Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 484 - 485 

CHARLES A. FOSTER, a resident of Wichita since 1883, a capitalist and a retired farmer, who has distinguished himself as a business man of more than ordinary capacity, is at present engaged in the real-estate and loan business, having his headquarters on North Waco street. His career has been remarkably interesting, the main points of which we subjoin as follows:

            The Empire State, which has given to the West so many of its capable men, claims our subject as one of its sons, he having been born there in Jefferson County, on the 3d of August, 1822. A descendant of New England ancestry, he is the son of Thomas and Polly (Adams) Foster, who were born in the city of Portland, Me:, where they were reared and married, their union taking place about 1814-15. They removed from the Pine Tree State shortly after their marriage and settled in Jefferson County, N. Y., whence in later years they crossed the Mississippi to the Pacific Coast. The father died near Omaha, Neb., in the fall of 1846, whither he had gone on account of his health. He was a man of much force of character and prominent in the community wherever he made his home. Although not a member of any church organization, he adhered strictly to the principles of honesty and justice, and is remembered with respect by all who knew him.

            The mother of our subject, who was about six years younger than her husband, died in Solano County, Cal., in 1858. She was a member in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The children of the parental family were named respectively: Daniel, Mary, Olive, Charles, Arthur and Olive (2d.) Charles A., in common with his brothers and sisters, was reared on a farm, acquiring his education in the district school. Upon reaching manhood he was married, in August, 1865, to Miss Jane Winn, who was born Dec. 26, 1833, in the State of Tennessee. The wedding took place in California, to which both our subject and his wife had emigrated previously, Mr. F. having made the trip by water. Under the homestead act he entered 160 acres of land in Solano County, which he improved and remained upon until March, 1883. During his residence in the Sacramento Valley he accumulated a snug sum of money, which upon his arrival in this county he invested in real estate, both farm land and city property. He has 160 acres six and one-half miles southwest of Wichita, for which he paid $20 per acre in 1883, and for which in the fall of 1887 he was offered $125 per acre. He also has another quarter-section of land near Cheney, which is, like the other, provided with substantial buildings and machinery, and is nearly as valuable. He and some of the members of his family are also the owners of seven lots within the city limits, which are each year increasing in value. Mr. Foster is one of the fortunate men who came to Sedgwick County at the right time, and possessed the good judgment by which he was enabled to make the most of his opportunities, both in a moneyed sense and otherwise.

            The five children of Mr. and Mrs. Foster were named respectively: Daniel A., Fanny, Olive, Thomas C. and Arthur A. The eldest is twenty-eight years of age and the youngest eighteen. Daniel and Arthur, very bright and intelligent boys, have developed a remarkable talent for music, being expert performers on various instruments. It is predicted of the youngest especially that he will, in time, attain a reputation on the violin equal to that of the renowned Ole Bull. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal Church, and both Mr. Foster and his sons are stanch Republicans, politically, while the wife and daughters are also in lively sympathy with the principles of this party. Mr. Foster has done good work for his party, generously donating his time and money in furthering its success during the time of campaigns.

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