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Wilder D. Foster
From 1891's History of the City of Grand Rapids
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Michigan's 5th district
In office
March 3, 1873 – September 20, 1873
Preceded byOmar D. Conger
Succeeded byWilliam B. Williams
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Michigan's 4th district
In office
December 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873
Preceded byThomas W. Ferry
Succeeded byJulius C. Burrows
Personal details
Born(1819-01-08)January 8, 1819
Orange County, New York, U.S.
DiedSeptember 20, 1873(1873-09-20) (aged 54)
Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Political partyRepublican

Wilder De Ayr Foster (January 8, 1819 – September 20, 1873) was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.

Biography

Foster was born in Orange County, New York where he attended the common schools. He moved to Michigan in 1837, and engaged in the hardware business at Grand Rapids in 1845. He was city treasurer and member of the board of aldermen and then became Mayor of Grand Rapids in 1854. He was a member of the Michigan Senate in 1855 and 1856 and was again mayor of Grand Rapids in 1865 and 1866.

In a special election on April 4, 1871, Foster was elected as a Republican from Michigan's 4th congressional district to the 42nd United States Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas White Ferry. (Foster defeated Ferry's brother William, who ran as the Democratic nominee.) In 1872, after new district boundaries were drawn, Foster was reelected to a full term in the 43rd Congress from Michigan's 5th congressional district. In all, Foster served in Congress from December 4, 1871, until his death in Grand Rapids. He is interred there in Fulton Street Cemetery.

See also

References

Political offices Preceded byThomas B. Church Mayor of Grand Rapids, Michigan 1854 Succeeded byCharles Shepard Preceded byCharles C. Comstock Mayor of Grand Rapids, Michigan 1865-1866 Succeeded byJohn W. Champlin U.S. House of Representatives Preceded byThomas W. Ferry United States Representative for the 4th Congressional District of Michigan December 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873 Succeeded byJulius C. Burrows Preceded byOmar D. Conger United States Representative for the 5th Congressional District of Michigan March 4, 1873 – September 20, 1873 Succeeded byWilliam B. Williams
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