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This article should be cited as:
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or subscribe to my Biography and Genealogy Newsletter
The numbers preceding the names in the headers below are assigned using the Ahnentafel method.
[Edit]
Lucius Fisher Foster III, an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, already had three children by a previous wife, when he met Evelyn Ella "Brandy" Almond and married her impetuously in Tijuana, Mexico after a New Year's celebration in 1954. It was also Brandy's second marriage. The marriage however was rocky and after three children, Brandy filed papers for divorce 3 Aug 1959 in Los Angeles Superior Court. ("Foster Child", p5 wj). Lucius did not respond to the papers, and so the divorce was finalized two years later. Lucius and Brandy had been divorced for some time before Jodie was born. Her brother Buddy explains Jodie's conception as the result of a brief re-encounter between their parents some time after the divorce. Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster was born 19 Nov 1962 in Los Angeles County, California, the youngest daughter of four children. At Jodie's delivery, Aunt Jo, Brandy's lover according to Buddy Foster's book, went into the delivery room with Brandy for a 36-hour labor. The umbilical cord was wrapped around Jodie's neck. Brandy stayed in the hospital for a week. (Foster Child, p12 wj) Jodie's mother supported the family by doing public relations work for a film producer ("What's Driving Miss Foster?" by Michael Segell. Redbook, Nov 1991). Both Jodie's parents later briefly married other people.
Jodie's brother Lucius "Buddy" Foster was a child-star, most well-known in his television roles as "Johnny Dow" in 17 episodes of "Hondo" in 1967; and as "Mike Jones" in 29 episodes of Mayberry, R.F.D. from 1968 to 1971, opposite his "father" Ken Berry. Buddy would later write an autobiography in which among other things, he complains that their mother devoted her attention to Jodie, at his expense, and that is why his career ended too early. The book caused an estrangement between Buddy and Jodie. They have two older sisters, but whether they communicate with Buddy, is not known to me.
Although [Jodie] Foster's first acting appearance was at three years old, her first significant role came in 1976 as an underage prostitute in Taxi Driver, receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. After becoming a star, Jodie attended school at the prestigious Lycee Francais. Jodie received unwanted attention when in 1981 John Hinckley, who had developed a fixation on her, attempted to assassinate U.S. President Ronald Reagan to try to impress her.
Jodie Foster won an Oscar for Best Actress in 1988 for playing a rape survivor in The Accused. In 1991, she starred in The Silence of the Lambs as Clarice Starling, a gifted FBI trainee, assisting in a hunt for a serial killer. This performance received international acclaim and her second Oscar for Best Actress." ("Jodie Foster", permanent-link to archived version on Wikipedia)
She met her long-term partner Cydney Bernard (b. 1953) in 1993/4 on the set of the film "Sommersby". They lived together for 14 or 15 years. After long speculation about her sexuality, Jodie finally came out Dec 2007. Jodie has two sons, but has deflected questions about who their father(s) might be.
In 1997, her brother Buddy Foster, wrote a book ''Foster Child'', which purports to be a biography of Jodie Foster, but has been called a biography of the entire Foster family. The book discusses many events growing up in his family. He paints his mother in a villainous way, especially stating that she spent all his career earnings, and that when Jodie became a star, the rest of the family suffered some neglect. This was evidently why his budding career ended prematurely.
Jodie and Cydney split up and Jodie began seeing another woman, I believe slightly younger than herself.
Lucius Fisher Foster III was born 16 Apr 1922 ("Foster Child", p22 wj) in Colorado (possibly in Denver), the son of Lucius Foster and his wife Constance Richardson. This entry in the Ancestry World Tree claims his parents married in Denver. His mother remarried in 1928/9 to Leslie B Irwin, an investment securities salesman. Robert Battle states that Leslie's middle name was "Bessel". An article in the magazine ''She Australia'' excepted here states that "Lt Col Lucius Fisher Foster III, [was] a former Battle of Britain fighter (this battle fought 10 July 1940 – 31 October 1940), and one of the most highly decorated fliers in the US airforce." This last fact is doubtful and needs firm evidence. Such an event would have been widely published and I'm just not finding that. Jodie Foster is quoted in that article stating that she has only met her father about three times. I was able to confirm that Lucius was a Lieutenant in the U.S. 8th Air Force in 1943 and a Captain in 1945.
His son Lucius Fisher "Buddy" Foster IV reports in his book "Foster Child" that Lucius first went to New York University in Greenwich Village, but once WWII had started, he got the patriotic spirit. Since the U.S. was not yet committed to the fight, he went to Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. Later he was commissioned in the U.S. Army 8th Air Force. ("Foster Child", p27 wj)
English Knol Project
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This article should be cited as:
"Ancestry of Jodie Foster", by Will Johnson, wjhonson@aol.com, at knol.google.com, professional genealogist, copyright 2009, all rights reserved.
URL: http://knol.google.com/k/will-johnson/ancestry-of-jodie-foster/4hmquk6fx4gu/147
URL: http://knol.google.com/k/will-johnson/ancestry-of-jodie-foster/4hmquk6fx4gu/147
Also see my original version of this article at "Jodie Foster" at countyhistorian.com
or subscribe to my Biography and Genealogy Newsletter
The numbers preceding the names in the headers below are assigned using the Ahnentafel method.
[Edit]
1 Jodie Foster
Jodie's brother Lucius "Buddy" Foster was a child-star, most well-known in his television roles as "Johnny Dow" in 17 episodes of "Hondo" in 1967; and as "Mike Jones" in 29 episodes of Mayberry, R.F.D. from 1968 to 1971, opposite his "father" Ken Berry. Buddy would later write an autobiography in which among other things, he complains that their mother devoted her attention to Jodie, at his expense, and that is why his career ended too early. The book caused an estrangement between Buddy and Jodie. They have two older sisters, but whether they communicate with Buddy, is not known to me.
Although [Jodie] Foster's first acting appearance was at three years old, her first significant role came in 1976 as an underage prostitute in Taxi Driver, receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. After becoming a star, Jodie attended school at the prestigious Lycee Francais. Jodie received unwanted attention when in 1981 John Hinckley, who had developed a fixation on her, attempted to assassinate U.S. President Ronald Reagan to try to impress her.
She met her long-term partner Cydney Bernard (b. 1953) in 1993/4 on the set of the film "Sommersby". They lived together for 14 or 15 years. After long speculation about her sexuality, Jodie finally came out Dec 2007. Jodie has two sons, but has deflected questions about who their father(s) might be.
In 1997, her brother Buddy Foster, wrote a book ''Foster Child'', which purports to be a biography of Jodie Foster, but has been called a biography of the entire Foster family. The book discusses many events growing up in his family. He paints his mother in a villainous way, especially stating that she spent all his career earnings, and that when Jodie became a star, the rest of the family suffered some neglect. This was evidently why his budding career ended prematurely.
Jodie and Cydney split up and Jodie began seeing another woman, I believe slightly younger than herself.
Sources for 1
- "Jodie Foster", current-link on Wikipedia
- "Jodie Foster", research by Robert Battle
- "Buddy Foster" at IMDb, his career from 1967 to 1980
- "Foster Child:A Biography of Jodie Foster", by [her brother] Buddy Foster with Leon Wagener ISBN 0525941436 (WorldCat entry so you can find it in a library). Dutton, 1997. 278 pp with a dedication "In memory of Josephine Dominguez Hill"
- "Jodie Foster Articles and Interviews", a set of articles clipped by Starling from 1991 to 2002
- "Foster Child", a review in Entertainment Weekly, 16 May 1997
- "Jodie Foster : The Most Powerful Woman in Hollywood", by Philippa Kennedy, a Review
- "An Extended Family", by George Larson II, geolarson2@gmail.com, updated 8 Feb 2008, hosted at the Ancestry World Tree Project, pedigree-view
- "I Really Liked The Autopsy Scene", by Gerri Hirshey, ''Rolling Stone'', 1991 March
2 Lucius Fisher Foster III
[Edit] |
| Front page of Lucius' website Modernisticproperties.com Click to Enlarge |
His son Lucius Fisher "Buddy" Foster IV reports in his book "Foster Child" that Lucius first went to New York University in Greenwich Village, but once WWII had started, he got the patriotic spirit. Since the U.S. was not yet committed to the fight, he went to Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. Later he was commissioned in the U.S. Army 8th Air Force. ("Foster Child", p27 wj)
Site reader, Peter Randall a historian of the U.S. 8th Air Force tells me : "I do though have a note of Foster being a member of number 133 "Eagle" Squadron RAF but he does not appear on the rosters. He did however become a member of the 336th Fighter Squadron, USAAF on 29 September 1942 and that is the date on which the three "Eagle" Squadrons of American volunteers in the RAF became the 4th Fighter Group. Numbers 71, 131 and 133 Eagle Squadrons becoming respectively numbers 334, 335 and 336 Fighter Squadrons of the 4th FG. I can only assume that he was a "late arrival" in 133 and therefore not on their roster but on the roster of 336 FS.
