Addison G. Foster

Addison Gardner Foster (January 28, 1837Template:Spaced ndashJanuary 16, 1917) was an American businessman and politician who was prominent in Minnesota and Washington. A Republican, he was most notable for his service as a United States senator from Washington for one term, 1899 to 1905.

Early life

Addison G. Foster was born in Belchertown, Massachusetts on January 28, 1837, the son of Samuel Foster and Mary Worthington Walker. Foster was raised and educated in Belchertown until he was thirteen, when his parents relocated, first to Oswego, Illinois, and then to Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin.Template:Sfn Foster was educated in the schools of Belchertown and Oswego, and worked on the family's farms.Template:Sfn In Wisconsin, he also worked on his parents' timberlands, where he gained his first experience with logging.Template:Sfn He completed his education in Sheboygan Falls, and obtained his qualification to teach school.Template:Sfn

After reaching adulthood, Foster and a brother began a westward journey, intending to settle in Colorado.Template:Sfn Foster turned back and made the return trip as far as Missouri, where he remained after accepting a teaching position.Template:Sfn After this experience, he returned briefly to Wisconsin before deciding to pursue business opportunities in Minnesota.Template:Sfn

Career

In the early 1860s, Foster settled in Wabasha, Minnesota, where he engaged in logging.Template:Sfn A Republican, Foster served as auditor of Wabasha County from 1861 to 1871 and also served as a term as county surveyor. In addition to logging, Foster became active in other ventures, including publishing the Winona Express newspaper.Template:Sfn He was also a major shareholder in the Wabasha Mill Company, which was formed to manufacture flour.Template:Sfn In addition, Foster operated a freight forwarding and commission merchant business in Lake City and Red Wing.Template:Sfn

In the mid-1870s, Foster moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he was a neighbor of Cushman Kellogg Davis.Template:Sfn Foster became a friend and political supporter, and took part in Davis's successful campaign for governor in 1874 and subsequent campaigns for the United States Senate.Template:Sfn In 1874, he successfully managed the U.S. Senate campaign of Samuel J. R. McMillan.Template:Sfn In 1882, Foster managed the gubernatorial campaign of Lucius Frederick Hubbard.Template:Sfn In 1888, Foster managed the successful U.S. House campaigns of Samuel Snider and Darwin Hall.Template:Sfn

In 1877, Foster entered into a business partnership with Chauncey Wright Griggs, which they maintained until Griggs died in 1910.Template:Sfn Their ventures included the Beaver Dam Lumber Company, Lehigh Coal & Iron Company, and the Saint Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company.Template:Sfn Foster's other business interests included the Wilkeson Coal & Coke Company, as well as real estate development in Tacoma, Washington and elsewhere.Template:Sfn In 1888, Foster moved to Tacoma to take more active management of his business interests in Washington.Template:Sfn These ventures continued to expand, and included cargo ships and meatpacking.Template:Sfn In 1895 and 1896, Foster supported Cushman K. Davis for president. Davis did not become an active candidate, and the Republican nomination was won by William McKinley, who went on to win the general election.

U.S. Senator

File:Senator Addison Gardner Foster, Republican from Washington, seated with a newspaper LCCN2011661520.jpg

1899 George Grantham Bain photo of Foster after his election to the U.S. Senate

In 1898, pro-business Republicans in Washington decided to support Foster in the state legislative election for the United States Senate seat held by John L. Wilson as their best hope of preventing the election of a free silver candidate; in 1896, a fusion movement of Democrats, Populists and free silver Republicans had succeeded in electing Democrat George Turner to the U.S. Senate.

In the 1899 election, the Republican frontrunners were Wilson, Foster, Thomas J. Humes, and Levi Ankeny.Template:Sfn On the 24th ballot, Republican members of the Washington State Legislature decided to support Foster in order to prevent the election of a free silver candidate, and Foster was elected.Template:Sfn He served one term, March 4, 1899, to March 3, 1905. During his Senate career, Foster was chairman of the Committee on Coast and Insular Survey from 1899 to 1903.Template:Sfn In addition, he was a member of the committees on Agriculture, Fisheries, Woman Suffrage, and Revolutionary War Claims.Template:Sfn

Foster was a candidate for reelection in 1905; opponents included Charles Sweeny and Samuel H. Piles. After a week of balloting by the state legislature failed to produce a winner, Sweeny agreed to support Piles, and Piles was elected.Template:Sfn

Later life

After leaving the Senate, Foster resumed management of his business interests until he retired in 1914. Foster died in Tacoma on January 16, 1917. He was buried at Oakland Cemetery in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Family

In 1863, Foster married Martha Ann Wetherby of Pennsylvania, who he met while she was visiting Wabasha.Template:Sfn They were the parents of four children—Harrison Gardner, Francis Walker, Martha Rowena, and Charles Addison.Template:Sfn

External links

• Template:CongBio
• Template:PAGENAMEBASE at Find a GraveTemplate:EditAtWikidata