FOSTER, Murphy J., St. Mary Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller
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Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and 
Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 611-612.  Edited by Alcée
Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.

Foster, Murphy James, is one of the most conspicuous men now living in
Louisiana, having been both governor and United States senator.  He was born
at Franklin, La., Jan. 12, 1849, and is a son of Thomas A. and Martha P.
(Murphy) Foster, both of whom were born in the same locality as was the son,
where they passed their lives and there died, the father in the year of 1890
at the age of 69 years, and the mother in the year of 1909 at the age of 73
years.  The father devoted his energies to the vocation of a planter
throughout life.  Toward the close of the Civil war he enlisted in the
Confederate service as a member of the 1st Louisiana volunteer cavalry, and
served in the quartermaster's department until the time of the surrender.  The
paternal grandfather, Levi Foster, was a native of the state of Mississippi,
and came to Louisiana while yet a young man, devoting his abilities to
agricultural pursuits in St. Mary and St. Landry parishes.  His wife was a 
native of Louisiana, and bore the name of Zeide Demaret.  After the close of
the Civil war, Murphy James Foster, the subject of this sketch, attended
preparatory school at White's creek, near Nashville, Tenn., during 2 years,
and when he had been thoroughly prepared, entered Washington and Lee college,
where he remained a student during the term of 1867-68.  Later he was
graduated from Cumberland university, Lebanon, Tenn., with the class of 1870,
and from the law school of Tulane university, New Orleans, with the class of
1871.  Following the completion of his professional education, he returned to
his Louisiana home at Franklin, engaged in practice of law with Hon. Donelson
Caffery and became identified with the political activities of the time. 
He was elected a member of the John McEnery legislature of 1872, but owing to
the fact that the McEnery government was not recognized, Mr. Foster did not
take this seat as a member of that legislature.  Later he was elected a member
of the Louisiana state senate in 1879, and was subsequently re-elected to
succeed himself in that office several times, serving as state senator from
1879 to 1891-12 years.  He was elected and served as president pro tem. of the
senate from 1888 to 1890.  He led the fight in the legislature against the
Louisiana state lottery in 1890.  In that year he was nominated by the
anti-lottery convention as a candidate for governor and was elected.  At the
close of his first term he was reëlected and served in that office from 1892
to 1900.  He was elected as a democrat to the United States senate in 1901 and
reëlected in 1907, serving as senator from March 4, 1901, to March 3, 1913,
and on Aug. 1, 1914, was appointed collector of port of New Orleans.  To Sen.
and Mrs. Foster 9 children have been born, namely:  Rose Ruth,  Elizabeth, 
Mary,  Prescott,  Willia,  Martha,  Murphy,  Louisiana and  Sarah.