Herringshaw's Encyclopedia of American Biography

Thousands of short American lives — soldiers, inventors, preachers, governors, novelists — each given a paragraph: born where, did what, and why anyone remembered.

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Foster, John Watson

lawyer, diplomat, was born March 2, 1836, in Petersburg, Ind. He served in the union army throughout the war of the rebellion, rising to the rank of colonel and brevet brigadier-general. In 1869 he was appointed postmaster at Evansville; and in 1873 was appointed United States Minister to Mexico. In 1880 he was transferred to St. Petersburg, as minister to Russia; and 1883 was appointed United States minister to Spain. He served as secretary of state under President Harrison in 1892-96. He now practices law in Washington, D. C.

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