"On entry into the AAF, he received the service number O-885245 which should enable you to trace subsequent service details. Foster flew his first mission with 4th FG on 29 April 1943 which was also the first operational mission of the 336th FS. In total he was credited with 22 sorties with 336 FS of which 2 were weather reconnaissance flights, one as a "spare", meaning that he was available to fill in for any early returner (unused spares usually returned when the enemy coast was reached) and five of the 22 were "early returns" due to engine or other mechanical problems. He flew his last operational mission on 6 July 1943 and rotated home to the ZI in August 1943. I have him as still being a 2/Lt. when he left the 4th FG."
In 1946, "Lucius Fisher Foster" is shown in the Voter's Registration living at the same Los Angeles address as his mother Constance. In October 1952, Lucius was living in Boise, Idaho since he gave this as his home address when he was then returning from Manila. This might have been where he was living, when this article states that Lucius "...already had three kids from a previous marriage. In 1954, he met a pretty young woman named Evelyn Ella "Brandy" Almond at a fencing club and married her impetuously during a trip to Tijuana, Mexico." It would certainly be interesting if someone could track down these half-siblings of Jodie Foster. Maybe they grew up in Boise ? This article from the Oakland Tribune dated 1976 states that "...when I married Lucius Foster, he'd already had three sons by his first wife." On his own website at modernisticproperties.com Lucius states that he left the Air Force in 1954.
Following their marriage Lucius and Brandy lived in Los Angeles since their four children were all born in that county, the youngest of whom was the actress Jodie Foster. "The first house I remember [living in with dad] was the one at the top of Fairfax Drive... 1930s Spanish mission-style....The street was a cul-de-sac." (Foster Child, p8 wj) "Dad was a philanderer." Once Brandy and "the other woman" got into a cat-fight. That woman ended up as Lucius' third wife. (Foster Child, p9 wj)
Lucius' mother Constance died 25 Oct 1955 in Los Angeles County as "Mrs Constance Gerst". She was killed when a cigarette caused a blaze on the second floor of her mansion. After her death, which "destroyed her $150,000 home", the "Los Angeles Times" reports that her son and her [then] husband were fighting over her estimated $500,000 estate.
Buddy Foster states that Brandy filed divorce papers 3 Aug 1959 in Los Angeles Superior Court stating that they had been separated since 28 Jul of that year. The divorce was bitter, and at one point, Lucius kidnapped the children and enrolled them in school. Brandy found out where they were and went and got them. (Foster Child, p10-11 wj) Lucius refused to respond to the divorce papers, so the divorce was finalized two years later. Brandy was awarded one hundred dollars per child. Buddy states that Jodie was conceived when their mother went to Lucius to plead for child-support money. Buddy alleges that Lucius demanded sex for the payment and that is how Jodie was conceived in 1962. (Foster Child, p11 wj) Lucius was evidently an attorney in 1960 when he was "representing owners of three lots" in a Van Nuys land-use case.
Lucius and Brandy's four children, all born in Los Angeles County are:
When Brandy was five months pregnant with Jodie "Dad was back, and he was obviously furious." He smashed the door lock, burst in, Brandy was yelling and throwing things at him and demanding he leave. Just then a woman with only a white towel wrapped around her emerged from my mother's bedroom. Close-cropped hair and dark skin, in her right hand was a gun. "Josephine Dominguez Hill or Aunt Jo... moved into our home that same day, bringing her son Chris two years younger than me.... Aunt Jo was my mother's lover and had been for several years" (Foster Child, p7 wj) "Jo was an inspector in the aviation industry." (Foster Child, p8 wj)
Cindy and Constance apparently never broke into television and film, their mother describes them as shy, but a newspaper account written at the time of Buddy's first television appearances states that his sisters are "...fashion models". At any rate, it is Lucius Fisher "Buddy" Foster IV who first became a child-star. He first appeared in commercials, then he was in a 23 Jan 1967 "Petticoat Junction". But he is most well-known in his television roles as "Johnny Dow" in 17 episodes of "Hondo" in 1967-68; and as "Mike Jones" in 29 episodes of Mayberry, R.F.D. from 1968 to 1971, opposite his "father" Ken Berry. Some people would confuse Buddy here with Ron Howard who had played Andy Griffith's son in the earlier "The Andy Griffith Show" which ran until 1968.
Buddy would later write an autobiography in which he complains that their mother devoted her attention to Jodie, at his expense, and that is why his career ended. Buddy and Jodie are estranged. She describing his book as "... a desperate cry for help." The first mentions of Jodie Foster in the newspaper, constantly describe her as the "...sister of Buddy Foster". Meanwhile in 1967 Lucius married a Patricia Brennan, but then they divorced several months later.
In Nov 1968, Buddy mentioned as the "child star of the CBS television series, 'Mayberry, R.F.D'" was selected to be the grand marshal of the Hayward [California] christmas parade. In that article the "Argus" of Fremont describes Brandy as a "former singer". "Last year Buddy was a star in the TV series 'Hondo'". Watch Buddy as "Mike" in this 1969 segment from Mayberry R.F.D. on YouTube.
In 1969, this article describes Lucius as an attorney, and "Brandy Almond" as a singer. However, on his own website, Lucius only states that since 1954, he has been licensed as a Real Estate Broker. A site reader informs me that Lucius married a woman named Pat by 1971, or within the period 1971-74, and they lived in the Hollywood Hills. Pat, this reader states was insanely jealous of Lucius' children. They divorced. This site reader also informs me that Lucius told him that Brandy was a lesbian, and was living with a partner in 1971. Lucius later married Madeleine Lee, a design student of Chinese ancestry, 26 years his junior. In a 1994 interview printed in the "Philadelphia Inquirer", Lucius said that he was now reconciled with his daughter Jodie.
When Buddy Foster's book on his sister was released, ''Entertainment Weekly'' did a review dated 1997, in part stating that Lucius was then living, aged 75. Lucius was apparently yet living as late as 2003, when his name appears online in a few comments that he evidently posted to various forums. His own site modernisticproperties.com evidently declares that he is yet living in 2006. This post from Apr 2010 would appear as well, to actually be Lucius Foster.
In his book, Buddy shows a picture of Lucius around the same he met Brandy, and then several more over the years, with a final picture when Lucius was perhaps around seventy.
Evelyn Ella "Brandy" Almond was born about 1927/8 ("age 41" Aug 1969). Buddy Foster, in his book states here: "My mother was born Evelyn Della Almond on 21 Sep 1928 in the Bronx. Soon after her birth, she was taken from her mother forever and brought to Rockford Illinois, where she was raised by Lucy Lefler Almond". He further states here that: "Our biological maternal grandmother was a tragic figure named Josie Almond. She was born in Rockford, Illinois..." Josie had an affair with a much older man, and got pregnant. Lucy Lefler Almond was married to John L Almond Jr a cousin of Josie's.
Here the ''International Who's Who of Women'' calls Jodie's mother "Eileen". An article in ''Rolling Stone'' states that Brandy was "...Born in the Bronx to a strict German family, [and] raised in Rockford, Illinois." Jodie Foster, in that same article, speaking of her mother states: "She's an only child, and she doesn't like to be around people that much."
A site reader tells me that Brandy went to Roosevelt Junior High School in Rockford. Buddy states that she graduated from that school in 1942 and was then enrolled, against her will, in the St Mary's Academy in Milwaukee. While there, she learned that her biological mother Josie "...never having recovered from the anguish of giving up her love child, had grown hugely obese, a situation compounded by an untreatable thyroid condition. Miserable, Josie committed suicide." (Foster Child, p20 wj) After graduating from St Marys, Brandy went to Chicago "where she sang in numerous jazz clubs, achieving a modest success. There she fell in love with, and married a young navy man, also from Rockford." (Foster Child, p20 wj)
A site reader tells me that Evelyn Della Almond married Raymond Francis Mazur on 19 Nov 1945 at the Catholic church in Rockford. There was one of this name living in the 1930 census in Rockford, son of John and Anna, and then aged 9". Perhaps he is that same one who then married in 1955 to Wanda Wolfe in Cook County, Illinois. In 1976 this article in the Oakland Tribune states that Brandy was born in the Bronx, reared in Rockford, and then graduated from St Mary's Academy in Milwaukee. Following her divorce from her first husband, "...she and a girlfriend Gloria Cannon, motored out to Los Angeles in the 1950s". She got a job in LA working for Bell Telephone in the Yellow Pages division.
