New-York tribune., 1895-12-11
WILLIAM f. FOSTERS WILL.
MANY REQUESTS SHOWING HIS KINDLY
NATURE.
EMPLOYEES SAID TO HAVE BEEN REMEMBERED-
HIS SUCCESS IN SPITE OF BODILY AFFLIC-

EMPLOYEES SAID TO HAVE BEEN REMEMBERED-
HIS SUCCESS IN SPITE OF BODILY AFFLIc-
TIoN AND BUSINESS DISASTER
striking example of who for a l!fe-
time struggled against bodily illness and afflic-
ton, bearing UP nobly against sudden disaster
and threatened ruin. to achieve. finally, rich
success, is to be found in the story Of the life
Of William F.. Foster. who died on December 8.
at his home at Riverside Drive and One-hundred-
and-second-st.
Mr. Foster was born near Taunton. England,
on October II, 1s4l. with afiicton Of the
muscles of the neck that prevented his keeping
his head in upright position. This trouble
| clung to him through life. in 1856, at the age
of fifteen he came to the United States deter
mined to do his best to win success For fifteen
years he was steadily successful, until 1871
found him a merchant worth about $5o,OOo, all
| of which was invested in Chicago.
Then came the big fSe. and when the smoke
had cleared away and the damage could be
ascertained Mr. Foster found that not only had
all Of his fortune been swept away, but that ne
was also about 100000 In debt.
This misfortune was a hard blow. but, al
though the fire had eaten away his fortune 1t
did not destroy his ambition or pluck, and he
started in business again.
In 1876 he invented a e-fasten!ng and,
thinking the metropolis the best place to intro
duce his invention he came TO New-York. The
results Of his labor5 have amply proved his
business acumen, and that his choice OF New
York basis for his business operations was
a fortunate one. To-day the big glove house OF
Foster, Paul & Co., at No. 36i Broadway, testi-
fies to Mr.. Fosters success. The directors OF
Cnp mol
Paul, Livingston Clifford and Albert r. Hepner,
and until his death William F. Foster was also
a director of the firm. The capital stock of the
company is 100000.
Like many other men whose constitutions are
not strong Mr. Foster, during his leisure hours,
was a lover Of good books; and much OF his
time was also spent in the study Of horticulture.
In order to increase his facilities for these
studies he purchased during the last year the
Field estate, on the Hudson, together with the
adjoining Minturn property, comprising about
twenty acres This he called the Sabine Farm,
after the well-oved country home OF Horace.
his favorite philosopher and poet. Here ne IN
tended to erect a Roman villa, with gardens
greenhouses and a lake with cascades, Dut ne
never the results OF the labor expended
there. The work on the Sabine Farm was begun
last March, and about this time the cancer de-
veloped which caused Mr.. Fosters death.
That love of nature which marked Mr. fos-
his selection OF a site for his city home. 1t Is
large stone house situated on nigh terrace
overlooking Riverside Drive and the Hudson
River 1t Is approached by long and stately
fight of stone steps which lead TO the large
porch at the entrance. Above this porch Is a
room built out from the main body OF the mouse,
from the windows Of which a magnificent view
of the Hudson and the Jersey shore may be OBJ
tained. The view up and down the river is al
most unobstructed. In the interior the mouse
is so arranged that good view or the river may
be had whenever possible
Cosey window seats are placed In the large
bay-wlndows and everything possible has been
done to insure ease, quiet and beauty. Inc
house itself Is one of the handsomest ana most
noticeable in the upper part OF the city.
The charity and kindly thoughtfulness Tor
others so deeply ingraned In Mr. roster
nature are particularly noticeable in his Will
II is said by those who knew him that he left a
large estate, the disposition Of which Is interest
ing and peculiar. The will has not as yet been
secured but his consideration and charitable,
ness have been amply shown In 1t. 1t Is SAID
that IN this will Mr. Foster remembered tnat MS
emploves had contributed TO his success ond
that beouests were left to a large number OF
them His relatives and friends were not for-
gotten and generous allowance was MADE Ior
all of them The exact number Of bequests dis
nosed of in the will could not be definitely as
certained. but II is positively known that there
is large number. Mr.. Fosters counsel SAID
Yesterday that the will was interesting ana
neculiar not because 1t quixotic. but be-
cause IL was extremely charitable, and one or
the other executors said that he considered II
"a good Will" a., ill., 1880
Mr. Foster left no children but his wife sur
wives him They married twenty years
ago and until her husbands death sne was
never separated from him for single day.