAS JEFFERSON FOSTER married a third time, Sarah Trimble, on January 7, 1858, she died January 20, 1909. Sarah or (Sally)Trimble was born May 7, 1832, in Arkansas. The couple had ten children. Sarah was a sister to the wife of a son of Mr. Foster. The son was Green Faro Foster, the second son of Mr. Poster and his first wife, Lucinda.
Eighteen families decided to journey to Texas, the trip required about three months. Eighteen wagons, forty-two men on horseback, seven cows, one bull, two male goats, some dozen and half female goats and a few sheep. Each wagon has a crate of hens and a rooster fastened to their side. It was necessary for them to ford the Mississippi and the Red Rivers and many streams.
According to his sworn statement to the Board of Land Commissioners for the Republic of Texas, Thomas Jefferson Foster and his family entered the Republic of Texas in December 1841. He was granted a Fourth-Class Land Grant of 640 acres. Cass County was literally carved out of the beautiful East Texas Forest.
UNCLE JEFF, as he was affectionately called by a host of friends, was a deacon of the Baptist Church from the second Sunday of May 1836, being baptized by the Rev. L.H. Hodges. Grandfather was a carpenter and a furniture maker. Soon after his arrival in Texas he was hired to fell trees; and he used a Whip Saw to cut the timber into lumber. He was contracted to build the first COURT HOUSE IN LINDEN, TEXAS. It was a two-story building, with real glass in the windows. A few years later he bought the Court House and moved it onto his own property. It is commonly believed that he gave the building to the Baptist Congregation and the Masons. The Baptist used the lower floor for their services and the Masons used the upper floor. Grandfather was a Civic-minded man, and also interested in everyone receiving an education, male or female. Cass County records reflect that he was a member of the first Jury Panel which conven¬ed August 12, 1846. He was the second Postmaster of Linden, Texas.
His own home, “built in 1853, is reported to have been the first frame house built in Linden, Texas. The house is located at the corn.er of Foster and Houston Streets, it is still standing and occupied.
THOMAS JEFFERSON FOSTER, on June 25, 1853 was initiated into the Masonic Order. In the Andrew Jackson Lodge #88, A.F.& A.M., located in Linden, Texas. He served as a Junior Deacon, as a Senior Deacon, but during the Civil War the Masons could not remain totally active. Grandfather then became Senior Warden in - 1866 - 1869. He moved to Grapevine., Tarrant County, Texas and was affiliated with the Grapevine Lodge #288 on April 12, 1873, and remained a member of that lodge until February 13, 1886, when he moved to Wise County, and was affiliated with the Boonsville Lodge #606. He remained a member of that lodge until his death. When the Civil War divided our Nation, Mr. Foster was 52 years of age, none-the-less he tried to volunteer his services; The County felt his services more valuable as a County Commissioner to investigate those families left destitute. He served in this capacity on Beat One.
Six of his sons and four sons-in-law served in the war The Eldest son, M. Berry Anderson Foster was a gun smith, and in repairing a gun it exploded in his hand, he lost the sight in one eye. He was also a prisoner of war and held in Mississippi. The second son, Green Faro Foster was killed in service in New Orleans, Louisiana. Green left a widow and several young children. Others in the family were injured, but none seriously.
Grandfather fathered twenty-four children from his three marriages, sixteen sons and eight daughters. He was laid to rest in the Grapevine Cemetery. His son Joel Lewis and grandson Joel Lewis, Jr. were members of the Grapevine Lodge, and Masonic records show that a delegation of Masons from Tarrant, Denton and Dallas Counties attended the funeral service where it was recorded that over 500 guests signed the register. His funeral service was given by the Rev. W.A. Conway of Grapevine, Texas, Text taken from Psalms 17: “As for me, I will be¬hold thy face in righteousness? I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”
(This Biographical sketch was written by Pauline Wood McCollum (Mrs. S. Harold) and was read by one 0f his living grandsons Hague Foster of El Paso, Texas at the Sesquicentennial Memorial Ceremony at Grapevine, Texas on May 27, 1984.)
