L. P. FOSTER,
post-office Sandy Lake, breeder of Standard breed horses, was born in
Venango County, Penn., May 10, 1849, to John and Mahala (Byers) Foster,
natives, the father of Venango and the mother of Pulaski, now Lawrence
County. The parents lived after marriage in Franklin, where the father
followed rafting lumber and boat building. He died on the ground where
the United States Hotel of Franklin now stands, in 1851. His widow died
in 1853. They had only one child. The parents belonged to the Methodist
Episcopal Church. The father owned, at death, the farm that Foster’s
Station is located on, which was named for him.
At the death
of his father our subject was taken by his grandfather, Byers, who then
lived in Venango County, but who now lives in Fairview Township, Mercer
County. He stayed with his grandparents until 1870, and was educated in
the New Lebanon Academy, Sheakleyville schools and Jamestown Seminary.
He
then, in 1870, came to Sandy Lake and engaged in the livery business
with J. W. Byers, continued for three years, and then sold the business
to the Barnes Brothers. This stable is now [1888] owned by S. P.
Turner. He then entered into the dry goods business with Devore &
Stevenson, and continued nearly three years. He erected a fine bank
building, and July 1, 1876, opened a private bank under the firm name
of Brown & Foster. Mr. J. F. Brown, of this firm, died in November,
1876, and was in the bank but once. Mr. Foster continued to operate the
bank for seven years, and finally concluded to close up the business;
he notified his depositors, paid them their money and withdrew his
stock. He then bought one-third interest in the dry goods store of
Paden, Patton & Co., of Greenville, and lived there for two years,
when he withdrew, came back to Sandy Lake, and engaged in stock
breeding, being in full partnership with B. B. Wright in the same.
He
was married September 8, 1872, to Jessie Brown, and had four children:
Brown, deceased; John, deceased; Katie, deceased, and Jessie. His wife
died March 8, 1881. She was a consistent member of the Presbyterian
Church.
He was again married, to Lizzie Whitling, September 5,
1883, and has two boys: Charles W. and James B. He is a member of the
A.F.M., K.of H., A.O.U.W. and K.& L of H. He and wife are members
of the Presbyterian Church, and be is a Democrat. Mr. Foster is a real
representative of a self-made, thorough-going business man, who has won
the esteem of every one with whom he has had dealings, by his faithful
fulfillment of business agreements. He began in life by working out by
the month, and is the artificer of his present little fortune.
History of Mercer County, 1888, pages 1054-1055
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