my g grandmother. I have her last name as Owens and even after seeing Burton on her daughter's (Jane Foster) death certificate, it's Owens on her son's death Certificate.
Headstone reads Mary wife of Willis Foster Mar 30, 1805 Feb 3, 1887 This photo is of Mary "Polly" Amanda Owens like my mother said her grandmother's name was and she was living when she told me this 60 years ago.
Mary was the wife of Willis Anthony Foster. Willis A. Foster, Sr . It is possible that Willis was married twice, I don't know. There is Mary Burton on her daughter's death Certificate and Owens on my great grandfather's death Certificate. The only name I've ever found connected to Willis is Mary Owens that I can prove. I found two different marriage records with two different dates, one has Mary Foster and the other Mary Polly Owens. He did marry Mary Owens on two different occasions and the only reason I can find for that is the papers were not returned to courthouse to be registered or were destroyed when the courthouse blew away after a tornado. I do have two marriage certificates for Willis and Mary Owens Foster. Neither one of them could read or write. All of their children are of this marriage. After Mary died in 1887, Willis lived with his son George N. Foster (us census) until the day he died.
Willis's grave is unmarked as the undertaker's marker was removed sometime after 1975. There is a field stone that marks Willis's grave by Mary. Mary's is buried along side their daughter-in-law, Isabella J. Alsbrooks Foster who was the first wife of Willis Anthony Foster Jr.
Mary is my gg grandmother. I have an original photo of Mary. Mary's name given in her granddaughter's Bible (my grandmother) was Mary Amanda Married Willis A Foster of South Carolina.