Sometime before 1952, she moved to the Los Angeles area, where she met Lucius Foster. This article states that Lucius "...already had three kids from a previous marriage. In 1954, he met a pretty young woman named Evelyn "Brandy" Almond at a fencing club and married her impetuously during a trip to Tijuana, Mexico." Buddy adds that they were married by a Justice of the Peace. However this article (dated 1976) states that they married in Las Vegas in 1953, evidently confusing Brandy's second and third marriage. "The first house I remember [living in with dad] was the one at the top of Fairfax Drive... 1930s Spanish mission-style....The street was a cul-de-sac." (Foster Child, p8 wj) "Dad was a philanderer." Once Brandy and "the other woman" got into a cat-fight. That woman ended up as Lucius' third wife. (Foster Child, p9 wj)
Lucius and Brandy's four children, all born in Los Angeles County are:
Buddy Foster states that Brandy filed divorce papers 3 Aug 1959 in Los Angeles Superior Court stating that they had been separated since 28 Jul of that year. "I was four months pregnant with Jodie when we divorced in 1962", she says. They had four children, all born in Los Angeles County, the oldest being Lucinda Courtney Foster born 26 Oct 1954, and the youngest being the actress Jodie Foster. The divorce was bitter, and at one point, Lucius kidnapped the children and enrolled them in school. Brandy found out where they were and went and got them. (Foster Child, p10-11 wj) Lucius refused to respond to the divorce papers, so the divorce was finalized two years later.
After the divorce, Brandy and the children moved to the upper floor of a duplex on Hamel Street. (Foster Child, p 11 wj) When Brandy was five months pregnant with Jodie "Dad was back, and he was obviously furious." He smashed the door lock, burst in, Brandy was yelling and throwing things at him and demanding he leave. Just then a woman with only a white towel wrapped around her emerged from my mother's bedroom. Close-cropped hair and dark skin, in her right hand was a gun. "Josephine Dominguez Hill or Aunt Jo... moved into our home that same day, bringing her son Chris two years younger than me.... Aunt Jo was my mother's lover and had been for several years" (Foster Child, p7 wj) "Jo was an inspector in the aviation industry." (Foster Child, p8 wj) At Jodie's delivery, Aunt Jo went into the delivery room with Brandy for a 36-hour labor. The umbilical cord was wrapped around Jodies neck. Brandy stayed in the hospital for a week. (Foster Child, p12 wj)
Josephine Dominguez had been born in Phoenix, Arizona on 9 Oct 1930, shortly afterward her family moved to Los Angeles. She graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1948 and enlisted in the Women's Army Corps. At some point before 1960 she married a Mr Hill and had a son Chris about 1959, whom Buddy describes as "two years younger than me". Jo also had a sister named Georgia. (Foster Child, p29, p43 wj) This exact birthdate allows me to find her here in the California Death Index : "Josephine D Hill, born 9 Oct 1930 Arizona, died 31 May 1984 Los Angeles [County], father's name Dominguez, mother's name Santamaria"
"About six months after Jodie was born, we moved out of the cramped duplex on Hamel Road.... Our new home was Aunt Jo's brand-new tract house in the Granada Hills section of the San Fernando Valley." (Foster Child, p33 wj) Brandy herself in that article in the Oakland Tribune states that after her divorce from Lucius, she had a friend "...Josephine Hill. She had a large house and let us all move in with her."
Buddy's book "Foster Child" is now on Google Books in snippet form where this search shows us that he calls this lady "Josephine Dominguez Hill or Aunt Jo.. moved into our home bringing her son Chris..." And here he states: "Aunt Jo was born 9 Oct 1930 in Tucson, Arizona..."
Buddy, had a friend who had appeared on television, and Buddy decided that he also wanted to be an actor. An agent was lined up, and he started appearing in advertisements. Once the money began coming in, Brandy and the children moved out, and into a place by the ocean in Newport Beach. "Jo and Chris did not move with us." (Foster Child, p49 wj) At this time Jodie was four years old.
From 1966 to 1969 Evelyn was married to "Billy R Bransom". In 1967, Buddy landed a recurring role on "Hondo" where he appeared in 17 episodes. This was followed the next year, by his most well-known role on "Mayberry, R.F.D." In 1969, this article describes Lucius as an attorney, and "Brandy Almond" as a singer. An article about Buddy here, describes his mother as "Brandy Almond singer". Jodie's mother supported the family by doing public relations work for a film producer ("What's Driving Miss Foster?" by Michael Segell. Redbook, Nov 1991). There is a Billy Ray Bransom who was born in Texas in 1933 according to this birth entry, had three sons there with a woman named Joyce Sue Record from 1955 to 1958. Could he be this one who married Evelyn? If so, the knowledge that he had three sons, may discount the statement that Lucius, her prior husband, had had three sons. It's just possible that the sources are confused on this point.
At some point after 1965, the family moved to a new house on Cahuenga Terrace in the Hollywood Hills, I wonder if this is related to her marriage to Billy Bransom? In 1969, Brandy announces she is planning to marry a handsome rugged studio technician on the Mayberry set named Frank Miller. They went to Las Vegas but later called to say the wedding was off (Foster Child, p71 wj) Apparently Aunt Jo's sister Georgia or Georgina, knew a close friend of Frank's and let it blurt out that she thought that Brandy and Jo were still an item. (Foster Child, p72 wj) A site reader tells me that in 1971, Lucius told him that Brandy was a lesbian and was then living with a lover. So there must be another woman I haven't found out about yet. In 1976, an article states that Evelyn had been dating a Jacques Gabay of Toulouse, France and may soon marry him. Josephine Hill died in 1984 from an excruciating form of cancer, but Buddy states that Brandy withheld that from her children for two years, because she felt betrayed by Jo. (Foster Child, p73 wj) Evelyn was yet living as late as 2003 when she appeared with Jodie in a photograph.
Lucius Fisher Foster II was born 30 Oct 1898 in Denver, Arapahoe County, Colorado to Alexis C Foster, a native of Tennessee and his wife Alice from Illinois. "In the Spring of 1917, Lucius F Foster of Denver, Colo., my roommate, and I ran away from Hotchkiss school to enlist in the Navy at Newport, R.I. However, my father, Dr W L Culbert... brought us back...." (Source) It's possible that he is that same Lucius F Foster who is listed here as "Chief Q M [quarter-master], U S Navy, Denver". About 1920 or 1921, possibly in Denver, he married Constance Marie Robertson, a native of Tennessee, whose family had moved to Denver about 1909.
By 1926, Lucius and Constance had moved to Chicago. They had two children Courteney and Lucius, but they divorced. In Apr 1928 Constance filed in Circuit court charging desertion. (Source) In Dec 1928 he is being called a "paper manufacturer of local prominence". (Source) Another article calls him "western manager of the Union Bag and Paper company." In the 1930 census, while Constance appears in the Los Angeles census in 1930 re-married, with her children listed as her new husband's step-children; Lucius appears with a new wife and a 10-month-old baby, living in Richmond, Virginia.
Lucius moved to the New York area where a "Lucius F Foster" is listed as a real estate agent. When his father Alexis died in 1945, Lucius was listed surviving him, and then a member of the WPB in Washington. He is called Director of the Orders and Regulations Bureau here in 1945. He is surely that same Lucius Foster who then, in 1946, became deputy director of the CPA's bureau of reconversion priorities. In 1947 I find him listed here as the Director Order Clearance Division, with legal residence in Florida. He is surely that same Lucius F Foster who was director of the Cigarette Manufacturer's Association in 1948. A few years later he is again cited, which the group now being called the MCMA. In 1951 he is called "of Guild associates". And the associate director of the CMAM in 1952. In 1956 he is the executive director of the Massachusetts Music Operators Association. In 1959 as the executive director of the Western Wood Heel Manufacturers Association.
Constance Marie Robertson was born 28 Aug 1900 at Paris, Tennessee, the daughter of Samuel Richard Robertson and his wife Martha Elizabeth Hughes. By about 1909, the family had moved to Denver, Colorado, where they appear in the 1910 Census and where her father was admitted to the bar in 1913. About 1919/21 she married Lucius Foster, probably in Denver, and they had two surviving children: Courtenay and Lucius Jr both born in Colorado. They were probably married by the time of the 1920 census, as she does not appear that year in the household of her parents in Denver. By 1926, she and Lucius are living in Chicago. Lucius and she divorced. In Apr 1928 Constance filed in Circuit court charging desertion. (Source) As "Mrs Connie Foster", she next married W Clark Richards in May 1928. About 1928/9 she remarried to Leslie B Irvin (1901-78) as his first wife. Leslie was an investment security salesman, born in Illinois. The family appears in the 1930 census in Los Angeles, California.
Constance and Leslie were divorced by 1936 when he appears as "single" on a ship manifest. Constance married lastly to Louis Gerst. After her death, Louis states that he was "the man whom she held out as her husband for a period of sixteen years". I take this to mean either that they were married in 1939, or at least moved-in together that year. Louis Gerst appears living with her in the 1952 Voter Registration Rolls. She appears as "Mrs Constance Gerst, but her husband if he is living with her, is not registered in the Voter's Registration in 1944 living at 532 S Arden Blvd. Note that this is the same address used above by her son Lucius in 1946. By 1952 she is appearing at 805 S Windsor Blvd with Louis Gerst at the same address. A Louis Gerst born 1894 NY, died 1959 Los Angeles appear in the California Death Index, which is possibly him. The "Los Angeles Times" calls him a "clothing manufacturer".
