George Foster was born in Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan on May 13, 1866, son of Edward Augustus and Laura H. Foster, lumber pioneers from Maine. The family moved to Ludington, MI in 1869 and George received his early education there. During school vacations he and his brother worked in their father's saw mill.
In 1885, at age 19, George moved to Wausau to work for the McDonald Lumber Company as his father had purchased an interest in that firm. One year later he joined his first business venture with lumber pioneer Jacob Mortenson, taking charge of the retail yard at New Hampton, Iowa, where he stayed for two years. He then returned to Wisconsin and joined the Merrill Lumber Company at Merrill, working in various capacities for the next six years. During this employment he met Sigmund Heineman, local banker and lumberman, who encouraged George to establish his own firm, the George E. Foster Lumber Company, which in time became a large operator.
Mr. Foster disposed of his Merrill and Wausau holdings to Mr. Heineman in 1901 and moved to Mellen, Wisconsin and in partnership with Charles F. & H.I. Lattimer, purchased a tract of 5,000 acres of timber, and in 1902 established the Foster-Lattimer Lumber Company. Mr. Foster was the controlling influence and director of the business affairs of the company and in 1903 purchased 40,000 acres of hemlock and hardwood timber from the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company. In 1909 Mr. Foster organized the Mellen Lumber Company and soon afterwards the Langlade Lumber Company. Mr. Foster was widely known as the best lumber prospector in the area and always dealt in only the finest woods.
In addition to his interests in the Foster-Lattimer Lumber Company, Mr. Foster was a shareholder in the Merrill Lumber Company, a director of the Wisconsin-Arkansas Lumber Company in Malvern, Arkansas, a director of the Everett Investment Company in Wausau, president of the Mellen State Bank, an officer and director of the Lake Superior Lumber Company at Ontonagon, Michigan, shareholder of the B.C. Spruce Mills of British Columbia, and a director of the Baker Fentress Investment Company in Chicago.
George Foster was married in 1900 to Miss Mary Florence Lockhart from Oshkosh, WI. They raised one son.
George Foster died on July 23, 1938. He is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau, WI.
In 1885, at age 19, George moved to Wausau to work for the McDonald Lumber Company as his father had purchased an interest in that firm. One year later he joined his first business venture with lumber pioneer Jacob Mortenson, taking charge of the retail yard at New Hampton, Iowa, where he stayed for two years. He then returned to Wisconsin and joined the Merrill Lumber Company at Merrill, working in various capacities for the next six years. During this employment he met Sigmund Heineman, local banker and lumberman, who encouraged George to establish his own firm, the George E. Foster Lumber Company, which in time became a large operator.
Mr. Foster disposed of his Merrill and Wausau holdings to Mr. Heineman in 1901 and moved to Mellen, Wisconsin and in partnership with Charles F. & H.I. Lattimer, purchased a tract of 5,000 acres of timber, and in 1902 established the Foster-Lattimer Lumber Company. Mr. Foster was the controlling influence and director of the business affairs of the company and in 1903 purchased 40,000 acres of hemlock and hardwood timber from the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company. In 1909 Mr. Foster organized the Mellen Lumber Company and soon afterwards the Langlade Lumber Company. Mr. Foster was widely known as the best lumber prospector in the area and always dealt in only the finest woods.
In addition to his interests in the Foster-Lattimer Lumber Company, Mr. Foster was a shareholder in the Merrill Lumber Company, a director of the Wisconsin-Arkansas Lumber Company in Malvern, Arkansas, a director of the Everett Investment Company in Wausau, president of the Mellen State Bank, an officer and director of the Lake Superior Lumber Company at Ontonagon, Michigan, shareholder of the B.C. Spruce Mills of British Columbia, and a director of the Baker Fentress Investment Company in Chicago.
George Foster was married in 1900 to Miss Mary Florence Lockhart from Oshkosh, WI. They raised one son.
George Foster died on July 23, 1938. He is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau, WI.
