Son of Richard Foster born 29 March 1784 in Malton, North Yorkshire, England; (Married 24 October 1805 in Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, England) and Elizabeth Crame born about 1788 died befoe 1851 census

William was the son of Richard and Elizabeth (Crame) Foster, of Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, England. William married Anne Wiley, daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Brown) Wiley, about 1834/1835, location unknown at present time. Anne's parents, Samuel Wiley and Margaret (nee Brown) Wiley, from Yorkshire, England, also settled in Richmond Township, McHenry County, Illinois. Anne was born in Habton, North Yorkshire, England. William and Anne are my childrens' paternal 4x great-grandparents through their daughter Margaret Foster Moon ~

Directory of McHenry County, Illinois
FOSTER, WILLIAM, Farmer Sec 19: Richmond P. O.; born Yorkshire, England, 1808; came to America in 1830, and settled in Canada; lived there six years; then removed to New York State, lived there nine years; came to this town in 1844; owns 125 acres of land. Married Ann Wiley, 1835, who was born in Yorkshire; had ten children, six boys and four girls; four boys served in the [Union] army altogether 10 years, Samuel, Charles William, George and Frederick; Charles William died in the service.

Richmond Gazette
3 February 1898
WM. FOSTER
"Wm. Foster, one of McHenry county's early settlers and oldest residents, died Sunday afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs Wm. Rehorst [Hebron prairie], aged nearly 90 years. He had been failing for some time and his death had been expected for several days. The funeral was held yesterday, interment being in the Richmond cemetery. Obituary next week." Note: This issue is one of the few issues that remain of the Richmond Gazette. Surviving issues are preserved at the McHenry County Historical Society, in Union, McHenry Co., Illinois ~

Note: William's farm land was located in Section 19 of Richmond Township. Today, Keystone Road running north-south, passes through a portion of where William's farm land was located, on the west side of Keystone Road, north of crossroad Tryon Grove and south of crossroad Norgard Road, and Route 173. A silo still remained in 2014, visible from Keystone Road, but in the summer, surrounded by trees, visibility is limited ~

1850:
Richmond Twp., McHenry Co., Illinois
William Foster 40 England
Ann Foster 32 England
William Foster 12 New York
Samuel Foster 14 New York
George Foster 11 New York
Elisabeth Foster 8 New York
Mary F Foster 7 New York
Fredrick Foster 5 Illinois
Albert Foster 0 Illinois

5 July 1860:
Richmond Twp., McHenry Co., Illinois
Wm Foster 48 England
Hannah Foster 43 England
Wm Foster 22 New York
Mary Foster 17 New York
Frederick Foster 14 Illinois
James Foster 10 Illinois
Matilda Foster 8 Illinois
Helen Foster 5 Illinois

Note: It is unknown what became of daughter Mary, after the 1860 census

24 Aug 1870:
Richmond Twp., McHenry Co., Illinois
William Foster 64 England
Ann Foster 50 England
Fredrick Foster 24 Illinois
Matilda Foster 18 Illinois
Nettie Foster 13 Illinois
Charles Foster 2 Iowa
(grandson)
Samuel Wiley 85 England
(father-in-law)

10/11 June 1880:
Richmond Twp., McHenry Co., Illinois
William Foster Self 72 England
Ann Foster Wife 63 England

Note: bio info added by Sandie