THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 175 



morning, November 30, 1888. He was the son of John and 

 Mary (Burchmore) Foster, born in Salem, December 23, 

 1797, and was educated in the district school of his native 

 town. During the war of 1812-15, he was assistant to the 

 United States marshal for the district of Massachusetts. 

 After the war he went to Gloucester to assist his brother ; 

 after his brother's retirement from business he returned to 

 Salem and was a clerk in the Boston and Salem stage com- 

 pany. When the Asiatic Bank of Salem commenced busi- 

 ness he accepted the position of bookkeeper, in the autumn 

 of 1824 ; four years later, on the retirement of Mr. J. S. 

 Cabot the cashier, he was appointed to that office which 

 he held till March, 1884, when he resigned having held the 

 office of cashier fifty-six years. He was then appointed 

 cashier emeritus and made one of the directors. These 

 positions he held to the close of life. He was a very able 

 financier, wise and conservative in his investments and 

 conducted the affairs of the bank with integrity, and upon 

 attaining the fiftieth anniversary of his election as cashier, 

 he was honored by the directors of the bank with a hand- 

 some testimonial of his honesty and ability. Mr. Foster 

 was the friend of all young men and assisted many to good 

 positions, who have been successful business men and have 

 taken a high rank in the monetary world. He was a man 

 of very progressive ideas. It was his pride that he was one 

 of the original founders of the Salem Gas Light company, 

 and his house was the first private dwelling in Salem lighted 

 throughout by gas. He was also one of the prime movers 

 of the Eastern Railroad corporation, was the first clerk and 

 held the office many years. 



He was identified with the Harmony Grove Cemetery 

 corporation from its inception in February, 1837 ; having 

 been its treasurer and its clerk ; looked after its finances ; 

 directed about the care of the grounds ; the sale of lots ; the 