Constance died 25 Oct 1955 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County as "Mrs Constance Gerst". She was killed when a cigarette caused a blaze on the second floor of her mansion. After her death, which "destroyed her $150,000 home", the "Los Angeles Times" reports that her son and her [then] husband were fighting over her estimated $500,000 estate. She had purportedly left a will leaving "Everything ... to Michael and Ming Toy and other grandchildren I may have." Louis Gerst went to court to fight that will claiming it was not legitimate, that fight prompted this court decision.
A site reader tells me that Brandy went to Roosevelt Junior High School in Rockford. Buddy states that she graduated from that school in 1942 and was then enrolled, against her will, in the St Mary's Academy in Milwaukee. While there, she learned that her biological mother Josie "...never having recovered from the anguish of giving up her love child, had grown hugely obese, a situation compounded by an untreatable thyroid condition. Miserable, Josie committed suicide." (Foster Child, p20 wj)
By 1902, Alexis was cashier at the Daniels Bank. In 1920 he was elected President of the Bankers Trust Company of Denver. In 1917, he lists his occupation as "Investment Banking", and in 1924 as "banking". The next year, listing his address as the "U.S. National Bank of Denver". His obituary states that he became Vice-President of this bank, but does not specify the year.
In 1928 he lists his address as "44 Wall Street, New York". Around this time, he and Alice moved to Ossining, New York in tony Westchester County, where they are listed in the 1930 census, with a house then worth $200,000, and his occupation as "Proprietor Investment Bank". Since this was 1930, that house must have been effectively a palace.
In 1936, he is listed living in Scarsdale. Alexis Caldwell Foster died in 30 Apr 1945 at the Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, New York, but while a resident of Scarsdale, per his obituary published in the ''New York Times''. His obituary describes him as a "Senior executive" of the Calvin Bullock banking firm, which he had joined in 1930.
Elizabeth and Samuel had three children. He died in Denver, but she died 13 Oct 1955 at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, Los Angeles, California.
==12==
==13==
==14==
==15==
==16==
==17==
==Lineal Ascent==
The below is an unsourced view from OneWorldTree
*Constance Robertson
*Samuel Richard Robertson 1878-1944
*Louanna Noble Harris 1849-99
*Elizabeth Ann Dewitt 1821-1849
===Continuation A===
Through Elizabeth Dewitt's father:
*Washington J Dewitt 1799-1852
*Harris Dewitt 1756-1829
*Martin Dewitt 1720-1793
*Charles Dewitt 1683-1741
*William Dewitt 1637-1658
===Continuation B===
Through Elizabeth Dewitt's mother:
*Mary E Bearden 1803-89
*Richard Bearden 1770-1845
*Benjamin Bearden 1748-1821
*Lettice Winn 1723-1797
*Minor Winn 1704-78
*Minor Winn 1668-1730
*John Winn 1627-1694
**Note: the connection of John Winn who appears in Westmoreland, as a son of Owen Wynne below is probably incorrect.
*Owen Wynne 1586-1660
*John Wynn 1553-1626
"On entry into the AAF, he received the service number O-885245 which should enable you to trace subsequent service details. Foster flew his first mission with 4th FG on 29 April 1943 which was also the first operational mission of the 336th FS. In total he was credited with 22 sorties with 336 FS of which 2 were weather reconnaissance flights, one as a "spare", meaning that he was available to fill in for any early returner (unused spares usually returned when the enemy coast was reached) and five of the 22 were "early returns" due to engine or other mechanical problems. He flew his last operational mission on 6 July 1943 and rotated home to the ZI in August 1943. I have him as still being a 2/Lt. when he left the 4th FG."
In 1946, "Lucius Fisher Foster" is shown in the Voter's Registration living at the same Los Angeles address as his mother Constance. In October 1952, Lucius was living in Boise, Idaho since he gave this as his home address when he was then returning from Manila. This might have been where he was living, when this article states that Lucius "...already had three kids from a previous marriage. In 1954, he met a pretty young woman named Evelyn Ella "Brandy" Almond at a fencing club and married her impetuously during a trip to Tijuana, Mexico." It would certainly be interesting if someone could track down these half-siblings of Jodie Foster. Maybe they grew up in Boise ? This article from the Oakland Tribune dated 1976 states that "...when I married Lucius Foster, he'd already had three sons by his first wife." On his own website at modernisticproperties.com Lucius states that he left the Air Force in 1954.
Following their marriage Lucius and Brandy lived in Los Angeles since their four children were all born in that county, the youngest of whom was the actress Jodie Foster. "The first house I remember [living in with dad] was the one at the top of Fairfax Drive... 1930s Spanish mission-style....The street was a cul-de-sac." (Foster Child, p8 wj) "Dad was a philanderer." Once Brandy and "the other woman" got into a cat-fight. That woman ended up as Lucius' third wife. (Foster Child, p9 wj)
Lucius' mother Constance died 25 Oct 1955 in Los Angeles County as "Mrs Constance Gerst". She was killed when a cigarette caused a blaze on the second floor of her mansion. After her death, which "destroyed her $150,000 home", the "Los Angeles Times" reports that her son and her [then] husband were fighting over her estimated $500,000 estate.
Buddy Foster states that Brandy filed divorce papers 3 Aug 1959 in Los Angeles Superior Court stating that they had been separated since 28 Jul of that year. The divorce was bitter, and at one point, Lucius kidnapped the children and enrolled them in school. Brandy found out where they were and went and got them. (Foster Child, p10-11 wj) Lucius refused to respond to the divorce papers, so the divorce was finalized two years later. Brandy was awarded one hundred dollars per child. Buddy states that Jodie was conceived when their mother went to Lucius to plead for child-support money. Buddy alleges that Lucius demanded sex for the payment and that is how Jodie was conceived in 1962. (Foster Child, p11 wj) Lucius was evidently an attorney in 1960 when he was "representing owners of three lots" in a Van Nuys land-use case.
Lucius and Brandy's four children, all born in Los Angeles County are:
- Lucinda Courtney "Cindy" Foster born 26 Oct 1954
- Constance Elizabeth "Connie" Foster born 30 Oct 1955
- Lucius F "Buddy" Foster born 12 Jul 1957
- Alicia C "Jodie" Foster born 19 Nov 1962
When Brandy was five months pregnant with Jodie "Dad was back, and he was obviously furious." He smashed the door lock, burst in, Brandy was yelling and throwing things at him and demanding he leave. Just then a woman with only a white towel wrapped around her emerged from my mother's bedroom. Close-cropped hair and dark skin, in her right hand was a gun. "Josephine Dominguez Hill or Aunt Jo... moved into our home that same day, bringing her son Chris two years younger than me.... Aunt Jo was my mother's lover and had been for several years" (Foster Child, p7 wj) "Jo was an inspector in the aviation industry." (Foster Child, p8 wj)
Cindy and Constance apparently never broke into television and film, their mother describes them as shy, but a newspaper account written at the time of Buddy's first television appearances states that his sisters are "...fashion models". At any rate, it is Lucius Fisher "Buddy" Foster IV who first became a child-star. He first appeared in commercials, then he was in a 23 Jan 1967 "Petticoat Junction". But he is most well-known in his television roles as "Johnny Dow" in 17 episodes of "Hondo" in 1967-68; and as "Mike Jones" in 29 episodes of Mayberry, R.F.D. from 1968 to 1971, opposite his "father" Ken Berry. Some people would confuse Buddy here with Ron Howard who had played Andy Griffith's son in the earlier "The Andy Griffith Show" which ran until 1968.
 |
| Buddy Foster in 1968 |
Buddy would later write an autobiography in which he complains that their mother devoted her attention to Jodie, at his expense, and that is why his career ended. Buddy and Jodie are estranged. She describing his book as "... a desperate cry for help." The first mentions of Jodie Foster in the newspaper, constantly describe her as the "...sister of Buddy Foster". Meanwhile in 1967 Lucius married a Patricia Brennan, but then they divorced several months later.
In Nov 1968, Buddy mentioned as the "child star of the CBS television series, 'Mayberry, R.F.D'" was selected to be the grand marshal of the Hayward [California] christmas parade. In that article the "Argus" of Fremont describes Brandy as a "former singer". "Last year Buddy was a star in the TV series 'Hondo'". Watch Buddy as "Mike" in this 1969 segment from Mayberry R.F.D. on YouTube.
 |
| Buddy Foster in 1967 |
In 1969, this article describes Lucius as an attorney, and "Brandy Almond" as a singer. However, on his own website, Lucius only states that since 1954, he has been licensed as a Real Estate Broker. A site reader informs me that Lucius married a woman named Pat by 1971, or within the period 1971-74, and they lived in the Hollywood Hills. Pat, this reader states was insanely jealous of Lucius' children. They divorced. This site reader also informs me that Lucius told him that Brandy was a lesbian, and was living with a partner in 1971. Lucius later married Madeleine Lee, a design student of Chinese ancestry, 26 years his junior. In a 1994 interview printed in the "Philadelphia Inquirer", Lucius said that he was now reconciled with his daughter Jodie.
