Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1947-11-01

Versal taVortes, it is interesting tc
discover the appeal responsible TO,
their winning popularity. Many
legend-like stories have developed
about Stephen Foster because PEG.
pie have felt they knew him wher
in reality they knew his music. We
have the example of the present
day radio fan, who fails to recog-
nize his favorite star off the air
Psychologists tell us a mans
character depends on his heredity
e. and environment The Foster
family belonged to the pioneer
aristocracy of Pittsburgh. Ste
phen's father, William Barclay
Foster, was a member of one of
the Scotch Irish families that emil
grated from Virginia to Pennsyl-
tania, at the close of the Revolu-
tionary War. When he was six
teen, William moved on to Pitts
burgh. truly a pioneer town. He
worked with merchandising firm
and accompanied caravans of riv-
er boats, loaded with goods, down
the Ohio and Mississippi to New
Orleans, or from New Orleans to
New York, and overland to Pitts
burgh.
William became a partner in
this firm and met Eliza Tomlinson
On one of his trips East. He mar
RED her in 1907, and they made
their home in Pittsburgh In 1914,
William Foster bought land about
two and one half miles from Pitts
burgh and established the town of
laWrenceville. He was quite
Nel-to-do man and during the
War of 1872, he advanced his own
money TO equip the Pennsylvania
Brigade. He never regained the
entire sum- although he attempted
TO collect several times. After
this, Foster held several govern
ment jobs and other positions:
however, financial panics and his
own faulty business judgment pre-
vented his having a complete bus
mess success.
Eliza Tomlinson Foster belonged
to a h ghly educated and refined
family of English descent. Ste
phen's brother, Morrison. believed
that much of Stephens musical
and poets genius came from Eli
Ia s branch of the family.
Ann Eliza, the first child of the
ten in the Foster family, was born
in 1908, but died when she was
not yet two months old
The beloved daughter. Charlotte.
was born year after Ann Eliza S
death. When she was nine. Char
lotte studied with Mrs. Brevost,
a lady who ''instructs her pupils
in everything that will improve
and polish" Charlotte liked to
sing songs like those Stephen was
TO write later. Charlotte was sent
In 1921 to st. Joseph's. a convent
In Maryland. Here she wrote TO
her mother that she was very hap
Ply. for she received loving care
from all the teachers. Any teach
er would want TO love her. for she
was a dear and sweet little girl.
Reading between lines. one gath
ers that she was homesick and
certainly her family missed her.
Charlotte developed into bril-
liant young lady. q vivacious belle
Her visits TO relatives and friends
took her 10 Meadville Pennsyl-
wanna, Cinncinati. ard Louisville
Her father was concerned over the
possibility Of her contracting few
e. and ague" and advised her to
return home. or az least as far as
Cincinnati She did leave Louis +
vile but instead moved south to +
Bardstown Kentucky. She came
home to Pittsburgh for one win
ter but left in the spring for Bards-
town 1929 Her family then receiv- t
ed notice she was i'll. A younger .
sister, Ann Eliza. went immediate /
~ to her, but arrived after Char
aotte's death.
AS John Howard mentioned in
his book, stephen Foster, Amerl-
!ea's Troubadour. Charlotte died
when stephen was three years old,