LEONARD FOSTER (deceased), Auburn, Illinois, was born about 1830; son of George and Sarah Foster, who came to the county in an early day, where they raised a family of eight children, all of which lived to be men and women. In December, 1857, he married Miss Elvira Gates, a daughter of John and Lucinda Gates, of Kentucky, where she was born March 25, 1835. By this union there were eight children, seven of whom are living, viz: Alice, born June 9, 1859; Flora, born September 6, 1860; George E., born November 4, 1861; Mary, born February 3, 1865; William E., born May 30, 1867; Minnie, born January 12, 1870; Etta, born August 5, 1873. Mrs. Foster is living on the old homestead, where they first commenced keeping house, where she has spent many happy hours, and some very sad ones. Mr. Foster died May 8, 1880. He was a kind and good husband and father, and was respected by all who knew him. He died leaving the family in comfortable circumstances, with a farm of two hundred and ten acres of land, valued at $60 an acre.