When Buddy Foster's book on his sister was released, ''Entertainment Weekly'' did a review dated 1997, in part stating that Lucius was then living, aged 75. Lucius was apparently yet living as late as 2003, when his name appears online in a few comments that he evidently posted to various forums. His own site modernisticproperties.com evidently declares that he is yet living in 2006. This post from Apr 2010 would appear as well, to actually be Lucius Foster.
In his book, Buddy shows a picture of Lucius around the same he met Brandy, and then several more over the years, with a final picture when Lucius was perhaps around seventy.
Sources for 2
- "Foster Child:A Biography of Jodie Foster", by [her brother] Buddy Foster with Leon Wagener ISBN 0525941436 (WorldCat entry so you can find it in a library). Dutton, 1997. 278 pp with a dedication "In memory of Josephine Dominguez Hill"
- 1930 Census of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California showing : "Leslie B Irvin 30, married first at 29, IL/IL/IL, Salesman, Investment Securities; Constance R Irvin 27, married first at 17, TN/TN/VA; Courteney Foster, step-daughter, 8, CO; Lucius F Foster Jr 7 stepson CO"
- 8th Air Force Fighter Group : "41-6186 P-47C 334 QP- Crash-landed 29 Jan 1943 - Lt. Lucius F Foster (336 FS)"
- ''New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957'' showing : "Restricted Personnel Roster, ''Aquitania'', 4 Oct 1945, For Reception Station Fort McArthur, California. Lucius F Foster III, Capt, 532 S Arden Blvd, Los Angeles, Calif." While a footnote on this document states : "Capt Lucius F Foster... AC is designated Officer in charge and Custodian of Records for Reception Sta Gp RE 6047-A-20, from present station until relieved by competent auth in the U.S." Turning to page one of this roster we see here that they were sailing out of Southampton, England leaving 28 Sep 1945
- California Voter Registrations 1900-1968:
- Los Angeles City, 1946 showing: "Lucius Fisher Foster at 532 S Arden Blvd, Democrat"
- Los Angeles City, 1948 showing : "Lucius F Foster, 534 Lillian way, Democrat"
- California Passenger and Crew Lists, 1893-1957 showing :"on the General Charles Gould Morton (ship), departing Manila, Philippines, and arrival at San Francisco, 4 Oct 1952, Lucius F Foster of Boise Idaho, born abt 1922"
- California Birth Index 1905-95 showing for father Foster, and mother Almond : "Lucinda Courtney Foster born 26 Oct 1954, Constance Elizabeth Foster born 30 Oct 1955, Lucius F Foster born 12 Jul 1957, Alicia C Foster born 19 Nov 1962." All born in Los Angeles County.
- "Owners of 4 Lots Protest City Bid to Change Zoning", ''Valley News'' (Van Nuys, CA), 29 Nov 29 1960 : "Lucius Foster, representing owners of three of the lots, argued multiple dwellings would be the best usage for the property:
- "We have seen the drift of industry to the West Valley, employing a large amount of electronics personnel. It is hard for many of these people to maintain their own homes since many only stay here for three to five years. Homes are expensive in this area — the Woodland Hills foreclosure rate is the fifth highest in Southern California. We would suffer a considerable loss of this property if it should be rezoned to R-1. It is close to the freeway and well suited for apartment development."
- California Marriage Index 1960-85 showing : "Lucius F Foster 45, to Patricia A Brennan 32 on Nov 23, 1967 Los Angeles City"
- California Divorce Index, 1966-84 showing : "Lucius F Foster, from Patricia A Brennan, Apr 1968, Los Angeles City"
3 Evelyn Ella Almond
[Edit]Evelyn Ella "Brandy" Almond was born about 1927/8 ("age 41" Aug 1969). Buddy Foster, in his book states here: "My mother was born Evelyn Della Almond on 21 Sep 1928 in the Bronx. Soon after her birth, she was taken from her mother forever and brought to Rockford Illinois, where she was raised by Lucy Lefler Almond". He further states here that: "Our biological maternal grandmother was a tragic figure named Josie Almond. She was born in Rockford, Illinois..." Josie had an affair with a much older man, and got pregnant. Lucy Lefler Almond was married to John L Almond Jr a cousin of Josie's.
Here the ''International Who's Who of Women'' calls Jodie's mother "Eileen". An article in ''Rolling Stone'' states that Brandy was "...Born in the Bronx to a strict German family, [and] raised in Rockford, Illinois." Jodie Foster, in that same article, speaking of her mother states: "She's an only child, and she doesn't like to be around people that much."
A site reader tells me that Brandy went to Roosevelt Junior High School in Rockford. Buddy states that she graduated from that school in 1942 and was then enrolled, against her will, in the St Mary's Academy in Milwaukee. While there, she learned that her biological mother Josie "...never having recovered from the anguish of giving up her love child, had grown hugely obese, a situation compounded by an untreatable thyroid condition. Miserable, Josie committed suicide." (Foster Child, p20 wj) After graduating from St Marys, Brandy went to Chicago "where she sang in numerous jazz clubs, achieving a modest success. There she fell in love with, and married a young navy man, also from Rockford." (Foster Child, p20 wj)
A site reader tells me that Evelyn Della Almond married Raymond Francis Mazur on 19 Nov 1945 at the Catholic church in Rockford. There was one of this name living in the 1930 census in Rockford, son of John and Anna, and then aged 9". Perhaps he is that same one who then married in 1955 to Wanda Wolfe in Cook County, Illinois. In 1976 this article in the Oakland Tribune states that Brandy was born in the Bronx, reared in Rockford, and then graduated from St Mary's Academy in Milwaukee. Following her divorce from her first husband, "...she and a girlfriend Gloria Cannon, motored out to Los Angeles in the 1950s". She got a job in LA working for Bell Telephone in the Yellow Pages division.
Sometime before 1952, she moved to the Los Angeles area, where she met Lucius Foster. This article states that Lucius "...already had three kids from a previous marriage. In 1954, he met a pretty young woman named Evelyn "Brandy" Almond at a fencing club and married her impetuously during a trip to Tijuana, Mexico." Buddy adds that they were married by a Justice of the Peace. However this article (dated 1976) states that they married in Las Vegas in 1953, evidently confusing Brandy's second and third marriage. "The first house I remember [living in with dad] was the one at the top of Fairfax Drive... 1930s Spanish mission-style....The street was a cul-de-sac." (Foster Child, p8 wj) "Dad was a philanderer." Once Brandy and "the other woman" got into a cat-fight. That woman ended up as Lucius' third wife. (Foster Child, p9 wj)
Lucius and Brandy's four children, all born in Los Angeles County are:
- Lucinda Courtney "Cindy" Foster born 26 Oct 1954
- Constance Elizabeth "Connie" Foster born 30 Oct 1955
- Lucius F "Buddy" Foster born 12 Jul 1957
- Alicia C "Jodie" Foster born 19 Nov 1962
Buddy Foster states that Brandy filed divorce papers 3 Aug 1959 in Los Angeles Superior Court stating that they had been separated since 28 Jul of that year. "I was four months pregnant with Jodie when we divorced in 1962", she says. They had four children, all born in Los Angeles County, the oldest being Lucinda Courtney Foster born 26 Oct 1954, and the youngest being the actress Jodie Foster. The divorce was bitter, and at one point, Lucius kidnapped the children and enrolled them in school. Brandy found out where they were and went and got them. (Foster Child, p10-11 wj) Lucius refused to respond to the divorce papers, so the divorce was finalized two years later.
After the divorce, Brandy and the children moved to the upper floor of a duplex on Hamel Street. (Foster Child, p 11 wj) When Brandy was five months pregnant with Jodie "Dad was back, and he was obviously furious." He smashed the door lock, burst in, Brandy was yelling and throwing things at him and demanding he leave. Just then a woman with only a white towel wrapped around her emerged from my mother's bedroom. Close-cropped hair and dark skin, in her right hand was a gun. "Josephine Dominguez Hill or Aunt Jo... moved into our home that same day, bringing her son Chris two years younger than me.... Aunt Jo was my mother's lover and had been for several years" (Foster Child, p7 wj) "Jo was an inspector in the aviation industry." (Foster Child, p8 wj) At Jodie's delivery, Aunt Jo went into the delivery room with Brandy for a 36-hour labor. The umbilical cord was wrapped around Jodies neck. Brandy stayed in the hospital for a week. (Foster Child, p12 wj)
Josephine Dominguez had been born in Phoenix, Arizona on 9 Oct 1930, shortly afterward her family moved to Los Angeles. She graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1948 and enlisted in the Women's Army Corps. At some point before 1960 she married a Mr Hill and had a son Chris about 1959, whom Buddy describes as "two years younger than me". Jo also had a sister named Georgia. (Foster Child, p29, p43 wj) This exact birthdate allows me to find her here in the California Death Index : "Josephine D Hill, born 9 Oct 1930 Arizona, died 31 May 1984 Los Angeles [County], father's name Dominguez, mother's name Santamaria"
"About six months after Jodie was born, we moved out of the cramped duplex on Hamel Road.... Our new home was Aunt Jo's brand-new tract house in the Granada Hills section of the San Fernando Valley." (Foster Child, p33 wj) Brandy herself in that article in the Oakland Tribune states that after her divorce from Lucius, she had a friend "...Josephine Hill. She had a large house and let us all move in with her."