George Foster was born in Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan on May 13, 1866, son of Edward Augustus and Laura H. Foster, lumber pioneers from Maine. The family moved to Ludington, MI in 1869 and George received his early education there. During school vacations he and his brother worked in their father's saw mill.
In 1885, at age 19, George moved to Wausau to work for the McDonald Lumber Company as his father had purchased an interest in that firm. One year later he joined his first business venture with lumber pioneer Jacob Mortenson, taking charge of the retail yard at New Hampton, Iowa, where he stayed for two years. He then returned to Wisconsin and joined the Merrill Lumber Company at Merrill, working in various capacities for the next six years. During this employment he met Sigmund Heineman, local banker and lumberman, who encouraged George to establish his own firm, the George E. Foster Lumber Company, which in time became a large operator.
Mr. Foster disposed of his Merrill and Wausau holdings to Mr. Heineman in 1901 and moved to Mellen, Wisconsin and in partnership with Charles F. & H.I. Lattimer, purchased a tract of 5,000 acres of timber, and in 1902 established the Foster-Lattimer Lumber Company. Mr. Foster was the controlling influence and director of the business affairs of the company and in 1903 purchased 40,000 acres of hemlock and hardwood timber from the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company. In 1909 Mr. Foster organized the Mellen Lumber Company and soon afterwards the Langlade Lumber Company. Mr. Foster was widely known as the best lumber prospector in the area and always dealt in only the finest woods.
In addition to his interests in the Foster-Lattimer Lumber Company, Mr. Foster was a shareholder in the Merrill Lumber Company, a director of the Wisconsin-Arkansas Lumber Company in Malvern, Arkansas, a director of the Everett Investment Company in Wausau, president of the Mellen State Bank, an officer and director of the Lake Superior Lumber Company at Ontonagon, Michigan, shareholder of the B.C. Spruce Mills of British Columbia, and a director of the Baker Fentress Investment Company in Chicago.
George Foster was married in 1900 to Miss Mary Florence Lockhart from Oshkosh, WI. They raised one son.
George Foster died on July 23, 1938. He is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau, WI.
In 1885, at age 19, George moved to Wausau to work for the McDonald Lumber Company as his father had purchased an interest in that firm. One year later he joined his first business venture with lumber pioneer Jacob Mortenson, taking charge of the retail yard at New Hampton, Iowa, where he stayed for two years. He then returned to Wisconsin and joined the Merrill Lumber Company at Merrill, working in various capacities for the next six years. During this employment he met Sigmund Heineman, local banker and lumberman, who encouraged George to establish his own firm, the George E. Foster Lumber Company, which in time became a large operator.
Mr. Foster disposed of his Merrill and Wausau holdings to Mr. Heineman in 1901 and moved to Mellen, Wisconsin and in partnership with Charles F. & H.I. Lattimer, purchased a tract of 5,000 acres of timber, and in 1902 established the Foster-Lattimer Lumber Company. Mr. Foster was the controlling influence and director of the business affairs of the company and in 1903 purchased 40,000 acres of hemlock and hardwood timber from the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company. In 1909 Mr. Foster organized the Mellen Lumber Company and soon afterwards the Langlade Lumber Company. Mr. Foster was widely known as the best lumber prospector in the area and always dealt in only the finest woods.
In addition to his interests in the Foster-Lattimer Lumber Company, Mr. Foster was a shareholder in the Merrill Lumber Company, a director of the Wisconsin-Arkansas Lumber Company in Malvern, Arkansas, a director of the Everett Investment Company in Wausau, president of the Mellen State Bank, an officer and director of the Lake Superior Lumber Company at Ontonagon, Michigan, shareholder of the B.C. Spruce Mills of British Columbia, and a director of the Baker Fentress Investment Company in Chicago.
George Foster was married in 1900 to Miss Mary Florence Lockhart from Oshkosh, WI. They raised one son.
George Foster died on July 23, 1938. He is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau, WI.
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