Abiel Foster

Abiel Foster
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Hampshire's At-large district (Seat 1)
In office March 4, 1789 – March 4, 1791
Preceded by	(none)
Succeeded by	Jeremiah Smith
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Hampshire's At-large district (Seat 4)
In office March 4, 1795 – March 4, 1803
Preceded by	Paine Wingate
Succeeded by	David Hough
Member of the New Hampshire state legislature
In office 1791-1794
Personal details
Born	August 8, 1735 Andover, Province of Massachusetts Bay
Died	February 6, 1806 (aged 70) Canterbury, New Hampshire
Political party	Federalist
Spouse(s)	Hannah Badger Foster Mary Wise Rogers Foster
Residence	Canterbury
Alma mater	Harvard University
Profession	Pastor politician
Religion	Congregationalist

Abiel Foster (August 8, 1735 – February 6, 1806) was an American clergyman and statesman from Canterbury, New Hampshire. He represented New Hampshire in the Continental Congress and the U.S. Congress.

Biography

Foster was born in Andover, Massachusetts in 1735 the son of Asa and Elizabeth Foster. He graduated from Harvard College in 1756 and went on to study theology. His ordination as a pastor in Canterbury was in 1761, and he married Hanna Badger in that year. He served as pastor in Canterbury until 1779. Hanna died in 1768. With his second wife, Mary Wise Rogers, he had eight children, Hannah, William, James, Sarah, Martha, Abiel, Mary, and Elizabeth.^[1]

Career

From 1783 to 1785, Foster was a delegate for New Hampshire to the Continental Congress.^[2] On March 3, 1789, he became a member of the First United States Congress as a Representative from New Hampshire until March 3, 1791. He returned to the state legislature in 1791, serving there until 1794 when he was elected again to the U.S. House of Representatives. He served there from March 3, 1795 to March 3, 1803.^[3]

Death

Foster died in Canterbury on February 6, 1806 (age 70 years, 182 days). He is interred at the Center Cemetery, Canterbury, New Hampshire.^[4]

References

1. "Abiel Foster". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
2. "Abiel Foster". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
3. "Abiel Foster". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
4. "Abiel Foster". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 5 July 2013.

External links

• United States Congress. "Abiel Foster (id: F000297)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Find A Grave