Buddy's book "Foster Child" is now on Google Books in snippet form where this search shows us that he calls this lady "Josephine Dominguez Hill or Aunt Jo.. moved into our home bringing her son Chris..." And here he states: "Aunt Jo was born 9 Oct 1930 in Tucson, Arizona..."
Buddy, had a friend who had appeared on television, and Buddy decided that he also wanted to be an actor. An agent was lined up, and he started appearing in advertisements. Once the money began coming in, Brandy and the children moved out, and into a place by the ocean in Newport Beach. "Jo and Chris did not move with us." (Foster Child, p49 wj) At this time Jodie was four years old.
From 1966 to 1969 Evelyn was married to "Billy R Bransom". In 1967, Buddy landed a recurring role on "Hondo" where he appeared in 17 episodes. This was followed the next year, by his most well-known role on "Mayberry, R.F.D." In 1969, this article describes Lucius as an attorney, and "Brandy Almond" as a singer. An article about Buddy here, describes his mother as "Brandy Almond singer". Jodie's mother supported the family by doing public relations work for a film producer ("What's Driving Miss Foster?" by Michael Segell. Redbook, Nov 1991). There is a Billy Ray Bransom who was born in Texas in 1933 according to this birth entry, had three sons there with a woman named Joyce Sue Record from 1955 to 1958. Could he be this one who married Evelyn? If so, the knowledge that he had three sons, may discount the statement that Lucius, her prior husband, had had three sons. It's just possible that the sources are confused on this point.
At some point after 1965, the family moved to a new house on Cahuenga Terrace in the Hollywood Hills, I wonder if this is related to her marriage to Billy Bransom? In 1969, Brandy announces she is planning to marry a handsome rugged studio technician on the Mayberry set named Frank Miller. They went to Las Vegas but later called to say the wedding was off (Foster Child, p71 wj) Apparently Aunt Jo's sister Georgia or Georgina, knew a close friend of Frank's and let it blurt out that she thought that Brandy and Jo were still an item. (Foster Child, p72 wj) A site reader tells me that in 1971, Lucius told him that Brandy was a lesbian and was then living with a lover. So there must be another woman I haven't found out about yet. In 1976, an article states that Evelyn had been dating a Jacques Gabay of Toulouse, France and may soon marry him. Josephine Hill died in 1984 from an excruciating form of cancer, but Buddy states that Brandy withheld that from her children for two years, because she felt betrayed by Jo. (Foster Child, p73 wj) Evelyn was yet living as late as 2003 when she appeared with Jodie in a photograph.
Sources for 3
- "Foster Child:A Biography of Jodie Foster", by [her brother] Buddy Foster with Leon Wagener ISBN 0525941436 (WorldCat entry so you can find it in a library). Dutton, 1997. 278 pp with a dedication "In memory of Josephine Dominguez Hill"
- "Jodie Foster", research by Robert Battle
- 1930 census Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois : "John Almond, 32, IL/IL/IL, Letter Carrier; Lucy, wife, 33 IL/IL/IL; Evyline 1 6/12 adopted daughter NY/IL/IL" [indexed at ancestry as John Almand, Lucy and Evydan]
- California Birth Index 1905-95 showing for father Foster, and mother Almond : "Lucinda Courtney Foster born 26 Oct 1954, Constance Elizabeth Foster born 30 Oct 1955, Lucius F Foster born 12 Jul 1957, Alicia C Foster born 19 Nov 1962." All born in Los Angeles County.
- Nevada Marriage Index, 1956-2005 showing : "Billy R Bransom to Evelyn E Meyers 14 Feb 1966, Clark County, Nevada"
- California Divorce Index, 1966-1984 showing : "Billy R Bransom, age 33 vs Evelyn E Almond, age 41, married in 1966, preliminary Aug 1969, Los Angeles City"
- "I Really Liked The Autopsy Scene", by Gerri Hirshey, ''Rolling Stone'', 1991 March
4 Lucius Fisher Foster II
[Edit]Lucius Fisher Foster II was born 30 Oct 1898 in Denver, Arapahoe County, Colorado to Alexis C Foster, a native of Tennessee and his wife Alice from Illinois. "In the Spring of 1917, Lucius F Foster of Denver, Colo., my roommate, and I ran away from Hotchkiss school to enlist in the Navy at Newport, R.I. However, my father, Dr W L Culbert... brought us back...." (Source) It's possible that he is that same Lucius F Foster who is listed here as "Chief Q M [quarter-master], U S Navy, Denver". About 1920 or 1921, possibly in Denver, he married Constance Marie Robertson, a native of Tennessee, whose family had moved to Denver about 1909.
By 1926, Lucius and Constance had moved to Chicago. They had two children Courteney and Lucius, but they divorced. In Apr 1928 Constance filed in Circuit court charging desertion. (Source) In Dec 1928 he is being called a "paper manufacturer of local prominence". (Source) Another article calls him "western manager of the Union Bag and Paper company." In the 1930 census, while Constance appears in the Los Angeles census in 1930 re-married, with her children listed as her new husband's step-children; Lucius appears with a new wife and a 10-month-old baby, living in Richmond, Virginia.
Lucius moved to the New York area where a "Lucius F Foster" is listed as a real estate agent. When his father Alexis died in 1945, Lucius was listed surviving him, and then a member of the WPB in Washington. He is called Director of the Orders and Regulations Bureau here in 1945. He is surely that same Lucius Foster who then, in 1946, became deputy director of the CPA's bureau of reconversion priorities. In 1947 I find him listed here as the Director Order Clearance Division, with legal residence in Florida. He is surely that same Lucius F Foster who was director of the Cigarette Manufacturer's Association in 1948. A few years later he is again cited, which the group now being called the MCMA. In 1951 he is called "of Guild associates". And the associate director of the CMAM in 1952. In 1956 he is the executive director of the Massachusetts Music Operators Association. In 1959 as the executive director of the Western Wood Heel Manufacturers Association.
Sources for 4
- 1900 Census of Denver, Arapahoe County, Colorado showing : "Alexis C Foster, Head, Apr 1868, 32, married two years TN/TN/TN, Merchant of Credit - Dry Goods, Rents home; Alice F, wife, Apr 1874, 26, married 2 years, mother of 1, 1 living, IL/WI/NY; Lucius F, son, Oct 1898, CO/TN/IL; Claudine Plagman, servant, May 1867, 33, IA/Germany/Germany"
- ''New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957'' showing, arriving on the S S Belgenland, from Boulognes, leaving 12 June 1926, arriving at New York 20 Jun 1926, Lucius Foster, 28, born Denver, Col 30 Oct 1898, resident of 343 S Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL and Constance Marie Foster, 25, born at Paris, Tennessee 28 Aug 1900, resident of 343 S Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL
- 1930 Census of Richmond, Virginia showing : "Lucius F Foster, head, MW, 31, married first at 29, CO/TN/IL, Sales Manager, Retail Paper Corp; Beatrice, wife, 21, married first at 19, IL/IL/IN; Beatrice R, daughter, 10/12, WA/CO/IL; May Conyer, servant, FW, 20, single, Scotland/Scotland/Scotland, maid"
5 Constance Marie Robertson
 |
| Mrs Constance Foster in 1928 |
Constance and Leslie were divorced by 1936 when he appears as "single" on a ship manifest. Constance married lastly to Louis Gerst. After her death, Louis states that he was "the man whom she held out as her husband for a period of sixteen years". I take this to mean either that they were married in 1939, or at least moved-in together that year. Louis Gerst appears living with her in the 1952 Voter Registration Rolls. She appears as "Mrs Constance Gerst, but her husband if he is living with her, is not registered in the Voter's Registration in 1944 living at 532 S Arden Blvd. Note that this is the same address used above by her son Lucius in 1946. By 1952 she is appearing at 805 S Windsor Blvd with Louis Gerst at the same address. A Louis Gerst born 1894 NY, died 1959 Los Angeles appear in the California Death Index, which is possibly him. The "Los Angeles Times" calls him a "clothing manufacturer".
Constance died 25 Oct 1955 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County as "Mrs Constance Gerst". She was killed when a cigarette caused a blaze on the second floor of her mansion. After her death, which "destroyed her $150,000 home", the "Los Angeles Times" reports that her son and her [then] husband were fighting over her estimated $500,000 estate. She had purportedly left a will leaving "Everything ... to Michael and Ming Toy and other grandchildren I may have." Louis Gerst went to court to fight that will claiming it was not legitimate, that fight prompted this court decision.
