Windsor

FOSTER, Wells A.

Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, p 144

Wells A. FOSTER, of Weston, was born 08 April 1837 at Weston [Windsor County, 
Vermont], son of Jeremiah and Mary (TEMPLE) FOSTER. He was the youngest of a 
family of three children, and his father died when he was five years old. 
[Thus Jeremiah FOSTER would have died between 08 April 1842 and 08 April 
1843, when Wells A. was five years of age, but according to LDS records, 
Jeremiah FOSTER, who was born about 1809, died in 1841, when Wells A. would 
have been three or four years of age.] His [Wells A. FOSTER's] education was 
necessarily limited, and was received in the common schools. When he arrived 
at the age of thirteen he had the misfortune to lose his mother [Mary 
(TEMPLE) FOSTER, who was born 07 February 1813, would therefore have died 
about 1850; LDS records give her death as 02 December 1849], and from that 
time never knew the blessing of a home until he had made one for himself. He 
labored upon a farm in the vicinity until he was nineteen, and during the 
next seven years was variously employed in mechanical pursuits, first at Mt. 
Holly [Rutland County, Vermont] and later at Boston [Suffolk County, 
Massachusetts].

In 1863 he [Wells A. FOSTER] was drafted into the army, but purchased his 
release [paid a substitute to go in his place]. Soon after he commenced the 
manufacture of ash handles for agricultural tools in company with W. S. 
FOSTER, and afterward with R. B. JAQUITH. [The families of both Rollin B. 
JAQUITH and William H. JAQUITH are enumerated in the 1880 Census of Weston, 
Windsor County, Vermont.] The firm then began to turn out chair stuff in the 
rough, and soon after began manufacturing finished chair stock. Now their 
increased business requires a force of forty men, and their buildings cover 
an area of four acres. In 1889 the firm suffered the loss of their entire 
plant by fire, but with characteristic energy they immediately rebuilt their 
works, and are doing the usual amount of business, turning out a product of 
$40,000 a year.

On 23 December 1858 in Mt. Holly [Rutland County, Vermont] he [Wells A. 
FOSTER] was married to Lavina L., daughter of Austin L. and Lois (SIMONDS) 
BENSON; of this union were two children: (1) Ella, Mrs. Walter M. WRIGHT, 
of South Gardner [Worcester County], Massachusetts; and (2) Vernie A. Mr. 
FOSTER is a Republican; represented Weston in the General Assembly in 1884 
and 1886, serving on the committee on the grand list. Mr. FOSTER has settled 
many estates and often acted as guardian and has always conscientiously and 
ably discharged the duties of these trusts. He is a director of Chester 
National Bank, and one of the trustees of the Black River Academy, of Ludlow 
[both in Windsor County].

Submitted by Cathy Kubly