The Prescott Tribune Prescott, Wisconsin October 12, 1905

Prescott Pioneer Dies

River Falls, Wis., Oct. 4.- A pioneer settler of Pierce county, Wis., passed away on the early morning of October 3, in the person of John Cowles Foster. Mr. Foster attended the country fair at Ellsworth, and while returning home was thrown from his carriage, receiving internal injuries culminating in his death. Mr. Foster was born in Edwardsville, Ill., Sept. 6, 1837. When a lad of twelve years he accompanied his father in an immigrant train, crossing the plains to California. After an absence of about a year he returned to St. Louis by sea, crossing the isthmus at Panama. The Fosters were among the earliest settlers of Pierce county. Isaac I. Foster, father of the deceased, with his family located at Prescott in the summer of 1852. His brother Joel Foster, in 1850, located a claim where now is built the principal part of the village of River Falls. The first winter he constructed a habitation a portion of which was part of a cave in the rocks on the banks of the Kinnickinnic river. John C. Foster was married to Miss Mary E. Whipple, April 5, 1860, and first commenced their wedded life on the old Lewis Farm. For more than forty years they have lived at their present location, the old homestead. For many years Mr. Foster was extensively engaged in buying horses in California and Montana, and shipping them to this state for a market. For the past few years he had retired from active business. Of his own family who survive him are the widow and three children, Isaac C. Foster, Mrs. W.H. Putnam and Bertha Foster. His mother who is ninety years of age, is living, also two sisters, Mrs. D.M. Lusk of River Falls and Mrs. W.J. Whipple of Winona, Minn. The funeral services were held at the old homestead on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. The body was interred in the private cemetery of the Foster family west of the village of River Falls.