Orleans

FOSTER, Austin Theophilus

Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, pp 143-144 
(portrait p 144)

Austin Theophilus FOSTER, of Derby Line [Orleans County, Vermont], was born 
20 September 1822 in East Montpelier [Washington County, Vermont], son of 
Stephen and Mary (KING) FOSTER. His education was obtained through the usual 
medium of the common schools and an after course of instruction at the 
academy in Montpelier. In the spring of 1836 he went to Derby Line and 
entered the store of Spaulding & Foster just across the Canadian frontier at 
Rock Island, Province of Quebec, as a clerk. In 1841 he was associated in 
partnership with Levi SPAULDING and his brother, Stephen FOSTER, under the 
firm name of Spaulding, Foster & Company. In 1851 he also opened a general 
store at Derby Line which he continued until 1882. In 1865 he purchased from 
the estate of Charles PIERCE the shoe factory at Rock Island which he still 
owns. Mr. FOSTER has been an active business man for fifty-two years during 
which he has resided continuously at Derby Line; he has generally met with 
success in his operations. He was a director in the People's Bank at Derby 
Line from January 1852 until it was merged in the national bank of that place 
of which he has been a director since its organization, and its president 
since 1871.

Mr. FOSTER represented the town of Derby Line in the General Assembly in 1862 
and 1863, being elected by the Republican vote, and was chosen state senator 
from Orleans County in 1886. He was appointed U. S. Consular Agent in 1869 
at Stanstead, Province of Quebec, and served in that capacity for fifteen 
years. Mr. FOSTER has also been prominent in religious circles, receiving 
the honor of an election to the presidency of the Universalist convention of 
the state of Vermont and Province of Quebec in 1882 and has been called to 
that office every year since by acclamation. In 1848 at Stanstead, Province 
of Quebec, he [Austin Theophilus FOSTER] was united in marriage to Aurelia, 
daughter of Harris and Abigail WAY, of Rock Island [Province of Quebec]; she 
[Aurelia FOSTER] only lived about two years after their marriage. In 1853 he 
[Austin Theophilus FOSTER] married Sarah H., daughter of Capt. John and Lydia 
GILMAN; by her he has four children: (1) Harriet, Mrs. F. M. HAWES, of 
Somerville [Middlesex County], Massachusetts; (2) John G.; (3) Mary J.; and 
(4) Stephen A. [This family was enumerated in the 1880 Census of Derby, 
Orleans County, Vermont: Austin, age fifty-eight, born about 1822 by his 
census age, in Vermont, manufacturer of boots and shoes; his wife Sarah, 
fifty, born in Canada about 1830 to parents born in New Hampshire; daughter 
Mary, twenty, born in Vermont, about 1860; and son Stephen, fourteen, born in 
Vermont about 1866.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly