Nathaniel Caldwell Foster Papers, 1830-1936
Content Description
Fragmentary records of Foster, a native of New York state who came to Wisconsin in 1854 and became a prominent lumberman and logging railroad operator headquartered at Fairchild after 1876. The collection contains political correspondence with representative James A. Frear; miscellaneous business papers including land titles, maps, mortgages, and financial records pertaining to his land and timber investments in Eau Claire and Clark counties; a few records relating to the Fairchild and Northwestern Railroad constructed by Foster in 1913; and a journal, 1908-1936, of the N.C. Foster Lumber Company. One folder contains land deeds and other business papers, 1830-1870, concerning Daniel Bread and the first Christian Party of the Oneida Nation of Indians.
Dates
- Creation: 1830-1936
Creator
Access Restrictions
Collection is open to the public.
Use Restrictions
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. For more information regarding the copyright status of this collection please contact the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Biographical/Historical Note
Nathaniel C. Foster, lumberman, railroad builder, and businessman, was born at Owego, New York, on January 6, 1834. He moved to Wisconsin in 1854, where he operated a sawmill, first at Fort Howard, and after 1876 at Fairchild. Mr. Foster acquired large tracts of timberland in Eau Claire and Clark counties, and in 1891 organized the N.C. Foster Lumber Company at Fairchild. To facilitate his lumbering operations, Mr. Foster built a logging railroad from Fairchild to Mondovi in 1882. In 1913, he constructed the Fairchild and Northwestern Railroad.
Extent
1.95 Linear Feet (1/2 archives box, oversize box (contains 2 volumes))
Language of Materials
English
Summary
Fragmentary records of Foster, a native of New York state who came to Wisconsin in 1854 and became a prominent lumberman and logging railroad operator headquartered at Fairchild after 1876. The collection contains political correspondence with representative James A. Frear; miscellaneous business papers including land titles, maps, mortgages, and financial records pertaining to his land and timber investments in Eau Claire and Clark counties; a few records relating to the Fairchild and Northwestern Railroad constructed by Foster in 1913; and a journal, 1908-1936, of the N.C. Foster Lumber Company. One folder contains land deeds and other business papers, 1830-1870, concerning Daniel Bread and the first Christian Party of the Oneida Nation of Indians.
Wisconsin Historical Society Descriptive Finding Aid
A duplicate copy of the information in this finding aid is also available through the Wisconsin Historical Society: Register of the Nathaniel Caldwell Foster Papers, 1830-1936
Acquisition Information
Presented by Mrs. H. H. Thomas, Minneapolis, Minnesota, October, 1953.
Processing Note
Processed by Jack T. Ericson, January 20, 1967.
Subject
- Bread, Daniel, Oneida chief, 1800-1873 (Person)
- Foster, Nathaniel Caldwell, 1834-1923 (Person)
- Frear, James A. (James Archibald), 1861-1939 (Person)
- Fairchild and Northwestern Railroad Company (Organization)
- First Christian Party of the Oneida Nation of Indians (Organization)
- N.C. Foster Lumber Company (Organization)
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Julie Hatfield
- Date
- March 5, 2024
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Eau Claire Area Research Center, McIntyre Library, UW-Eau Claire Repository
103 Garfield Avenue
Eau Claire Wisconsin 54701 United States
715-836-2739
library.archives@uwec.edu