Charles A. Foster Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 670-671

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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CHARLES A. FOSTER, the well known editor and proprietor of the "Conde 
News" of Conde, South Dakota, was born in Lodi, Wisconsin, in 1862, and 
is a son of Horace and Marian Foster, the former a native of Canada, 
the latter of Pennsylvania. The father came to the United States with 
his parents when young, and served all through the Civil war. At 
present he is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Minnehaha county, 
South Dakota. 

At the age of seven years our subject accompanied his parents on their 
removal from Okee, Wisconsin; in 1869 went with them to Waverly, Iowa; 
and four years later to Osage, that state, where he learned the 
printer's trade in the office of the Osage "News," working there for 
eight years. In the spring of 1884 he came to Spink county, Sooth 
Dakota, and first located in Mellette, where he was employed in the 
"Tribune" office. In December, 1885, he established the "Spink County 
News" at that place, and in April, 1887, moved the paper to Conde, 
changing the name to the "Conde News." At that time the village was 
just starting, and his was among the first buildings erected there. 
Then the railroad extended only as far as Verdon, there was no 
postoflice here, and the mail was received at Doland. The "News" is the 
first and only paper published in the village, and is a bright and 
interesting little journal, filled with articles of local interest and 
general importance. In 1884 Mr. Foster took up a tract of government 
land north of Conde, and is now successfully engaged in farming in 
connection with his editorial work. 

Originally he was a Republican in politics, but since 1895 has 
supported the Populist party, by his ballot and through his paper, and 
in 1898 was its candidate for representative to the state legislature. 
He has filled the offices of marshal and justice of the peace, and 
socially is identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the 
Modern Woodmen of America, and the Degree of Honor. He was married, in 
1885, to Miss Kate Hall, a native of Minnesota, and they now have one 
son and one daughter.