Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-12-23
DEATH OF EDWARD A. FOSTER.

Yesterday, Monday, December 22d,
1902. Edward A. Foster, one of the
best known lumbermen of Wisconsin,,
passed away at his home in this city.
The sad news, as it was heralded about
the city at an early hour. was great
shock TO our people, for deceased was
beloved by all who had the honor of his
acquaintance.
| Dir. Foster " as in his 18th year, and
for one who had reacLsd that.advanced
age, was, seemingly, in very good
health. True it is, that up to the time
that he retired on Sunday evening, he
was in as good health and spirits as at
any time since he came to Wausau
His son, H. II. Foster, of Malvern Ark,
had been here visiting him for several
days and on Saturday evening Mr..
Foster invited in a few gentlemen TO
play whist and, on that occasion he
was, as usual, in excellent spirits. On
Sunday evening Walter Alexander
visited with him and they conversed
until about o'clock and up to the time
of his retiring there was nothing to
indicate that he was not in his usual
health.
At Z O'Clock, Monday morning, his
daughter, Miss Fannie, heard him arise
and go to the bath room and return,
and little later she heard him breath
ing heavily and at once went to his
bedside. She found him unconscious,
and as quickly as possible, summoned
DR.. HI. l.. Rosenberg, but before he
could get there Mr.. Foster had gone to
his eternal rest, the end coming at 7:30
o'clock. The doctor pronounced the
immediate cause of death to be apoplexy
Mr.. Foster came to Wausau in 1897,
purchasing the old homestead of Hon.
Alexander Stewart, corner of Fourth
and Franklin streets, and this was occu-
pied by his .amily, which then consist
ed of himself, three daughters, AMI son,
George E. Foster. Previously to NOV
ing to Wausau, Mr.. Foster and family
had resided for II years in Milwaukee,
and where, in 1896, Mrs. Foster was
taken from them by death. Mr. Foster
had been in the lumber business in the
Wisconsin River Valley for many years
before coming to Wausau to make his
home, but it was here that he mingled
with our citizens and they came to know
him as he was-a noble, whole souled,
generous man; the very personifieation
of kindness. He had pleasant word
for rybody, and Notwithstanding his
life among us had been short, compare
lively, still those who sincerely and
deeply mourn his death, comprise
majority of our people-in fact all who
| knew him.
Mr.. Foster leaves to mourn his loss,
H. Foster, president of the Wisconsin
and Arkansas Lumber Co, of Malvern,
Ark, who arrived in Wausau this morn
ing; George E. Foster, president of the
Geo f. Foster Lumber Co., Mellen,
Wis, who arrived in Wausau last even
ing; Mrs. Fred Gary, of Memphis, Tenn,
| who will arrive in Wausau tonight;
Mrs. Henry E. Smith and Miss Fannie
Foster, of this city.
The funeral will be held from the res
idence in this city tomorrow, Wednes-
day afternoon, at 800 o'clock, and the
remains will be taken to Milwaukee
and laid to rest beside those of his be-
loved wife.
The following is a brief history of the
life of Mr.. Foster, taken from the Mis-
sissippi Valley Lumberman of June Sd,
1900:
Away back lie the seventeenth cen
tury three brothers b. the family meme
of Foster came from old England, and
landed on the New England coast
Like others of their iI1e, they came to
seek fortune and fr ure in the new
country on this side of the Atlantic.
| They cut their way in tue wilderness,
built themselves homes and raised fam
lilies.
OF th.ir descendants history deals
with one in particular-Col Benjamin
Foster In l576, when the anger of the
coloulsts was being famed to flame
against the unjust demands OF the
mother county, the British general
| of the forces CHARTERED at Boston sent
a sloop up along the coast of Maine to
| Machas. for load of lumber to be
used in building works at Boston En-
| gagged in manufacturing lumber at
| Machias at the time was Col. Benjamin
| Foster, VINO had moved there some
years before from Massachusetts.
| Hearing Of the coming of the hated
| British sloou for load of his lumber,
| Col. Benjamin Foster and jeremiah
| O'Brien, another native of Machias,
| organized a force of minute men"
and captured the British sloop and its
crew. This was the first naval battle
| in the war of the revolutions; and for
| their bravery the continental congress
gave Col Benjamin Foster and Jere-
iniah O'Brien vote of thanks, and
/ turned over TO them the British sloop
as prize. The war was then on, aud
throughout it these two patriots 6s-
tinguished themselves in the service of
their country. They fitted upa frigate,
captured several other British vessels,
and in other ways showed their f. hit
ing qualities.
After the war Col. Benjamin Foster
returned TO the peaceful avocation of
| Misunderstanding tum OcF dt MdCuAdc. hiS
son, Levi Foster, also operated a saw
mill there. as did the latter's son. Ed
ward Foster, the father of the subject
of this sketch, Edward Augustus Eos
ter, who was born at Machias, Me, Au-
/ gust 10, 1929.
Among his friends ia Maine and even
| in the west, Edward Augustus Foster
was commonly known rs Gus Foster.
| He no doubt inherited from the good
| old revolutionary ancestral stock those
strong characteristics that have
brought him success in his battle with
/ the world, oftiEles against many great
and almost unsurmountabi bic obstacles.
| "Gus" Foster never knew what il was
| to weaken. He has now passed the
seventeen mile post in lifes journey,
and can in comfort and peace look back
over stormy journey that has had its
/ ms and downs its trials and tribula-