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Wilder D. Foster
From 1891'sHistory of the City of Grand Rapids
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's5th district
In office March 3, 1873 – September 20, 1873
Preceded by	Omar D. Conger
Succeeded by	William B. Williams
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's4th district
In office December 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873
Preceded by	Thomas W. Ferry
Succeeded by	Julius C. Burrows
Personal details
Born	(1819-01-08)January 8, 1819 Orange County, New York, U.S.
Died	September 20, 1873(1873-09-20) (aged 54) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Political party	Republican

Wilder De Ayr Foster (January 8, 1819 – September 20, 1873) was a politician from theU.S. state ofMichigan.

Foster was born inOrange County, New York where he attended the common schools. He moved to Michigan in 1837, and engaged in the hardware business atGrand Rapids in 1845. He was city treasurer and member of the board of aldermen and then became Mayor of Grand Rapids in 1854. He was a member of theMichigan Senate in 1855 and 1856 and was again mayor of Grand Rapids in 1865 and 1866.

In a special election on April 4, 1871, Foster was elected as aRepublican fromMichigan's 4th congressional district to the42nd United States Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation ofThomas White Ferry. (Foster defeated Ferry's brotherWilliam, who ran as theDemocratic nominee.) In 1872, after newdistrict boundaries were drawn, Foster was reelected to a full term in the43rd Congress fromMichigan's 5th congressional district. In all, Foster served in Congress from December 4, 1871, until his death in Grand Rapids. He is interred there in Fulton Street Cemetery.

• List of members of the United States Congress who died in office (1790–1899)

• United States Congress."Wilder D. Foster (id: F000315)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• The Political Graveyard

• 1819 births
• 1873 deaths
• 19th-century mayors of places in Michigan
• Mayors of Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Republican Party Michigan state senators
• Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan
• 19th-century members of the Michigan Legislature
• 19th-century United States representatives

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