Per Google search done by Ellen Bartish of "Family Finder", Eleanor Graham Foster was noone's wife and was not born in 1825. She was located on "Lori's Generalogy Home, page: My Oregon Families", updated Oct 30, 2002. She was a daughter of Robert Foster and Isabella Hearst Foster, b.Jan 9, 1829 in Columbia Co., Pennsylvania, died in Albany, Linn County, Oregon. She was an unmarried daughter who died in Eighteen Seventy Something in Albany, from what I can read off the headstone, such as it's condition is. If she had passed in 1849, she would have been 19 or 20, most certainly have been referred to as "daughter" and would have been one of the 1st burials in Albany and noted as such, but such is not the case. I really appreciate Ellen Bartish's help and her referrals. Thank you. Dec 17, 2011
**March 28th, 2012** The Riddle's Been Solved!!
Per www.familysearch.org I was able to locate Eleanor Graham Foster. She was indeed a daughter of Robert and Isabella Hearst Foster, born on Jan 9th, 1829 in Columbia Co., Pennsylvania. Per the Pedigree Resource File, Eleanor died in July, 1856 in Albany, Linn County, Oregon. She was one of nine children who attempted to make the journey from Pennsylvania to Oregon. Eleanor's father, Robert Foster, was b.July 26,1787 in Buffalo Township, Northumberland Co., Pa. He died of cholera in Clear Creek Township, Ohio on Mar 6, 1843. Eleanor's mother, Isabella Hearst Foster, was b. May 14, 1797 in Cumberland Co., PA. She d.Apr 22, 1852 in Osolo Township, Elkhart Co., Indiana, and was buried nearby her 1st born son, Andrew, who had died in 1849 in the same location, buried at Carleton Cemetery, Elkhart Co., Indiana. So neither of Eleanor's parents made it to Oregon, but Eleanor did indeed reach the Willamette Valley, along with James Hearst Foster who became the 2nd husband of Louesa Matilda (Burkhart) Thompson (1836-1907), Robert Foster (1831-1892) who married Hannah Froman and was blessed with ten children, and the following siblings:
2nd child, John, b.1823, who supposedly died in Mitchell, Wheeler County, Oregon. I haven't been able to locate him.
3rd child, I already discussed, was James Hearst Foster, buried in Riverside Cemetery, Albany, Linn County, Oregon.
4th child, Mary Campbell Foster, b.1825, d.1892 supposedly in Albany, I also can't locate.
5th child, Margaretta Young Foster, b.1828, married Daniel Harvey Bodine of Albany, Linn County. They had a farm and were graced with five sons and one daughter. Sadly, Daniel passed away at the relatively young age of 42, leaving his widow and children to care for the farm; I am sure that both Daniel's and Margaretta's relatives helped out as they were able because the eldest of the Bodine children, William, was only 11 yrs of age when his father died. Oscar, the next eldest was only 9 years old when his father passed away, and the only daughter was only 7, little Samuel was only 5, little Daniel, named after his father, was only 3 yrs and baby James was just a year old. Margaretta chose not to remarry and lived until 1900 at which time she was buried next to her beloved husband in Riverside Cemetery in Albany.
6th child, Eleanor Graham Foster, b.1829, d.July, 1856 in Albany and was buried with other Fosters at Riverside Cemetery in Albany, Oregon. Her headstone was in a poor state of disrepair when the cemetery was first catalogued and it took a while for us to determine who it was. I'm so glad we did!
7th child, Robert, b.1831, married Hannah Froman and were blessed with ten children-- 8 sons and 2 daughters. One of their sons, James Edwin, marrying a Burkhart, "Carrie" Burkhart Foster, who gave him three children before he died.
8th child, Jane Elizabeth Foster, b.1833, supposedly died in Albany, Oregon July 12, 1892, but I haven't been able to locate her. She may have married & I need her new last name. The 9th child was discussed earlier, William Thomas Foster, b.1835, who reportedly settled in Boise, Ada County, Idaho, d. in 1898, am unable to locate.
So thus is the story of Eleanor Graham Foster and her brothers and sisters who came West to resettle in the Pacific Northwest in the 1800's. If any of these persons are familiar to you or if you have any further information regarding the Foster/Froman/Burkhart connections, please feel free to contact me via the "edit" button. Thank you so very much. Naturally, credit will be given where credit is due.
With all sincerity, Kathie L.Webb Blair, Portland, Oregon