The Frederick and Martha
Forster Family Frederick
Harrison Forster was born on February 21, 1827, in Harrison County,
Indiana, the son of Thomas and Ann (Richardson)
Forster. Frederick was converted and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church when he was but 14 years old. He came with a caravan of immigrants to
Knox County,
Illinois, in 1849, and married Martha Jane Herrold there on February 17, 1850. She was also a native of
Indiana and was born about 1832. They moved to
Knox County,
Illinois, about 1850, where they were engaged in farming. The family came to
Iowa in the spring of 1869, settling in Jackson Township,
Lucas County, where F.H. had purchased 800 acres of land for $6 an acre. In 1877, they moved to
Kansas and homesteaded and Martha died there the same year in December. In 1878, he married again to Mary Jane White, to which union one daughter and one son was born. Mary Jane was born May 7, 1840, daughter of Adam White, and passed away on February 20, 1918. They lived in
Kansas until about 1883, when drought and grasshoppers proved so disastrous to the crops that he gave abandoned his claim and returned to
Iowa. Frederick made his home with his children after Mary Jane‟s death, and died on December 12, 1919, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. D.D. Grey in Lacona,
Iowa. Frederick and Mary Jane are buried at the
Woodburn Cemetery. Frederick and Martha’s children:
463
Marquis Christopher
Forster, born November 12, 1850, in
Knox County,
Illinois. On February 28, 1872, he married Amanda E. Sater. Marquis passed away on September 15, 1930, and Amanda on March 23, 1940. They are both buried at the
Woodburn Cemetery. (See
Marquis and Amanda
Forster Family). Martha A. Forster, born July 9, 1852, in
Knox County,
Illinois. On February 28, 1872, she married Solomon
Sibbitt Critchfield, the son of Josiah and Sarah (
Sibbitt)
Critchfield. Sol
Critchfield passed away on December 12, 1933, at their home at
Woodburn. Martha
Critchfield passed away on December 17, 1937. They are both buried at the
Woodburn Cemetery. (See Sol and Martha
Critchfield Family). Frances J. Forster, born in December, 1853, in
Knox County,
Illinois. She married Robert M. Critchfield, of
Liberty Township,
Clarke County,
Iowa. Robert was born December, 1848. They lived in
Lucas County,
Woodburn and Gary,
Oklahoma. In 1900, they state they were married 26 years, 6 children, 4 living. Their children: Estella J., Gladys L., Herbert M., and Ora O. Robert E. Forster, born about 1854, in
Knox County,
Illinois. He lived in
Hodgman County,
Kansas and Mustang,
Oklahoma. James T. Forster, born about 1855, in
Knox County,
Illinois. He lived in
Knox County,
Illinois and Wichita,
Kansas. Sarah Ellen “Ella”
Forster, born October 16, 1859, in
Knox County,
Illinois. She married George L. Painter of
Hodgman County,
Kansas. He was born December, 1855. Sarah died on December 25, 1916, in Dodge City,
Kansas. Their children were William L., Louella Bell and Etta May. Martin
Luther Forster, born February 9, 1861, in
Mercer County,
Illinois. In March, 1883, he moved to
Oregon and settled near Tangent in 1888, on land his wife had inherited. He marred Georgina
Settlemire, the daughter of H.W. and Lydia A. (King)
Settlemire, on July 3, 1888. She born about 1872 in
Oregon, and died between 1920 and 1930. Martin
Luther died in 1933. Their children were: Grace, born July 15, 1889; Vera M., born about 1892; Frederick H., born June 23, 1893; A. Raymond, born about 1896; Zella, born about 1899; and Martin Everette, born May 4, 1903. Mary M. Forster, born May, 1862, in
Knox County,
Illinois. She married Noah L. Elmendorf, born April 1855 in New York. They lived in
Liberty Twp.,
Lucas County and White Breast Twp., Warren County, in
Iowa. Their children were Grover C., Ardona, Earl C., and Jacob P. Augusta
Forster, died in youth. John
Forster, born in 1865, in
Knox County,
Illinois. He later lived in
Hodgman County,
Kansas. Edwin
Forster, born in 1867, in
Knox County,
Illinois and later lived with his brother,
Marquis