Sources for 5
- 1910 Census of Denver, Denver County, Colorado showing : "Samuel R Richardson, 32, married first time, 10 years ago, TN/KY/TN, Broker, Real Estate, owns home; Elizabeth H 28, married first time, 10 years ago, MS/TN/MS; Marie C 9 TN; Louanna H 7 TN; Samuel R 5 TN"
- ''World War I Draft Registration Cards'' showing : "Leslie Bessell Irvin, 2 Mar 1900, Student at the University of Minnesota, Father: George [?] R Irvin of St Paul, registered at St Paul, Rumsey County, Minnesota, 12 Sep 1918"
- ''New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957'' showing, arriving on the S S Belgenland, from Boulognes, leaving 12 June 1926, arriving at New York 20 Jun 1926, Lucius Foster, 28, born Denver, Col 30 Oct 1898, resident of 343 S Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL and Constance Marie Foster, 25, born at Paris, Tennessee 28 Aug 1900, resident of 343 S Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL
- 1930 Census of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California showing : "Leslie B Irvin 30, married first at 29, IL/IL/IL, Salesman, Investment Securities; Constance R Irvin 27, married first at 17, TN/TN/VA; Courteney Foster, step-daughter, 8, CO; Lucius F Foster Jr 7 stepson CO"
- ''Index to Register of Voters, Los Angeles, 1936'' showing : "Leslie B Irvin, 6515 Wilshire Blvd, Apt 8, Salesman, R[epublican]"
- ''Border Crossings from Canada to US, 1895-1956'', British Columbia manifest, Dec 1936, R.M.M.S. ''Aorangi'', sailing from Honolulu, Dec 18, 1936, arriving at Victoria, BC, Dec 25, 1936, Leslie B Irvin, 36, Male, Single, born Macomb, IL, 2 Mar 1900, residence 160 S Gramercy Place, Los Angeles, CA"
- "Los Angeles City, 1944, Mrs Constance Gerst, 532 S Arden Blvd, manufacturer, D[emocrat]"
- "Los Angeles City, 1946, Mrs Constance Gerst, 532 S Arden Blvd, D[emocrat]"
- "Los Angeles City, 1948, Mrs Constance Gerst, 532 S Arden Blvd, D[emocrat]"
- "Los Angeles City, 1952, Mrs Constance R Gerst, 805 S Windsor Blvd, R[epublican]; also same address Louis Gerst, R[epublican]"
- California Death Index, 1940-97 showing : "Leslie Bessell Irvin, born 2 Mar 1901 Illinois, died 16 Jul 1978 Los Angeles County"
- California Death Index, 1940-97 showing : "Constance Gerst, born 28 Aug 1901 TN, died 25 Oct 1955 Los Angeles County, CA. Father Hughes, Mother Robertson"
- Long Beach "Press Telegram", 26 Oct 1955, "Rich Man's Wife Dies in Blaze at Mansion"
6 Mr Unknown
I do not yet know the name of Evelyn "Brandy" Almond's father. She had a secret lover, a much older successful Wall Street broker of German extraction. She got pregnant. (Foster Child, p17 wj) Evelyn was born about 1927/8 in the Bronx, and raised in Rockford, Illinois. Brandy is called an "only child" by her daughter Jodie in an interview. A site reader informs me that the family had something to do with a company called Almond Shipping out of Rockford.7 Josie Almond
Josie Almond was born in Rockford, Illinois, but her family later moved to Brooklyn, New York by 1928. She had a secret lover, a much older successful Wall Street broker of German extraction. She got pregnant. (Foster Child, p17 wj) Soon after the birth of her child, it was taken from her forever, they would never see each other again. "The child was brought to Rockford to be raised by Lucy Lefler Almond and her husband John L Almond Jr, a postman who was a cousin." (Foster Child, p17 wj) Lucy Lefler has been born in Rockford 19 Mar 1896. (see John and Lucy in the 1920 census of Rockford, both age 22) John started having an affair with Helen a pretty neighbor. "Other branches of the Almond family took in Lucy and Mom until Lucy was able to get a job working for the Barber Coleman Company... she met Charles Schmidt... he became her second husband... [he died] in 1962." (Foster Child, p18 wj)A site reader tells me that Brandy went to Roosevelt Junior High School in Rockford. Buddy states that she graduated from that school in 1942 and was then enrolled, against her will, in the St Mary's Academy in Milwaukee. While there, she learned that her biological mother Josie "...never having recovered from the anguish of giving up her love child, had grown hugely obese, a situation compounded by an untreatable thyroid condition. Miserable, Josie committed suicide." (Foster Child, p20 wj)
8 Alexis Caldwell Foster
Alexis C Foster was born 25 Jul 1867, in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, the son of Turner J Foster. His obituary states that "as a young man" he moved to Denver, and he was certainly there in 1895 when he appears in a directory that year as the manager of the credit department of Daniels & Fisher. In 1898, possibly in Denver, he married Alice Eddy Fisher, a native of Illinois. Possibly she was the boss' daughter? They appear in the 1900 Census in Denver where Alexis is a "Merchant of Credit".By 1902, Alexis was cashier at the Daniels Bank. In 1920 he was elected President of the Bankers Trust Company of Denver. In 1917, he lists his occupation as "Investment Banking", and in 1924 as "banking". The next year, listing his address as the "U.S. National Bank of Denver". His obituary states that he became Vice-President of this bank, but does not specify the year.
In 1928 he lists his address as "44 Wall Street, New York". Around this time, he and Alice moved to Ossining, New York in tony Westchester County, where they are listed in the 1930 census, with a house then worth $200,000, and his occupation as "Proprietor Investment Bank". Since this was 1930, that house must have been effectively a palace.
In 1936, he is listed living in Scarsdale. Alexis Caldwell Foster died in 30 Apr 1945 at the Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, New York, but while a resident of Scarsdale, per his obituary published in the ''New York Times''. His obituary describes him as a "Senior executive" of the Calvin Bullock banking firm, which he had joined in 1930.
Primary Sources for 8
- ''Ballenger & Richards Denver City Directory''
- ''for the year 1895'' : "Alexis C Foster, with Denver Hdw Mfg Co, rms 229 14th"
- ''for the year 1896'' : "Alexis C Foster (Foster, Reynolds & Co), rms Denver Athletic Club"
- ''for the year 1898'' : "Alexis C Foster, mgr credit dept Daniels & Fisher, r 1429 Pennsylvania av."
- ''for the year 1899'' : "Alexis C Foster, mgr retail credit dept Daniels & Fisher, r 1951 Logan av."
- ''for the year 1900'' : "Alexis C Foster, creditman Daniels & Fisher, r 1405 Downing av."
- ''for the year 1901'' : "Alexis C Foster, credit man Daniels & Fisher, r 1405 Downing av."
- ''for the year 1902'' (page 41) : "The Daniels Bank; William Cooke Daniels, President; William C Weaver, Vice-President; Alexis C Foster, Cashier. 1119 Sixteenth Street"
- (page 419) : "Alexis C Foster (large type), cashier The Daniels Bank, 1119 16th, r 1405 Downing av."
