San
Joaquin County
Biographies
FRED N. FOSTER
A pioneer in the field of auto
painting, Fred N. Foster was the first man to commercialize this work
successfully in Stockton, and now this line of activity has so increased that a
dozen or more firms are profitably engaged in it. A native of New York state, where he was born
October 1, 1864, Mr. Foster at the youthful age of fourteen started to learn
the trade of coach painter with the firm of Harvey & Wallace of Buffalo,
New York, one of the largest and best known firms in the east in the days of
coach making. In those times, Mr. Foster
relates, it took from a year to fifteen months to complete the painting of a
coach, and to show the improvements that have been made in this line, he now
turns out a complete and satisfactory job of auto painting in four weeks.
Mr. Foster was with Harvey &
Wallace for five years and at the end of that time he was an expert and
finished workman. He then became
associated with some of the leading firms in Buffalo as superintendent of their
painting departments, among them the Pierce-Arrow Automobile Company, the
Thomas Flyer Automobile Company, and the Babcock Electric Company. He next located in Chicago, where he followed
this line of work until he came to the Pacific Coast. He spent a short time in Seattle before
settling in Portland, Oregon, where he was engaged for three years. In 1907 he gained such a reputation as an
expert that he was called to Stockton to take the superintendency of the
painting department of the Sunset Carriage Factory, a position he held most
efficiently for three years.
Recognizing his ability and the fine
quality of his work, Mr. Foster’s friends induced him to go into business for
himself, and he opened up an auto painting shop at 105 West Channel Street in a
building erected for him by Andrew Simpson.
The day he started business he found three cars ready for him to work
on, and he has had a prosperous and thriving trade ever since, both in painting
and lettering and monogram work, in which he is expert. Mr. Foster has four grades of work, A, B, C
and D, and the first of these receives his absolute guarantee that the job will
be even more satisfactory and durable than when the car came from the factory,
all the original paint being removed.
The water in Stockton being alkali, provision is made for that condition
by using the hardest drying varnish known, this serving to resist alkali, oil
and water. He employs from five to
sixteen men in his business.
While living at Buffalo, New York,
Mr. Foster was united in marriage with Miss Mary Albert of that city, and they
make their home in the beautiful residence erected by Mr. Foster on Yosemite
Terrace. His is a member of the
California Auto Trades Association, the San Joaquin County Auto Trades
Association, being a member of the executive board of the latter for four
years, the Merchants and Manufacturers Association, the Progressive Business
Men’s Club, and in fraternal circles belongs to the Elks, Odd Fellows and
Eagles. Enthusiastic over the business
possibilities of Stockton, where he has made such a success, Mr. Foster is
public spirited in all his views and takes an active interest in civic affairs.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1070. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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