Henry Alexander Foster (1964)

FOSTER, ANDERSON, GODBY

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 10/2/2008 at 09:35:32

Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
July 16, 1964

Services Held for H. A. Foster

Funeral services for H. A. Foster were held Monday forenoon at Valley View Village in Des Moines and in the afternoon at the Earlham Presbyterian church, with Rev. Dean Redshaw in charge. Burial was in the Earlham cemetery.

Mr. Foster had lived in the Earlham community for more than 70 years. He was a prominent farmer-stockman and an influential citizen in the community. His ability as a livestock judge was widely known and respected throughout the Middle West. He and his brother, R. G. Foster, were closely associated and operated their business under the name of Foster Brothers.

In May of 1953 he and his brother were among those honored by the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, at a banquet, as shippers to the Omaha market for more than 50 years.

Quoting from the Omaha Daily Journal-Stockman of May 15, 1953, in their account of the banquet: “Two men honored last night have through the years built up a reputation, both on the market and the country’s top show ring, are H. A. and R. G. Foster of Earlham, Iowa.”

“These men through their feeding operations have helped build up the reputations of some of Wyoming’s top ranchers.”

In 1956 they were honored in Chicago for over 50 years of association with that market.

Referring to an article in the Echo of May 1953: “Mr. Foster recalled shipping cattle to Chicago in November 1896, the first Monday after election of Wm. McKinley as president. He topped the market and the next morning a Chicago paper came out with the headline: “Confidence restored, Iowa cattle sell for $5.25.”

Mr. Foster was among those who had a great part in helping to develop the Middle West into one of the most productive areas in the world.

Obituary

Henry Alexander Foster, oldest son of Robert and Grace Meggat Foster, was born in Gatehouse, Scotland, on December 18, 1875.

Harry, as he was known to his friends, came to the States with his father and other members of the family in 1889 and settled at Nebraska City, Nebraska, where they lived for more than a year. From there they moved to Lenox, Iowa, and in 1892 came to Earlham, Iowa, and lived with his father on the Givin Ranch, now known as the Leazenby farm, until 1894 when he went to Montana and later to Kansas. Following the death of his father in 1896 he returned to Earlham to manage the Givin Ranch until 1903.

He and his brother, Gladstone, then returned to Scotland. While there he was married to Jameseen Anderson on December 26, 1904. In the winter of 1905 he returned to the States and entered into partnership with his brother, Gladstone, on the Williamson farm one mile north of Earlham. In 1909 Foster Brothers bought the Henry Taylor farm south of Earlham which they still own and where he and Mrs. Foster lived until 1951 when they moved to Earlham.

With declining years and increased infirmities, he and Mrs. Foster moved to Valley View Village, Des Moines, in July of 1963 where he enjoyed new friendships but never did he forget his friends in Earlham who frequently visited them. After a short illness he passed away at the Iowa Lutheran hospital on July 10, 1964 at the age of 90 years, 7 months.

Mr. Foster is survived by his wife; daughter, Isabella Godby; one brother, Gladstone; and three grandchildren.

Gravesite
 

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