Foster Children Tragedy

The Foster Children Tragedy marked a sad moment in the history of Minehaha County settlement. Despite their misfortune, the family found a way through the darkness and flourished.

Lilly and Robert Foster were Irish Americans who immigrated to the United States in 1865 and applied for a homestead in 1873 near the unincorporated town of Ellis. They had a total of nine kids, two of whom later perished.

The family moved from Ireland to escape the harsh conditions of the Great Famine, caused by the failure of the potato crop, a staple food, resulted in mass starvation. Many Irish sought refuge in America to escape the terrible conditions. Long-standing British rule plus the economic oppression contributed to the desire for a better life, and many Irish immigrants were fleeing not just famine, but also political instability and lack of work opportunities. Before the famine, many Irish immigrants traveled as indentured servants. Working for a period to pay for their passage to America.

Unfortunately for the Fosters, their hardship was not over in the Dakota Territory. Two of their children, Robert Foster Jr. and Sarah Foster, would go out to collect from fox traps in a creek bed a couple of miles away at the worst possible time. A blizzard blew in suddenly, and the storm made it impossible for the children to find their way home. Eventually, they came to a stop at a sod house. It was in this sod house that they ended up passing away due to the cold and likely dehydration. The children were found weeks later after a neighbor had a dream about their location (supposedly). They proceeded to find their frozen bodies on March 15th, and buried them on their farm soon after, and later moved to the Bethel Cemetery.

During Robert Foster and Lily’s life together, they were considered good people. Robert's obituary detailed how he was a community man and hands-on leader, helpful and religious, and generally made the lives of those around him easier. He was buried with his two dead children 14 years after they died in the Bethel Cemetery in Minnehaha County. Lilly led a quiet life, following in her husband’s footsteps and dying surrounded by loved ones many years later. Her son John and three daughters were there when she passed away. I imagine the tragedy of their kids dying made them move closer to becoming a community pillar, being recognized as one of the oldest settler families in South Dakota, even after death.

The Fosters were one of the many founding pillars of America; their story tells one of tragedy, but also hardship and perseverance in the face of that tragedy, as well as the willpower to keep going despite it all. They were regarded in life as good people willing to help the community, and they set good examples for the community of Minnehaha County and the greater Siouxland area.

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