Name |
William H. Foster |
Born |
27 Dec 1813 |
Royton Manor, Lenham, Kent County, England [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] |
- "The Subject of the present sketch was born in Lenham, Kent County, England, on the 27th day of December, 1813. Both his parents were of Scotch extraction." [1]
- According to his Oswego Daily obituary, the place of birth is noted as Hastings, England. [2]
|
 |
xxxxxxxx - Royton Manor (Chapel Farm) nr. Lenham, England Some Account of the Fosters of Kent and Sussex Counties, England and Oswego County, New York, Bertram Grey Foster, (Self Published), sec.2, p.10-11 |
Gender |
Male |
Religion |
15 May 1814 |
Lenham Church, Rectory Lane, Harrietsham, Maidstone, Kent ME17 1HS, United Kingdom [6] |
Baptized |
- Rev. Brook Ed. Bridges officiating. [6]
|
Education |
Abt.1823 |
Maidstone Grammar School, Barton Road, Maidstone, Kent ME15 7BT, United Kingdom [5, 8] |
Education |
Abt. 1828 |
Herstmonceux Church of England School, Herstmonceux, Hailsham, East Sussex BN27, United Kingdom [5, 8] |
Immigration |
1830 [1, 2, 5] |
- "William was one of a party of English people who emigrated to America. Just what caused these people to come, how many there were, or who were the leaders is not known. Among them however were Mr. Cossum, Mr. Mannington and Thomas Nowers, the last named, a nephew of William's mother, and therefore a cousin to William. Also in the company was William's older sister Decima who was engaged to be married to Thomas Nowers. It was very natural therefore that the youth of sixteen, fired by the prospects of life, adventure and the chances of success in a new land, siezed the opportunity to join the party. There are no details extant of the exact time or of the trip across the ocean, except that it required six weeks, nor are the reasons known that led the band up the Hudson River and thence no doubt by the Erie Canal to Utica, N.Y. It is quite probable however that the fact that the cousin Horace Foster was then living in that city had something to do with making it their destination. They evidently reached Utica in June of 1830, and their arrival marked a most important event in William's life, the meeting with the young lady, Mary Cramp, who was later to share as his wife, some of the hardships and many of the successes of his later life." [9]
|
Occupation |
Abt. 1830 - 1833 |
Constantia, Oswego, New York [10] |
Farmer |
- According to the Rice compilation, the farm was of William's brother-in-law, Thomas Nowers. An extract from letters to William's grandsons, he's quoted as saying "After arriving on Lake Oneida, I was then 16, I worked on a farm two and a half years to pay passage money to New York and a pair of boots" [10]
|
Occupation |
1833-1835 |
Eagle Tannery, Cleveland, Oswego, New York [1, 5] |
Bookkeeper |
- "Then I went in a store for $8. per month and board for 6 mo's. Then for 1 1/2 years I got $12. per month, then five months I had sole charge of tannery store. I straitened up the accounts which had been terribly mixed up, kept the books. I got $20. per month for that 5 mo's. work ... I wanted $40. -couldn't get it so I quit ..." [11]
|
Occupation |
Jan 1835 - Sep 1835 |
Shockoe, Richmond, Richmond, Virginia [11] |
Burdick & Foster Store |
- Traveling to Richmond, Foster partnered with William C. Burdick and opened a store in Shocke Hill, Richmond. Although the conditions to Mr. Foster where unfavorable, he sold his interest of the business to Mr. Burdick on September 12, 1835. [11]
|
Residence |
1835 - 1836 [1] |
Old Dominion, Louisiana and Texas |
- "... [Foster] left the Empire State and traveled in the Old Dominion. A little later, the mood for travel still on him, he visited Louisiana and Texas. In 1837, leaving the south, he took up his quarters in the north-west and spent the next two succeeding years in farming." [1]
- "I went to Mobile, thence to N. Orleans. Staid there until my last shilling was gone, then went to work for my board. I did so well that when I got a chance to got up the Red River they gave me a new suit of clothes. We went up into the n. east part of Texas, staid there most a year. I recuperated some, had about as much as I had when I left Cleveland." [12]
|
Residence |
Jan 1837 - Sep 1837 |
Cleveland, Oswego, New York |
- During this time period, William married Mary and on September 11th, 1837 headed out to Illinois "leaving his bride at her parents' home in Oswego". [13]
|
Residence |
Oct 1837 - May 1839 |
Illinois [14] |
Point Pleasent, Indian Creek, Maysville |
- According to the dates noted in the Rice essay, William and Mary where in Point Pleasent (Oct 1837), Indian Creek (Dec 1837), Point Pleasent (Feb 1939), Maysville (Oct 1938 - May 1939). Based on the diary entries and letters, this period saw many struggles and hardships. [14]
