Caroline Rose Foster
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Caroline Rose Foster (6 April 1877 – 26 July 1979) was an American farmer and philanthropist who managed
Fosterfields Fosterfields, also known as Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, is a farm and open-air museum at the junction of Mendham and Kahdena Roads in Morris Township, New Jersey. The oldest structure on the farm, the Ogden House, was built in 1774. List ...
, a working farm in
Morristown, New Jersey Morristown () is a Town (New Jersey), town in and the county seat of Morris County, New Jersey, Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.
, United States. Beginning in 1910 and throughout her life, Foster challenged
gender role A gender role, or sex role, is a social norm deemed appropriate or desirable for individuals based on their gender or sex. Gender roles are usually centered on conceptions of masculinity and femininity. The specifics regarding these gendered ...
s of the
Progressive Era The Progressive Era (1890s–1920s) was a period in the United States characterized by multiple social and political reform efforts. Reformers during this era, known as progressivism in the United States, Progressives, sought to address iss ...
by wearing men's clothing including men's hats, pants, shoes, and tuxedos. Foster was a member of over 30 civic and historical organizations including the Washington Association, Washington Valley Community,
Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States * Madison (footballer), Brazilian footballer Places in the United States Populated places * Madi ...
Historical Society, Canal Society of N.J.,
Morris County Golf Club The Morris County Golf Club (MCGC) is a private, members-only golf club located on in the upscale Convent Station section of Morris Township, New Jersey, a suburb northwest of New York City in Morris County. It is one of the 10 founding memb ...
, Morristown Lawn Tennis Club, the
Woman's Club of Morristown 51 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960 https://wcomt.org/ The Woman's Club of Morristown is a non-profit, non-political, and non-sectarian organization whose purpose is to promote improvements within the community; to offer civic, cultural and ed ...
, and the Morris County Historical Society. She was skilled in fishing, writing,
local politics Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of a higher-level political or administrative unit, such a ...
, and carpentry. Upon her death in 1979, she donated much of her estate (historic objects, Revere home, and
farm A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...
) to the Morris County Park Commission to "preserve her beloved home and open it to visitors." She lived 99 of her 102 years on the
Fosterfields Fosterfields, also known as Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, is a farm and open-air museum at the junction of Mendham and Kahdena Roads in Morris Township, New Jersey. The oldest structure on the farm, the Ogden House, was built in 1774. List ...
property. In 2009, Foster was among 100 women honored by the
National Women's History Project The National Women's History Alliance (NWHA) is an American non-profit organization dedicated to honoring and preserving women's history. The NWHA was formerly known as the National Women's History Project. Based out of Santa Rosa, California, sin ...
as "women taking the lead to save our planet".


Early life

Caroline "Cara" Rose Foster was born on April 6, 1877, in New York City to Emma Louise Thompson and Charles Grant Foster. Her mother, Emma Louise Thompson (1842–1880), was born in New York City in 1842. Thompson's father was James Burnet Thompson of Mendham. Her father, Charles Grant Foster (1842–1927), was born in
Manchester, Connecticut Manchester is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut, Capitol Planning Region. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the town had a total population of 59,713 ...
(near
Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
), in 1842. In 1862, during the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, he voluntarily enlisted in the
22nd Connecticut Infantry Regiment The 22nd Connecticut Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War for nine months. Service The 22nd Connecticut Infantry Regiment was organized at Hartford, Connecticut, on September 20, ...
(organized in Hartford) as a private. By 1863, he had been promoted to a sergeant major and then first lieutenant.Collections of the Morris County Park Commission: "\\parkdata\work\Historic Sites\FosterFields\FOSTER Family History Info\CGF Charles Foster\Charles Grant Foster Timeline 2017" In 1863, Foster's father became a member of the New York Product Exchange. The same year, he began as a clerk at Ward & Co., a warehouse, grain, and commodities exchange business in Brooklyn, New York. This would later become Ward & Foster; he worked there as a
commodity broker A commodity broker is a firm or an individual who executes orders to buy or sell commodity contracts on behalf of the clients and charges them a commission. A firm or individual who trades for his own account is called a trader. Commodity contra ...
. Emma Louise Thompson and Charles Grant Foster were wed on November 12, 1869. After they married, they lived with Charles's sister Harriet Foster and her husband John Seely Ward on Pierrepont Street in the
Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn Heights is a residential neighborhood within the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Old Fulton Street near the Brooklyn Bridge on the north, Cadman Plaza West on the east, Atlantic Avenue on the south ...
. Charles and Emma had two sons before Caroline: Ward (1870–1873) and Charles Jr. (1874–1877). They both died in childhood, before Foster was born. By 1878, her mother had developed
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...
. With her infant daughter, Emma Foster travelled to
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
and other Southern states with a nurse to receive medical care. However, Emma Foster died of tuberculosis in February 1880. She was buried in the family plot in Brooklyn's
Green-Wood Cemetery Green-Wood Cemetery is a cemetery in the western portion of Brooklyn, New York City. The cemetery is located between South Slope, Brooklyn, South Slope/Greenwood Heights, Brooklyn, Greenwood Heights, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, Win ...
.


