Having discussed the Virginia colonial arms a couple of days ago and posted the picture of the reproduction of the arms in the House of Burgesses, I thought I’d share this.
http://images.virtualology.com/images/928.jpg
It is George Washington’s gorget (the plate formerly worn at the base of the throat by officers as a sign of authority) as an officer of the Virginia militia. It is in the collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society. The engraving of the arms of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia on the gorget is excellent evidence that the governor considered them the official arms of Virginia—notwithstanding that they had never been granted by the College of Arms. Possibly an indication that the governor did not view the College of Arms as having any authority in his domain, or at least over his government?
THIS IS GREAT!
Man, Joe, where do you find all of this stuff?... we don’t have anything this nice out in the West… 
Great photo and beautiful piece. How did it get to Massachusetts anyway? I would think it would’ve found its way back home to Virginia… or am I missing something?
Purely for the purposes of reference (and perhaps a little family pride) I post this portrait of my grandfather displaying how a gorget is worn these days (well, the portrait is from c.1990).
akbcusack wrote:
Purely for the purposes of reference (and perhaps a little family pride) I post this portrait of my grandfather displaying how a gorget is worn these days (well, the portrait is from c.1990).
Thanks for sharing….What is the nationality/branch of service of the uniform?
Ben, I do love your arms. The color and balance are striking.
I too am a Foster (by Birth Name) where is your family from?
The Foster name is like a Smith or Jones I know, but can’t hurt to ask (lol)
Chapulin wrote:
Ben, I do love your arms. The color and balance are striking.
I too am a Foster (by Birth Name) where is your family from?
The Foster name is like a Smith or Jones I know, but can’t hurt to ask (lol)
Thanks…I like your arms as well. The surname was originally "Forster," and the spelling changed to "Foster" circa 1630. The family originated in Nothumberland, but settled in Virginia in 1635. Most of the early "southern" Forsters/Fosters can trace their lineage to Richard Foster/Forster, who arrived on the "Safety" in 1635. My ancestors next moved to Kentucky circa 1820, and later to Missouri.
If your Foster ancestor came out of colonial Virginia, then we are probably cousins. Have you seen the Foster DNA project?
Ben Foster wrote:
Thanks for sharing….What is the nationality/branch of service of the uniform?
This is my late grandfather in his uniform as commander of the Old Guard of the City of New York (hence the blackletter ‘OG’ in a wreath on the gorget). The Old Guard is one of the component units of the Centennial Legion of Historic Military Commands, and was formed by an 1826 merger between the City Guard and the Light Guard, if I recall correctly. For the past century or so it has been a veterans battalion, militarily organized within the Armed Forces of the State of New York.
C.f., my own site: ‘The Old Guard’, ‘Marshal Foch and the Old Guard’, ‘Old Guardsmen’, ‘A New York Funeral’
Andrew…this is fascinating information. Was it originally a militia unit?
Ben Foster wrote:
Thanks…I like your arms as well. The surname was originally "Forster," and the spelling changed to "Foster" circa 1630. The family originated in Nothumberland, but settled in Virginia in 1635. Most of the early "southern" Forsters/Fosters can trace their lineage to Richard Foster/Forster, who arrived on the "Safety" in 1635. My ancestors next moved to Kentucky circa 1820, and later to Missouri.
If your Foster ancestor came out of colonial Virginia, then we are probably cousins. Have you seen the Foster DNA project?
Yes actually, I believe I’m in group (7). I submitted my DNA some time ago. The genetic markers show that my ancestors came out of 49% Scotland , 48% Ireland !% Dominican republic and 2% other?
Of course percentages adjust as data grows but the change would not be significant.
I can only confirm as far back as 1822 MA. I’m stumped for awhile but I keep digging.
Chapulin wrote:
Yes actually, I believe I’m in group (7). I submitted my DNA some time ago. The genetic markers show that my ancestors came out of 49% Scotland , 48% Ireland !% Dominican republic and 2% other?
Of course percentages adjust as data grows but the change would not be significant.
I can only confirm as far back as 1822 MA. I’m stumped for awhile but I keep digging.
Group 7s are R1Bs and R1B1s. I am also in this group. How many markers did you have tested? I would recommend 37, as this will give you the most accurate prediction of MRCA with your close matches. A significant number of Group 7s trace their lineage to Richard Foster of Gloucester, VA. Ultimately, many members of this group can trace their lineage to Forster of Hunsdon. See The Visitations of Hertfordshire, 1572 and 1634 with Hertfordshire Pedigrees from the Harleian MSS. 6147 and 1546, p. 143. I suspect that there are many other Fosters/Forsters who can trace their lineage to this group because most generations produced multiple sons, with one generation producing 20 sons!
Could the discussion of Foster genealogy be pursued, if at all, under another thread? It really has little to do at this point with the arms of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia. Thanks.
Joseph McMillan wrote:
Could the discussion of Foster genealogy be pursued, if at all, under another thread? It really has little to do at this point with the arms of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia. Thanks.
There are oh so many subjects which are not intrinsically heraldic but which we who are heraldically-inclined might find interesting. These issues are bound to pop up and spark tangents in our discussions, but I’m sure everyone would agree it’s best to keep threads on-subject.
Perhaps the moderators might consider adding another forum at the bottom where non-heraldic tangents which may yet be of interest to us could be continued and carried out properly, away from the thread of origin? One can think of a number of reasons for, and indeed against this, but I thought I’d offer it as a thought.
