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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890

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The Biography of Foster G. SMITH 

Pages 218-219, transcribed in full by Danni Hopkins 

[Surnames: BEER, BROADFIELD, FOSTER, GENTLE, McCOMBS, SMITH, WYCKOFF] 

    
FOSTER G. SMITH operates three hundred and twenty acres, of which he owns eighty acres, situated in Fairview Township. His entire time and attention is devoted to farming and stock-raising; he breeds thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle and Shropshire sheep, and has a herd of thoroughbreds and forty graded Short horns. He is justly proud of his fine horses, and has met with success in this line also. Both in business and social circles he is extensively known, and though not a member of any church is active in advancing the interests of all religious matters. He is Chairman of the Executive committee of the Methodist Cemetery Association, known as the Foster Cemetery. 
    
Socially, Mr. Smith is a prominent member of the independent Order of Odd Fellows, having attained the highest degree in that order. He is a member of Patriarchs Militant, and represented Fairview Lodge, No. 120, at the State Grand Lodge of Springfield and Cairo, and also visited the Sovereign Grand Lodge at Columbus, Ohio, in 1889. He first belonged to Morning Star Lodge, No. 20, I. O. O. F., at Placerville, Cal. His interest in his lodge has been at all times great and he is well and favorably known to fraternity circles. He belongs to the Fulton Encampment, No. 51, at Farmington, and the Canton Oriental of the Patriarchs Militant, No. 33. 
    
With the pioneer history of Fulton County the father of our subject was very closely identified. He was born in Madison County, Ohio, his family having emigrated there from Virginia. He bore the name of Jonathan Smith, and the date of his birth was September 11, 1808. He was united in marriage in the Buckeye State with Ann Foster, who was also born there, and they came to Illinois in 1837, buying two eighty-acre tracts of land at the Government land sales in Quincy. The father had visited this county in 1833, and was favorably impressed with the outlook here. Two years later he came and raised a crop, and in 1837 located on section 35, where he lived until called home. 
    
The father became the owner of five hundred and forty acres in Fairview Township and four hundred and eighty acres in Iowa. He began life without means, having been left an orphan at the early age of ten years. So well did he succeed in his efforts that, as stated above, before his death he became the owner of one thousand and twenty acres of land in Illinois and Iowa. When quite young he was compelled to hire out, receiving for his services from $7 to $10 per month, and thus was his beginning made. He died February 25, 1886, after attaining to the age of seventy-seven years, five months and fourteen days. The mother's death occurred February 17, 1888, at the age of seventy-one years, five months and eighteen days. 
    
To Jonathan and Ann (Foster) Smith were born nine children, as follows: Sarah Jane, Foster G., Mary E., Ellen A., John H., America A., Alice M., Martha F. and one who died in infancy unnamed. Sarah is the wife of A. J. McCombs, and lives in Fairview Township; Mary E. is the wife of John Broadfield, a fruit grower of California; Ellen A. married Dr. S. B. Beer, of Fairview; John H. married Mary A. Wyckoff, and is a farmer in Marshall County, Iowa; America A. is the wife of W. T. Gentle, a farmer of Fairview Township; Alice M. and Martha F. are living with their brother on the old homestead. 
    
He of whom we write was born April 24, 1840, on the Smith homestead, and passed his life in the usual manner of farmers' lads in frontier countries. When he had reached maturity he made an extended trip to California, in 1861, and engaged in the lumber business and mining operations. He passed nine years there, and finally reluctantly returned East and has since engaged as a farmer and stockraiser. He is highly esteemed in this community as a man of probity and honor, and his life of industry and enterprise has brought him success from a financial point of view and a high position in the county which is his native home.