Charles Middleton Foster, Sr.

Owner of C.M.Foster Tannery in Tuscaloosa which was destroyed by Union Forces in April 1865. C.M.Foster came to Tuscaloosa,Al. in 1824. All he had with him was a set of shoemaking tools and five dollars. In 1827 he purchased his home which is now an historic attraction. It had three floors and boasted what was probably the first house in Alabama with a bathtub operated with gravity feed water. Before the War (CW) his estate was worth in excess of $200,000.00. After the war, he rebuilt the Tannery and was the wealthiest man in Tuscaloosa, and greatly admired. SEE: Article in Tuscaloosa Observer April 22, 1871. NOTE; Re 1850 Census Records 30/269/269 Chas. M Foster Age 50 M W Shoe & Boot $12000 NJ F236. In the 1860 Census of slaves , Charles M. Foster is listed as owning 45 slaves.

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,From "Tuscaloosa, Alabama-Chapter 1-Its Early Days: 1816-1865 Written by Matthew William Clinton . Charles M. Foster came from Philadelphia to Tuscaloosa in 1824. He established a shoe factory and sales store on the City National Bank corner and operated a tannery on the bank of the river east of the bridge. It is said that Foster preferred to use as employees in his shoe factory those who were physically handicapped. His business prospered until Croxton's raiders burned his tannery in 1865. The tannery was rebuilt, and Foster continued in business until 1874 when he retired.A few years later he was drowned in the Warrior River at Ward's Ford, a point ten miles above Tuscaloosa. In early life Foster was a member of the Episcopal Church, but later joined the Catholic Church. *http://www.historictuscaloosa.org/index.php?page=tuscaloosa-during-... *http://acumen.lib.ua.edu/#1/u0003_0000078_0000135/image/u0003_00000... *http://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Alabama *http://tavm.omeka.net/items/show/1040 *http://acumen.lib.ua.edu/u0003/0000078/0000134/0002/?page=1&limit=40 *http://acumen.lib.ua.edu/u0003/0000078/0000135/0001/?page=1&limit=40 *http://www.tuscco.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/TuscaloosaEarlyDay... *https://archive.org/stream/fostergenealogy03pier#page/n7/mode/2up Son of Anna Haines and William Foster, Jr. Brother of William Foster, III (1789-1861) Uncle of Mary Ann Foster Fiquet, Wm S Foster and Hettie R Foster.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jan 28 2019, 22:07:51 UTC

Son of Anna Haines and William Foster, Jr. Brother of William Foster, III (1789-1861) Uncle of Mary Ann Foster Fiquet, Wm S Foster and Hettie R Foster.