|
Occupation |
Oct 1838 - May 1839 |
Maysville, Pike, Illinois [15] |
Mill Operator |
- "It appears that William in his final location apparently Maysville) operated a mill of some sort driven by water power. During his absence one day, a terrific storm washed away both dam and mill. The young wife was standing on one side of the stream dolefully viewing the scene of the catastrophe, when glan[...]ing up she saw her husband on the opposite bank watching her with an amused look. He cheered her up and announced that they would return east." [15]
|
Membership |
Abt. 1840 [5] |
Whig Party |
Occupation |
1839 - 1843 |
Eagle Tannery, Cleveland, Oswego, New York [1, 5] |
Bookkeeper |
Occupation |
1851 |
Union Glass Company, Kathern and North Street, Cleveland, Oswego, New York [1, 2, 5] |
Partner |
- "Among other enterprises in which he was engaged was tnat of the manufacture of glass, which has been so many years one of the most important industries of Oswego county. He was a stockholder in and one of the managers for years of one of the glass companies of the village of Cleveland, a business which is still one of the most important among the glass manufacturing concerns of this country." [16]
|
Membership |
Abt. 1854 [5] |
Republican Party |
- "The Senator has always taken a deep interest in politics. He was formerly a Whig, and gave his first vote, in 1840, for William Henry Harrison, for President. Subsequently he sympathized strongly with the anti-slavery movement, and became what was known as an Abolitionist. Since the formation of the Republican party he has been prominently identified with that organization." [1]
- "In politics; Mr. Foster was always a republican. He hated slavery with all of his emphatic nature and when the party was organized which had for its foundation principles the equality of all men before the law, and liberty as the inalienable right of human beings, ?from that day down to his death that party did not have a firmer supporter in Oswego county than William Foster." [16]
|
Occupation |
1857-1858 |
Cleveland, Oswego, New York [5, 17, 18] |
Cleveland Village President |
Occupation |
1860 |
Cleveland, Oswego, New York [17, 18] |
Cleveland Village President |
Occupation |
1866 - 1867 |
Cleveland, Oswego, New York [19, 20, 21] |
Foster and Farmer, Co-owner of a general merchandise store with Forris Farmer |
Occupation |
1863 - 1867 |
Caswell & Company, Clay Street, Cleveland, Oswego, New York [19, 22] |
Glass Factory Worker, Proprietor |
 |
1866-1867, Oswego Business Directory, Ad., Caswell & Company 1866 - 1867 Gazetteer and Business Directory for Oswego County, N.Y., (Hamilton Child), p.125 |
Occupation |
1871 |
Cleveland, Oswego, New York [17, 18] |
Cleveland Village President |
Occupation |
1867 - 1873 [1, 5] |
Director, New York, Ontaio and Western Railroad (Oswego Midland Railroad) |
- "When the company was formed for the construction of a railroad direct from Oswego to New York, at first known as the ^Midland,", now as the New York, Ontario & Western railroad. Senator Foster, from his intelligence, business capacity and interest in the business prosperity of this city and of his own county and locality, was selected as one of the directors of that company, and for ten or more years,in association with
the late Hon. D. C. Littlejohn, and the late Hon. Cheny Ames, he devoted his energy and we may perhaps add, much of his fortune, to the construction of that great work." [16]
|
Occupation |
1872 - 1873 [5, 16, 18, 23, 24] |
New York State Senator, 21st District |
- Elected by a majority of 4,130 over his Democratic opponent, he maintains the position of chairmanship over the Erection and Division of Towns and Counties and Poor Laws committees. He was also a member of the Committee on Railroads. [1]
- "During his service he was Chairman of two Committees- Erection and Division of Towns and Counties, and Poor Laws. He was also a member of the Committee on Railroads and was instrumental in the passage of the laws permitting the erection of the Elevated Roads in New York City. He was also one of the Committee that investigated the notorious Tweed Ring." [18]
|
Occupation |
1877 |
Cleveland, Oswego, New York [17] |
General Merchant |
Occupation |
1843 - 1877 |
Eagle Tannery, Cleveland, Oswego, New York [3, 19, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31] |
Owner |
- The first business in Cleveland was the Eagle Tannery built in 1834 and owned by James Burke. William Foster was an Englishman who located in Cleveland and was a bookkeeper in the new tannery. Foster purchased the tannery upon the death of Mr. Burke and was succeeded by his son, William H. Foster.
