John C. Foster

FOSTER, LAKE

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 10/1/2004 at 10:27:54

“The History of Madison County, Iowa”
Union Historical Company, Des Moines, 18794
page 557

J. C. Foster lives in Monroe township, Section 36, P.O. Winterset. He was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, in 1835, and came to this county in 1855. He owns 150 acres of land, and with his brother, D. F. Foster, are devoting their time largely to the nursery business. He has served as school director. He married Miss Harriet Lake in 1857. She was born in Ohio. They Have seven children: George A., Ashford L., Minnie, Heber, Emma, John Denton, Darwin, and lost one: Etta.
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“History of Madison County Iowa and Its People”
Herman A. Mueller, Supervising Editor
Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1915

John C. Foster, who is living retired in Winterset, was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, on the 17th of April, 1835, a son of Moses Foster, whose birth occurred in Virginia in 1802. The paternal grandfather, Jesse Foster, who was probably born in Maryland, was a son of Samuel Foster, who emigrated to the United States from England and was in turn a son of Benjamin Foster, likewise a native of England. When Moses Foster was two years of age his parents removed to Cadiz, Ohio, and when he was twelve the family home was established on Little Stillwater in Tuscarawas county, where he grew to manhood and became familiar with farm work.

In 1855, when John C. Foster was twenty years of age, the family went down the Ohio and up the Mississippi river to Keokuk and thence by wagon to Madison county, Iowa, settling in Monroe township, where Moses Foster entered forty acres of land. He purchased other land at six dollars per acre and engaged in farming in this county until his death, which occurred when he was seventy-nine years of age. He was a member of the Christian church, which he joined while living in Ohio, and in his early days gave his political allegiance to the democratic party, although later he supported the republican party.

He married Miss Peree Kale, who was born in Ohio in 1807 and they were married in her native state. She passed away in Monroe township when eighty-three years of age. To their union were born twelve children: Sarah, the deceased wife of James Iler, the man who brought the first printing press to Madison county; Mary Ann, the deceased wife of John Huston; Reuben, who resides in $t. Charles, Iowa; Rachel E., the wife of Benjamin Reed; George K., deceased; Rebecca, who gave her hand in marriage to David Lyons; John C., of this review; Peree, who died in childhood; Moses B. and Jesse Millard, who also died in childhood; David F., who resides in Tacoma, Washington; and Luella, the wife of O. P. Ross, of Kossuth county, Iowa.

John C. Foster was twenty years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal to this county and a year or two later he bought fifty acres of unimproved land on section i, Monroe township. He built a small frame house, where he reared his children, but later erected a larger residence. For several years he and his brother, David F., engaged in the nursery business, but our subject devoted more time to carpentering and cabinet-making than to the nursery business. He purchased additional land, becoming the owner of two hundred and fifty acres, from which he derived a gratifying income.

He lived upon the farm until 1902, when he retired and moved to Winterset, where he is now residing. He still owns a quarter section, although he has recently sold the homestead.

Mr. Foster was married in this county to Miss Harriet Lake, who was born in Ohio on the 30th of June, 1839, of the marriage of Ashford and Susan (Hann) Lake, the former born in Ohio in 1818 and the latter a native of Maryland. In 1855 they came to Madison county, Iowa, and settled on a farm in Walnut township, where both passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Foster have become the parents of eight children. George Alden, born September 3, 1858, wedded Miss Anna E. Carroll, now deceased. He resides in Des Moines and has two children, Carl and Mae. Ashford Lake, born December 4, 1859, is residing in Winterset. He married Jennie Orr and has two children, Nellie and Lloyd. Etta was born October 27, 1861, and her death occurred in 1863. Minnie L., born September 24, 1864, is the wife of Elmer Whiting, of Des Moines, and they have two children, John and Garnita. Heber N., born January 20, 1866, is residing in Spokane, Washington. He married Callie Dunlap and has six children: Elsie, Glenn, Charles, Frank, Eugene and Archie. Emma M., born October 20, 1869, is the wife of Elmer Hubbell, of Des Moines, and they have one child, Bessie. John Denton, a resident of Marshalltown, Iowa, was born May 24, 1872. He married Minna Sheffer and has three children: LaDena, Lowell and Robert. Darwin W., who was born March 5, 1874, and resides in Douglas township, wedded Miss Myrtle Groves, by whom he has one child, Earl.

Mr. Foster is a Republican and while living upon the farm served as justice of the peace and as school director. He is especially interested in everything relating to the welfare and advancement of the public schools, as he believes that they are the greatest force working for progress. He and his wife are both well educated and insatiable readers and are liberal in their religious views, although he was at one time a member of the Christian church. He places great stress upon justice and right dealing between men, and the rectitude of his life has gained him the sincere respect of all who know him.

Madison Biographies maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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