Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/174

 FOSS

FOSTER

Union college of l:uv, Chicago, in 1889, and was admitted to the bar. practising in Chicago, 111. He was a Republican representative from the 7tli Illinois district in the 54th, oStb congresses, ly9."i-l<i05.

FOSS, Sam Walter, poet, was born in Candia, NH., June 19, 1838; son of Dyer and Polly (Hardy) Foss. He was fitted for college at Ports- mouth high school and Tilton seminary, N.H., and was graduated from Brown university in 1883. Besides contributing to several humorous journals in New York, and to the New York Sun, he was editor of the Saturday Union, Lynn, Mass., 1883-87; of the Yankee Blade, 1887-94, and an editorial writer on the Boston Glohe, 1887-96. In May, 1898, he was elected librarian of the Somer- ville (Mass.) public library. He was married in 1888 to Carrie M. Conant. His published writings include: Back County Poems (1892); Whiffs from Wild Meadoios (1894) ; Dre"ms in Homespun (189G) ; and Songs of War and Peace (1898), besides nu- merous contributions to jieriodical literature.

FOSTER, Abby Kelley, refomier, was born in Pelham, Mass., Jan. 15, 1811. She was of Irish Quaker parentage and was educated at the Friends school. Providence, R.I. She taught in Worcester, Millbury and Lynn, JIass In 1837 she gave up her school and became a public lect- urer in the anti-slavery movement. She is accredited with being the first woman in America to address mixed audiences on a political subject, and she was received with great disfavor. She helped to organize the Webster anti-slavery so- ciety, and in 1840 was admitted as a member of the American anti-slavery society, which act caused a division in the society. She made lect- uring tours through the middle states, and while in Pennsylvania met Stephen Symonds Foster, the well known abolition agitator, and was mar- ried to him at New Brighton, Pa., Dec. 31, 1845. They continued their work together, and in 1850 they took up the advocacy of woman suffrage and prohibition, spending their leisure time be- tween lecture engagements on her farm near Worcester, Mass. Mrs. Foster objected to the principle of taxation without representation, and suffered her cows to be sold, and finally her farm, rather than pay taxes when not allowed to vote. She died in Worcester, Mass., Jan. 14, 1887.

FOSTER, Abiel, representative, was born in Andover, Mass., Aug. 8, 1735. He was graduated from Harvard in 1756; afterward studied theol- ogy, and was ordained pastor of the Congrega- tional church at Canterbury, N.H. He served in the New Hampshire legislature and was a del- egate to the Continental congress, 1783-85. In 1784 he was a member of the New Hampshire constitutional convention, and the same year he was made judge of the Rockingham county.

N. H., court of common pleas, and was afterward appointed chief justice. He represented his dis- trict in the first U.S. congress, 1789-91, was a member and president of the state senate 1793- 94, and was a rej^resentative in the 4th, 5th, 6tlx and 7th congresses. 1795-1803. He died in Can- terbury, N.H.. Feb. 6, 1806.

FOSTER, Addison Qardner, senator, was born in Belohertown, Mass., Jan. 28, 1837; son of Sam- uel and Mary Worthington (Walker) Foster; grandson of Samuel and Rebecca (Hunt) Foster; and a descendant of Reginald Foster, who landed at Ipswich, Mass., in 1638. In 1850 he removed to Oswego, 111., with his parents, and later to Minnesota. He taught school, and engaged in grain and I'eal estate business, 1859-75, was county auditor and surveyor at Wabasha, Minn., and invested in timber lands, removing to St. Paul, v.-here he resided 1875-87. While in St. Paul he was interested in the Lehigh coal and iron oompanj- and the firm of Griggs & Foster. In 1888 he went to Tacoma as vice-president of the St. Paul & Tacoma lumber comjjany, making his home in Tacoma and engaging extensively in lumber business and development of coal mines and in building railroads. In 1899 he was elected U.S senator, as successor to John L. Wilson, for the term expiring Marcli 3, 1905.

POSTER, Charles, cabinet officer, was born in Seneca county, near Tiffin, Ohio, April 12, 1838; son of Charles W. and Laura (Crocker) Foster- and grandson of William Foster and of John Crocker. His first American ancestor came from England in 1632, and settled at Oldham, Mass. His parents migrated from New York in 1837 and settled at Rome, in the "Black Swamp'' region of Ohio, in 1833, build- ing a double log house where Fostoria afterward grew into a city. His father was a storekeeper, and also dealt in land. Charles attended tlie Norwalk seminary until his fourteenth year, when he ivas obliged to take charge of his father's store, and thereafter until his advent into political life he was a successful merchant and banker. He was defeated as can- didate for state senator in 1863 by the failure to count the soldiers' votes. He was a Republican representative in the 42d, 43d, 44th and 45th con- gresses, 1871-79, and failed of election to the 46th congress in 1878. In 1879 he was elected gov-

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