- 1900 Census of Denver, Arapahoe County, Colorado showing : "Alexis C Foster, Head, Apr 1868, 32, married two years TN/TN/TN, Merchant of Credit - Dry Goods, Rents home; Alice F, wife, Apr 1874, 26, married 2 years, mother of 1, 1 living, IL/WI/NY; Lucius F, son, Oct 1898, CO/TN/IL; Claudine Plagman, servant, May 1867, 33, IA/Germany/Germany"
- ''Colorado Springs Gazette'' (Colorado Springs, Colorado), 17 Mar 1901 : "Mr and Mrs A. C. Foster are entertaining Mrs. Foster's mother, Mrs. Lucius Fisher, of Chicago"
- 1910 Census of Denver, Denver County, Colorado showing : "Alexis C Foster, head, 42, married first time, 12 years ago, TN/AL/TN, banking, bank, owns home; Alice F, wife, 34, married first time, 12 years ago, mother of 4, 3 living, IL/WI/NY, no occupation; Lucius F, son 10, CO/TN/IL; Katherine L, daughter, 8 (or 3 ?), CO/TN/IL; Cynthia B, daughter, 2, CO/TN/IL; Sarah S Beatty, servant, 35, England/Ireland/Ireland, housemaid, private family; Mary S Craig, servant, 42, WI/Scotland/Ireland, nurse, private family"
- Note: Living next door is John Foster, 49, TN a physician, probably brother of Alexis
- ''US Passport Applications, 1795-1925'' showing : "Colorado, Denver County" stamped "5 Feb 1917", "Alexis Caldwell Foster, born at Nashville, Tennessee 25 Jul 1867, father Turner J Foster born at Franklin Tenn; resident of Denver, Colorado; occupation: Investment Banking", applying to visit the countries of "Panama, Jamaica, Cuba, for pleasure", intends to leave on the "Heredia, sailing from New Orleans, LA on 14 Feb 1917", signed "31 Jan 1917"
- New Orleans Passenger Lists, 1820-1945 showing : "On the Atenas, sailing from Havana, 31 Mar 1917, arriving New Orleans 2 Apr 1917; Alexis Foster, 49 years 8 months, born 25 Jul 1867, Nashville, Tenn, resident of 738 Pearl Street, Denver; Alice Foster, 41 years 11 months, born 19 Apr 1875, Denver, resident of 738 Pearl Street, Denver"
- ''New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957'' showing : "On the S S Arcadian, sailing from Bermuda 2 Jan 1924, arriving at New York 4 Jan 1924; Alexis Foster, 55, born 25 Jul 1867 Nashville, Tenn; Alice L Foster, 48, born 19 Apr 1875 Chicago, Ill; Katharine Foster, 17, born 12 Dec 1906 Denver Col; Cynthia Foster, 15, born 10 Apr 1908 Denver Col; Florence Whitehead, 15, born 10 May 1908 Denver Col; all living at 3800 So. University Ave., Denver Col"
- ''US Passport Applications, 1795-1925'' showing : "Colorado, Denver County", stamped "8 May 1924", "Alexis Caldwell Foster, born Nashville, Tennessee, 25 Jul 1867, father Turner S Foster born in Franklin, Tennessee; I reside in Denver, occupation banking", applies to visit "England, France, for travel, leaving on the Franconia, 31 May 1924 from New York"
- ''New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957'' showing : "On the S S Leviathan, sailing from Southampton, 5 Aug 1924, arriving at New York, 12 Aug 1924, Alexis C Foster, 57, married, born Nashville, Tenn, 21 Jul 1867, Address: U S National Bank Denver Colo"
- ''New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957'' showing : "On the S S Homeric, sailing from Cherbourg, 3 Aug 1928, arriving at New York, 15 Aug 1928, Alexis Foster, 61, born 25 Jul 1867, Nashville, Tenn; Alice Foster, born 19 Apr 1877 Chicago Ill; of 44 Wall Street, New York"
- 1930 Census of Ossining, Westchester County, New York showing : "Alexis Foster, head, owns home, $200,000, 62, married, first at age 30, TN/TN/TN, Proprietor, Investment Bank; Alice F, wife, 53, married, first at age 19, IL/MA/NY, no occupation"
- ''New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957'' showing : "On the S S Majestic, sailing from Southampton 3 Feb 1936, arriving at New York 19 Feb 1936, Alexis C Foster, born 25 Jul 1867 Nashville Tenn, of 14 Cartasen Road, Scarsdale, NY"
- ''New York Times'', 1 May 1945, pg 23 "Alexis C Foster — Executive of the Calvin Bullock Banking Firm Dies at 77 — Bronxville, NY, April 30 — Alexis C Fisher of 3 Lockwood Road, Scarsdale, a senior executive of the Calvin Bullock banking firm at 1 Wall Street, New York, died here today in the Lawrence Hospital at the age of 77. &mash; Born in Nashville, Tenn., as a young man he moved to Denver and there became cashier of the Daniels Bank, and vice president of its successor, the United States National Bank of Denver. Later he was a member of Sweet, Causey & Co., investment bankers, and in 1920 was elected president of the Bankers Trust Company of Denver. Since 1930 he had been with the Calvin Bullock. — Mr. Foster was a member of the Knollwood Country Club. — He leaves a widow, who was Alice Eddy Fisher of Chicago at their marriage in 1898; a son, Lucius F. Foster, an official of the WPB in Washington, and two daughters, Katharine Louise Foster and Mrs. Paul Wolf, wife of Colonel Wolf, commanding officer of Hill Field, Utah."
Secondary sources for 8
- BGMI showing : "Foster, Alexis Caldwell (1867-1945)", in ''Who Was Who in America''. A companion biographical reference work to Who's Who in America. Volume 2, 1943-1950. Chicago: A.N. Marquis Co., 1963. (WhAm 2)
- "Alexis Caldwell Foster", ''An Extended Family'', by George Larson II, geolarson2@gmail.com, hosted at the Ancestry World Tree Project
9 Alice Fisher
Primary Sources for 9
- 1900 Census of Denver, Arapahoe County, Colorado showing : "Alexis C Foster, Head, Apr 1868, 32, married two years TN/TN/TN, Merchant of Credit - Dry Goods, Rents home; Alice F, wife, Apr 1874, 26, married 2 years, mother of 1, 1 living, IL/WI/NY; Lucius F, son, Oct 1898, CO/TN/IL; Claudine Plagman, servant, May 1867, 33, IA/Germany/Germany"
- ''Colorado Springs Gazette'' (Colorado Springs, Colorado), 17 Mar 1901 : "Mr and Mrs A. C. Foster are entertaining Mrs. Foster's mother, Mrs. Lucius Fisher, of Chicago"
- 1910 Census of Denver, Denver County, Colorado showing : "Alexis C Foster, head, 42, married first time, 12 years ago, TN/AL/TN, banking, bank, owns home; Alice F, wife, 34, married first time, 12 years ago, mother of 4, 3 living, IL/WI/NY, no occupation; Lucius F, son 10, CO/TN/IL; Katherine L, daughter, 8 (or 3 ?), CO/TN/IL; Cynthia B, daughter, 2, CO/TN/IL; Sarah S Beatty, servant, 35, England/Ireland/Ireland, housemaid, private family; Mary S Craig, servant, 42, WI/Scotland/Ireland, nurse, private family"
- Note: Living next door is John Foster, 49, TN a physician, probably brother of Alexis
- 1930 Census of Ossining, Westchester County, New York showing : "Alexis Foster, head, owns home, $200,000, 62, married, first at age 30, TN/TN/TN, Proprietor, Investment Bank; Alice F, wife, 53, married, first at age 19, IL/MA/NY, no occupation"
10 Samuel Richard Robertson
Sources for 10
- 1910 Census of Denver, Denver County, Colorado showing : "Samuel R Richardson, 32, married first time, 10 years ago, TN/KY/TN, Broker, Real Estate, owns home; Elizabeth H 28, married first time, 10 years ago, MS/TN/MS; Marie C 9 TN; Louanna H 7 TN; Samuel R 5 TN"
- 1920 Census of Denver, Denver County, Colorado showing "Samuel R Robertson, lodger, 42, married, TN/KY/TN, Lawyer, General Partner
- 1930 Census of Denver, Denver County, Colorado showing "Samuel R Robertson, Head, owns home, $25,000, 52, married first at 21, b TN/KY/TN, Lawyer, General Partner"
11 Elizabeth Martha Hughes
Elizabeth Martha Hughes was born 4 Jul 1882. On 24 Aug 1899 she married Samuel Richard Robertson and by about 1909 they had moved to Denver, Colorado, where he went into law practice, being admitted to the bar in 1913.Elizabeth and Samuel had three children. He died in Denver, but she died 13 Oct 1955 at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, Los Angeles, California.
Secondary sources for 11
- This entry in the Ancestry World Tree, by anonymous, showing Elizabeth Martha Hughes, born 4 Jul 1882, died 13 Oct 1955 in Santa Monica, CA. Married Samuel Richard Robertson 24 Aug 1899 in Jackson, TN. Showing one child Louanna Harris Robertson born 28 Jun 1902 in Jackson, TN, married Harry Carlson in Denver, Colorado.
- This entry in the Ancestry World Tree, by anonymous showing same as above, plus died at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, cremated Chapel of the Pinan, and born Luka, MS. Husband's entry shows he was an attorney, moved to Denver about 1909, admit to bar 1913
==12==
==13==
==14==
==15==
==16==
==17==
18 Lucius Fisher
Primary sources for 18
- ''Colorado Springs Gazette'' (Colorado Springs, Colorado)], 17 Mar 1901 : "Mr and Mrs A. C. Foster are entertaining Mrs. Foster's mother, Mrs. Lucius Fisher, of Chicago"
19 "Mrs Lucius Fisher"
Primary sources for 19
- ''Colorado Springs Gazette'' (Colorado Springs, Colorado)], 17 Mar 1901 : "Mr and Mrs A. C. Foster are entertaining Mrs. Foster's mother, Mrs. Lucius Fisher, of Chicago"
==Lineal Ascent==
The below is an unsourced view from OneWorldTree
*Constance Robertson
*Samuel Richard Robertson 1878-1944
*Louanna Noble Harris 1849-99
*Elizabeth Ann Dewitt 1821-1849
===Continuation A===
Through Elizabeth Dewitt's father:
*Washington J Dewitt 1799-1852
*Harris Dewitt 1756-1829
*Martin Dewitt 1720-1793
*Charles Dewitt 1683-1741
*William Dewitt 1637-1658
===Continuation B===
Through Elizabeth Dewitt's mother:
*Mary E Bearden 1803-89
*Richard Bearden 1770-1845
*Benjamin Bearden 1748-1821
*Lettice Winn 1723-1797
*Minor Winn 1704-78
*Minor Winn 1668-1730
*John Winn 1627-1694
**Note: the connection of John Winn who appears in Westmoreland, as a son of Owen Wynne below is probably incorrect.
*Owen Wynne 1586-1660
*John Wynn 1553-1626
Untitled
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