Contra Costa-San Mateo-Placer County CA Archives Biographies.....Foster, James 1824 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com November 27, 2005, 12:36 am

Author: W. A. Slocum & Co., Publishers (1882)

JAMES FOSTER.—The subject of this sketch was born in Waterville, Kennebec
county, Maine, October 81, 1824, where he resided and attended the public school
until fifteen years of age;  he then moved with his parents to Clinton,
Penobscot county, in the same State, and worked with his father at the
millwright's trade until the age of twenty-one. He then went to Carmel,
Penobscot county, where he followed his trade for a few years. Mr. Foster was
united in marriage with Miss Nancy A. Prescott, of Dixmont, Maine, March 7,
1852. Having purchased a tract of timber land, he went into the lumber business
in the town of Carmel, at which place he resided with his family until August,
1856, when, leaving his family at home, he started for California. He sailed
from New York via Panama, arriving in San Francisco in September of the above
year. Remaining in that city but a short time, he went to the San Mateo redwood
forests, and there followed his trade until February, 1857. He then was engaged
in building a grist mill on Bear river, near Auburn, Placer county, and, on its
completion, came to Contra Costa county, in the Fall of 1857, sent East for his
family (wife and two children), and located in the then thriving town of Alamo,
where he opened a wheelwright shop, and followed his trade for about twelve
years. He resided in Alamo until March, 1881. He was postmaster during the
greater portion of the time while residing in Alamo; was elected Justice of the
Peace in 1860, which office he held eight years, when he was elected County
Assessor (in 1869) which office he held by successive re-elections for ten
years. Having devoted a portion of his time to the study and practice of law, he
was admitted to the Bar, in the Fifteenth Judicial Court, in 1872. He has at
various times been appointed referee in important partition suits, for the
purpose of sub-dividing Spanish grants, and allotting to the several owners the
portion to which they were entitled. He was appointed sole referee for
sub-dividing the lots in the town of Martinez; a task than which none more
difficult and complicated was ever settled in the State. By adding new streets,
and changing the width and location of many of the old ones, and by re-arranging
and adding to the number of lots and blocks, his allotment to each owner was
made with such satisfaction, that although there were over one hundred
interested parties, his report was accepted without a single dissenting voice.
Mr. Foster is considered one of the best judges of real estate in the county. In
March, 1881, he sold his place at Alamo, and purchased a block of land in Walnut
Creek, upon which he has erected a handsome residence, and improved it in such a
manner as to make one of the most beautiful homes in the county. He is now the
senior member of the firm of Foster & Stow, real estate agents and conveyancers.
His family has consisted of three children—James Everett, who died April 21,
1864, at the age of four years; Florence, who died  November 14, 1872, at the
age of twenty years; and Fred. Lewis, who is at present one of the proprietors,
and junior associate editor of the Contra Costa Gazette.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA,
INCLUDING ITS GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATOGRAPHY AND DESCRIPTION;
TOGETHER WITH A RECORD OF THE MEXICAN GRANTS; THE BEAR FLAG WAR; THE MOUNT
DIABLO COAL FIELDS; THE EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT, COMPILED FROM THE MOST
AUTHENTIC SOURCES; THE NAMES OF ORIGINAL SPANISH AND MEXICAN PIONEERS; FULL
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY; SEPARATE HISTORY OF EACH TOWNSHIP, SHOWING
THE ADVANCE IN POPULATION AND AGRICULTURE;
ALSO,
Incidents of Pioneer Life; and Biographical Sketches
OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
AMD OF ITS TOWNS, VILLAGES, CHURCHES, SECRET SOCIETIES, ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO: W. A. SLOCUM & CO., PUBLISHERS
1882.

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