Clymer Weir Cox Genealogy » Hannah Van Hook Blair (1745-????)

Personal data Hannah Van Hook Blair 

• She was born on March 15, 1745 in Faggs Manor, Chester County, PA.
• A child of SAMUEL LYLE BLAIR and Francis Smith van Hook
• This information was last updated on January 20, 2023.

Household of Hannah Van Hook Blair

She is married to William Foster.

They got married

Notes about Hannah Van Hook Blair

http://www.rootsweb.com/~pamercer/PA/Biographies/hannah_blair_foster.htm

Hannah Blair, daughter of the Rev. Samuel Blair, was born in Fagg's Manor, Chester county, Pa., March 15, 1745. Her father dying in 1751, she was brought up under the careful training of one of the best of mothers [Francinke Van Hook], a daughter of Lawrence Van Hook, of New York. In 1767 she married the Rev. William Foster, recently licensed by the New Castle Presbytery, and then under a call to the congregations of Upper Octorara and Doe Run. The Rev. William Foster was born in Little Britain township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, August 17, 1740. He was the son of Alexander Foster, who emigrated from the North of Ireland and settled in that township. He graduated from Princeton in 1764, having as his contemporaries David Ramsey, the historian; Judge Jacob Rush, Oliver Ellsworth, Nathan Niles and Luther Martin. In the war of the Revolution Mr. Foster engaged heartily in the cause of civil liberty, and. encouraged all who heard him to do their utmost in defense of their rights. In the beginning of 1776 he preached a very patriotic and stirring sermon to the young men of his congregation and neighborhood upon the subject of their duty to their country, in its then trying situation. It had its effect in kindling the fire of patriotism, and many of his hearers joined the army of the Declaration.
On another occasion he was called to Lancaster to preach to the troops collected there previous to their joining the main army. It did much to arouse the spirit of patriotism among the people. Indeed, with all deference to those of our own fold, the Presbyterian clergymen contributed greatly to keep alive the flame of liberty, and frequently but for them it would have been impossible to obtain sufficient recruits to keep up the patriotic forces requisite to oppose a too often victorious foe.

It may here be stated, that it was a great object among certain British officers to silence the Scotch-Irish Presbyterian preachers as far as possible, and they frequently dispatched persons into the country to surprise and take them prisoners. While the British were in possession of Wilmington, Delaware, a party of light horse was sent one Sunday evening to take Mr. Foster prisoner and burn his church. Mr. Foster received word of it on the morning of that day at Doe Run, and, hastening home called his neighbors, who removed his family and library remote from the public road. The expedition after proceeding twelve or fifteen miles on their way were informed by a Tory that their purpose was known, and that militia were stationed to intercept them. They then returned to Wilmington without accomplishing their object.

Mr. Foster was much esteemed and beloved by his congregation for zeal, talents and piety, and at his death, September 30, 1780, at the early age of forty years, was universally lamented. In the great respect of the people for Mr. Foster, his wife was a sharer. She was distinguished by an equanimity of temper that adorned those principles which she constantly practiced through life.

After the close of the Revolutionary war, and the quieting of the Indian depredations on the western frontiers of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Foster removed to the Cussewago settlement (now Meadville) with her family. She died at the residence of a daughter in Mercer, Pa., on the 14th of May, 1810. Two of her sons, Samuel Blair and Alexander W., became members of the bar, were among the most eminent lawyers in Western Pennsylvania, and long recognized as the leaders of the profession in that section of the State. A son of the first named, Henry D. Foster, of Westmoreland county, was a member of Congress, and prominent at the baróthe soul of honor, and a life without stain of reproach.

Some Pennsylvania Women During the War of the Revolution, 1898, pages 67-69.

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Timeline Hannah Van Hook Blair

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