He also carried on a store, along with Forris Farmer. The tannery was located just east of the NYS dock and Rt. 49.
The tannery provided much needed employment for the residents enhancing early growth and development. [20]
- "While still a young man he became interested in the manufacture of leather, a business, which, in his hands, grew into large proportions, and by his energy and business tact he built it up into one of the largest and most successful tanneries in this section of the state." [2]
- William Foster states in a letter dated March 4th, 1891:
"I got $60, per month xxxx for two years from an appreciative employer. Then I was 30 years of age. I bought out the owner's interest and paid him a debt of $80,000 and interest at 7% in 7 years out of the business" [25]
- According to the 1870 census, the tannery is valued at $50,000. [26]
|
 |
1867xxxx - Village of Cleveland (Map) U.S. Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918
Various publishers of County Land Ownership Atlases
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., 1867
Collection: G&M_11; Roll Number: 11 |
Membership |
1875 - 1878 |
F. and A. M. Lodge #613, Cleveland, Oswego, New York [32, 33] |
Master of the Lodge |
Occupation |
1879 |
Constantia, Oswego, New York [5, 34] |
Town of Constantia Supervisor |
Residence |
1839 - 1880 |
Cleveland, Oswego, New York [1, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35, 36, 37] |
- Based on the information in the Cleveland Comprehensive Plan, the Towt-Foster-Edminster House was built around 1825 by John Towt. After his death in 1847, William Foster purchased the home.
According to the 1850 census, the residence is valued at $20,000. Additionally, Mary Delahunt (16 years old) is noted as a resident with the Foster family. It is unclear if she is a servant or some other relation to the family.
According to the 1870 census, the residence of the William and Mary is valued at $50,000 and personal assets valued at $30,000.
According to the 1880 census, William and Mary had a servant by the name of Lewis Coon. [26, 27, 35, 36]
|
|
Occupation |
Cleveland, Oswego, New York [20, 38] |
Land Agent |
- "[William Foster] was a land agent for the Roosevelt family for the sale of property all over the old town of Constantia" [20]
|
Occupation |
Union Glass Company, Kathern and North Street, Cleveland, Oswego, New York [21] |
Organizer and Operator |
Membership |
Abolitionist Party [5] |
Membership |
1867 - 1893 |
St. James Episcopal Church, North Street, Cleveland, Oswego, New York [17, 39, 41, 42] |
Officer and Warden |
- "As has been noted, his mother was evidently of a thoroughly religous nature, and no doubt trained her children in the Church of England, of which she was a member. His wife also was deeply religous, and all together it is not strange that the Episcopal Church of this country appealed to him. Originally there was none in the village of Cleveland, but services were occasionally conducted there, and when in 1867 a parish organization was effected, William was in charge of the meeting. He was elected its first senior Warden and continued in that office for many years. In time St. James Church was erected on a lot given by him. He was a constant attendant at Church services to the time of his death, and as a lay-reader conducted the services at St. James Church whenever there was no clergyman present." [39]
- 1867 - Elected church warden.
1869 - Re-Elected church warden.
1870 - Re-Elected church warden.
1871 - Re-Elected church warden.
1876 - Re-Elected church warden.
1876 - Re-Elected church warden.
1878 - Re-Elected church warden.
1879 - Re-Elected church warden.
1880 - Re-Elected church warden.
1881 - Re-Elected church warden.
1882 - Re-Elected church warden.
1885 - Re-Elected church warden.
1886 - Re-Elected church warden. [40]
|
Died |
25 Jul 1893 |
106 Helen Street, Syracuse, Onondaga, New York [5, 16, 38] |
- Died at the home of his daughter, Ellen. [43]
- "In the latter part of July, he became unwell. The physician called, did not consider his condition serious, and while he remained in his room, he was not confined to his bed. On July 26, 1893, he was still up and about his room, but became suddenly worse, and died at 3 P. M." [43]
|
 |
18930728 - Obituary: Hon. William Foster Oswego Daily Times
07/28/1893, p.5 |
Buried |
29 Jul 1893 |
Riverside Cemetery, 4024 County Route 57, Oswego, Oswego, New York [5, 16, 38] |
- Funeral services took place at his daughter's, Mrs. I. Duncan, home in Syracuse. His remains where then transported via the Phoenix line to Oswego's Riverside Cemetery where they were met by "a committee of prominent citizens and old friends and associates of the late senator". [16, 38]
|
Person ID |
I41 |
CHS Genealogy |
Last Modified |
26 Dec 2020 |