Edward Foster, b. 1 Nov 1819

WHITTAKER, DOLPHIN, SCHADER, OSBURN, BARKER, MARTIN

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 2/21/2004 at 12:05:20

Edward Foster, of Van Buren Township, is accounted the wealthiest man in this part of the county, and a noteworthy fact in connection with this is that he may be termed essentially a self-made man - one who has accumulated his property by his own unaided efforts. He is a man of correct habits and temperate living, has been enabled to perform the labor of two men, and, although now on the downhill of life, can still endure as much exertion as most any young man. He takes a pardonable pride in this fact, and presents an example which is eminently worthy of imitation.

Joseph Foster, the father of our subject, was a native of the town of Brinsworth, Yorkshire, England, about nine miles from the city of Sheffield. He was at an early age trained to habits of industry and economy, and when a youth learned the trade of a carpenter, which he followed in his native England until nearing his thirtieth year. He then became interested in farming pursuits, which he followed the remainder of his life, dying on his farm in England at the age of eighty-three years. He had been very successful financially, and left a good property. He was a member of the militia during the French War - that is, during the troubles with Napoleon.

The mother of our subject was in her girlhood Miss Elizabeth Whittaker, also a native of Yorkshire, and born not far from the childhood home of her husband. She survived him a short time, living to be ninety-three years old. The paternal grandfather, Joseph Foster, Sr., was also a carpenter by trade. He was born in 1730, and lived to be eighty-four years old. Indeed the family has been noted for longevity. The Foster family were among the tenantry of 'Squire John Fullerton, one of an ancient family who were represented in Yorkshire for a period of 150 years. To the parents of our subject there were born four sons - John, James, William and Edward. John and William prosecuted farming on their native soil, and James and Edward engaged in butchering until the latter sailed for America. He is now the only survivor of the family.

Edward Foster, a native of the same place as his parents, was born Nov. 1, 1819, the same year of Queen Victoria's birth, and was reared to manhood under the paternal roof. He attended the public school, and was put to hard work at an early age, but this, instead of stunting his growth, seemed to develop his muscular system to a more than usual degree. The acquisition of his lessons was rather a hard task, because he was active, and outdoor sports and employment were more congenial to his make-up. When a boy of ten he began making himself useful, in a general way, about a meat-market, and later followed this business in Sheffield several years, and until reaching his majority.

Not long after coming of age young Foster determined to seek his fortunes on another continent, and on the 1st of April, 1842, set sail from Liverpool, being the first of the family to cross the Atlantic. He was without means - in fact, he had been obliged to borrow fifty pounds from his father in order to make the voyage. This was accomplished in safety, and he stepped ashore in New York City on the 10th of May following, and thence migrated to Cooperstown, Otsego County, where he met a friend of his father, a Mr. Dolphin, who followed the occupations of a farmer and brewer. Young Foster not long afterward procured employment on a farm, at $9 per month, and continued in Otsego County twenty months. He then returned to England, where he remained six years. Four years of that time he carried on the butchering business at Sheffield. Prior to that time he had assisted his brother in butchering, and was a year on the farm with his father.

In 1850 Mr. Foster once more set out for America, and engaged as a cattle-driver, at $13 per month, from Clark County, Ohio, to Boston. He finally discovered that he could do well by butchering for the gang of men employed on the Genesee canal, and so took up this business, establishing himself at Belfast, Allegany County, N.Y. In the meantime, on the 25th day of December, 1852, he was married to Miss Mary A. Dolphin, and continued in the butchering business at Belfast thereafter for one and one-half years. In the spring of 1854 he set out alone for Iowa, and coming to this county, purchased, in Van Buren Township, 200 acres of land, at $6 per acre. He secured his first land from the Government in 1853, and in 1854 was joined by his wife. They went to housekeeping in a rude log structure which Mr. Foster had purchased. Perhaps not one man in a thousand could have endured the hardships which he encountered, but his rugged frame and persevering disposition enabled him to!
come off a victor.

There were born to the first union of Mr. Foster a daughter and son - Mary and George. The first-mentioned is the wife of Fred Schader, an extensive stock-farmer of Clinton County; they have four children - Fred, Eddie, Laura and Louisa. George is a resident of Van Buren Township. The mother of these children died at the homestead, in July, 1877. Our subject contracted a second marriage, June 12, 1878, with Mrs. Emily Martin, of Van Buren Township. This lady was born in Tioga County, N.Y., Aug. 4, 1842, and is the daughter of Samuel and Betsey (Barker) Osburn, and the widow of Thomas Martin, by whom she had two children - Alva and Mary. Of her marriage with our subject there have been born three children - Cora, James and Edward. Mr. Foster was sixty-five years old when his youngest child was born. Aside from the 350 pounds sterling inherited from his father, he has had no assistance, having accumulated his large property by his own efforts. He was at one time the owner of 1,400 acres of land. Upon his second return to England, in 1871, he noticed a marked improvement in the cities of his native country. During his second voyage back to America the vessel was wrecked and stranded on a rock, but the wind finally abated so they could proceed, and the vessel held together until the passengers were landed. Two days later she went down in a storm.

In politics Mr. Foster has always been a stanch supporter of the principles of the Democratic party. He has crossed the Atlantic five times, and eight years ago he made a trip to California, being absent nearly a month. He also visited the Centennial Exposition at New Orleans.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois)