Joseph C Foster - River boat gambler

[shellyesq]

It looks like Ida Ellen was born Ireland, so maybe she's the connection.

Death certificate:  https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K3WW-6BX

Possible match for 1910 Census under Ellen - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M295-FZY

Gravestone - http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Foster&GSiman=1&GScid=224120&GRid=31215463&

Joseph's gravestone:  http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Foster&GSiman=1&GScid=224120&GRid=28058784&

[RCB]

Busy reading about the gun fights, Thompson and Foster were from the North east of England, born about 50 miles apart.  I wonder how they kept in touch and notied family about the events?  I know my family split between Ohio and Utah and lost touch until I stirred things up 100 years later.  Some in Utah were living just 30 minutes from cousins they didn't know.  I wonder if Ida was English too by birth?

[RCB]

beat me to it

[merjones]

I checked all of the Joseph Foster's who fought on the Confederate side out of Texas and this is the only one who's records show he was a prisoner of war and in hospital where he may have met his nurse wife:

[RCB]

I guess he might have got better treatment being an officer? Is the Prt for Private.

I'm looking for his marriage now and her surname.....Carr's and Foster's have a link here in the UK.  I only know the Rutledge surname from Ireland, no idea what the mothers maiden name was.

[shellyesq]

There's a Joe Foster on the 1880 census whose occupation was gambler:  https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MFFL-C2X

A death notice is here:  http://tinyurl.com/amkhpd8

Article about his funeral:  http://tinyurl.com/bjafrwy

There's a letter in a San Antonio newspaper about his military service - http://tinyurl.com/arqbknu

[shellyesq]

Judging from that article, I think this is Joseph in the military: 
http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers-detail.htm?soldier_id=a796429e-dc7a-df11-bf36-b8ac6f5d926a

[RCB]

Thank you again, I'll now have to try and confirm the link I have between the families Foster and Carr, it all makes some sort of sense.  How many gamblers named Joseph C Foster can there be who fought for the Confederate army, was wounded, and died as a result of his occupation, a gunfight!  That 1880 census says single and born Florida?  I was thinking he was born in England, and a few years older, but his father may be the direct link to the UK.  Great story isn't it.  Fred

[shellyesq]

The 1880 census has parents listed as born in Virginia. 

There's a possible match in the 1870 census for a J.C. Foster who was a machinist:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MXGV-D1P  His parents aren't listed as foreign born.

Maybe he was an uncle by marriage?