HISTORY OF THE WILLIAM B. BEAL FAMILY
Submitted by member Lilly Jean BEAL Engleman
James Pinkney BEAL , born in Alabama and his wife Delila moved to Cass County prior to 7 Sept 1869, their son William Benjamin was born in Cass County. William died 13 April 1944
He married Anna Tululah Hatcher born 27 Nov 1874 in Cass County, the daughter of James Lawrence Hatcher and Eliza C. Harris who moved to Cass County from South Carolina. Anna died 26 Feb 1928 and she and William are buried in the Simmons Cemetery in Avinger.
From this union were born ten children:
1. Leonard Jackson (Jack) b. 31 Aug 1891, d. 16 Oct. 1973 in Texarkana. He and his wife Maidie had one child, a son.
2. Lawrence Pinkley b. 9 June 1893, d. 3 July 1945 in California. He married twice but did not have children.
3. Willie Tolulah (Will) b. 9 July 1895, d. 13 Sept. 1956 in Texarkana and is buried in Arkansas. She had four daughters.
4. Lillie Lorene (Toad) b. 9 Aug. 1898, d. 2 Dec. 1980 is buried in Santo North in Palo Pinto Co. Never married.
5. Rosie Mae (Tom), b. 24 Nov. 1901, d. 2 May 1979, is buried Santo North, Palo Pinto Co. Married Marion Daves and did not have children.
6. Romie Lee b. 8 Sept 1903, d.27 Mar. 1906 is buried in Simmons Cemetery in Avinger.
7. Louis Napoleon (Son), b. 31 Jan. 1906, d. 17 Mar 1982 in Texarkana. Married Beatrice (Bee). There were two children.
8. Ida Mildred (Sis) \, b. 5 May 1908, d. 1978 in Angleton, TX and is buried in Santo North, Palo Pinto Co. She married Warner Harwell and they had four children.
9. Looney Ovel (Coon), b. 16 Nov. 1909, d. 1 June 1992. Buried Grandview Cemetery, Pasadena, TX. Married Fern Margaret Culver 20 Jan 1939 in Houston, TX. They had two children Lilly Jean, and Ronnie Edward.
10. Lonnie Leon (Bud), b. 13 June 1912, d. 27 Oct 1995, is buried in Louisiana. Married 1st Elaine, one son Billy George. Married 2nd Erna, two stepsons.
Looney Ovel (Coon) BEAL, born 16 Nov. 1909 in Cass County d. 1 June 1992.
Looney worked in the oil fields before and after WWII. He was a Seaman 1st Class on the USS Jaguar. He retired from Brown and Root Construction Company.
On 20 Jan. 1939 he married Fern M. Culver who he met in Genoa, Harris Co. TX. When he returned from WWII the family moved to LaPorte TX. where he built a small house for his family. They resided there until the summer of 1960 when they moved to Pasadena. TX.
Looney contracted and survived colon cancer but maintaining an active life he suffered a fall while trimming a tree and shattered his hip. Due to his advanced years his heart was unable to endure the strain and gave out on 1 June 1992 at the age of 82. Injured though he was his sense of humor endured. When the doctor inquired how high on the ladder he was he replied “you know the rung that says do not stand
As of 13 March 1998, Fern is living with daughter Lilly Jean BEAL Engleman in Whitney, Texas.
Lilly Jean BEAL, b. 25 Sept. 1942 in Pasadena, TX. married Walter Owen (Butch) Engleman on 16 Dec. 1960 in Deer Park, TX. Butch was born 17 May 1942 in Pasadena, TX, the son of Chris L. Engleman and Gladys Cleo Hill. Butch grew up in Deer Park while Lilly grew up in LaPorte.
Their children are:
1. Sophia Ann b. 12 June 1962, mar. David Hixson, their son Dusty b. 2 Jan 1984.
2. Walter, Jr. b. 9 Oct 1965, d. 9 Mar. 1984. Was killed by a drunk driver and is buried in Waco Memorial Park, Waco, McClennan Co. TX.
3. Stephanie Jean b. 13 Oct. 1970 mar. Kenneth Wayne Beeman. They have one daughter Hilary Jean b. 16 Dec. 1990.
Butch and Lilly moved to the Waco, TX. area in 1969. He retired from Texas Utilities in 1992 and they now live in a resort in Whitney, Hill Co. TX. Daughter Sophia still lives in Waco while daughter Stephanie lives in Freeport, TX.