Move to Fosterfields

From 1878 until 1880, the Fosters rented a mansion and farm estate from General Joseph Warren Revere, a Union general of the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
and grandson of
Paul Revere Paul Revere (; December 21, 1734 O.S. (January 1, 1735 N.S.)May 10, 1818) was an American silversmith, military officer and industrialist who played a major role during the opening months of the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts, ...
. This was possibly to stay near Morristown to provide Emma Foster with TB treatment prior to her death in 1880. In 1881, a year after Emma Foster's death, Charles G. Foster bought the Morris County farm from the family of Joseph Warren Revere. Revere had died the previous year of a heart attack. Included in the purchase was The Willows, the
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
mansion A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word ''manse'' originally defined a property l ...
partially designed by Revere, and all of the art and furniture within. Foster renamed it Fosterfields, and from 1881 to 1915 developed it as a farm breeding
Jersey cattle The Jersey is a British breed of small dairy cattle from Jersey, in the British Channel Islands. It is one of three Channel Island cattle breeds, the others being the Alderney – now extinct – and the Guernsey. The milk is high in butterf ...
. In 1882, Charles Foster travelled to the island of
Jersey Jersey ( ; ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is an autonomous and self-governing island territory of the British Islands. Although as a British Crown Dependency it is not a sovereign state, it has its own distinguishing civil and gov ...
to buy
Jersey cattle The Jersey is a British breed of small dairy cattle from Jersey, in the British Channel Islands. It is one of three Channel Island cattle breeds, the others being the Alderney – now extinct – and the Guernsey. The milk is high in butterf ...
for the farm, and continued to do so with his brother in 1883. In 1884, Charles Foster travelled again to Jersey, this time bringing Caroline Foster and her aunt Carrie Thompson along. Referring to a memory from 1883, Foster has stated:After the move, Foster's aunt, Caroline "Carrie" Thompson, joined the household to care for Foster in her youth. From about 1880 to 1890, Foster recalled traveling to
Castle Garden Castle Clinton (also known as Fort Clinton and Castle Garden) is a restored circular sandstone fort within Battery Park at the southern end of Manhattan in New York City, United States. Built from 1808 to 1811, it was the first American immig ...
(New York's immigration center before
Ellis Island Ellis Island is an island in New York Harbor, within the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York (state), New York. Owned by the U.S. government, Ellis Island was once the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United State ...
) to hire young women as soon as they arrived from Ireland. The Fosters had as many as 3 Irish maids work and sleep in an upstairs room of The Willows.


Education

Beginning in 1886, Foster attended
Miss Dana's School for Young Ladies Miss Dana's School for Young Ladies was a private boarding school, boarding and finishing school active from 1877 to 1912, during the Morristown, New Jersey#Gilded Age of Morristown, Gilded Age of Morristown. It was founded in 1860 as the Morris Fe ...
in Morristown. According to historian Becky Hoskins, this was the best education available in Morristown. At Miss Dana's, she studied a classical curriculum, including
Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
, art skills, and astronomy. She engaged in school plays. In 1896, Foster graduated from Miss Dana's. Her social
debut Debut or début (the first public appearance of a person or thing) may refer to: * Debut (society), the formal introduction of young upper-class women to society * Debut novel, an author's first published novel Film and television * ''The Debu ...
was held on April 7, 1896, at 11 pm in McAlpin Hall in Morristown, a venue that often hosted dances and entertainments at the time. 125 to 150 guests were invited. Its refreshments were catered by the upscale Wilbur F. Day's Restaurant, Confectioner and Caterers at 40 Park Place in Morristown. Day's Restaurant was best known for its ice cream, of which Foster was a lifelong fan, as well as elaborate
wedding cake A wedding cake is the traditional cake served at wedding receptions following dinner. In some parts of England, the wedding cake is served at a wedding breakfast; the 'wedding breakfast' does not mean the meal will be held in the morning, but at ...
s.Fosterfields digital files at Historic Sites\FosterFields\Morristown History\Wilbur F Day restaurant The debut's catered menu included chicken and lobster
croquette A croquette (; ) is a deep-fried roll originating in French cuisine, consisting of a thick binder combined with a filling, which is then breaded. It is served as a side dish, a snack, or fast food worldwide. The binder is typically a thick bà ...
s, chicken salad, "boned turkey,"
Neapolitan ice cream Neapolitan ice cream, also sometimes referred to as Harlequin ice cream, is an ice cream composed of three separate flavors (typically vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry) arranged side by side in the same container, usually without any barrier be ...
, "ice cream fruits," Tortoni cake,
Afghan Afghan or Afgan may refer to: Related to Afghanistan *Afghans, historically refers to the Pashtun people. It is both an ethnicity and nationality. Ethnicity wise, it refers to the Pashtuns. In modern terms, it means both the citizens of Afghanist ...
biscuits, bon-bons, frappés, lemonade, and a
punch bowl A punch bowl or punchbowl is a bowl, often large and wide, for serving mixed drinks such as hippocras, punch (drink), punch or mulled wine, with a Ladle (spoon), ladle.''The Language of Drink'' Graham and Sue Edwards 1988, Alan Sutton Publishi ...
. Henry Giesmann's Orchestra performed at the event. In 1979, at age 101, Foster recalled that all her friends from Miss Dana's were there, and the boys were home from college for spring break; she stated, "Everyone danced with me – they had to, it was my party." She also stated that the punch was "weak." The local Morristown paper reported that dining and dancing went on until early in the morning. The following day, her friends all signed and gifted her a "coming out fan," a decorative bamboo and paper
hand fan A handheld fan, or simply hand fan, is a broad, flat surface that is waved back and forth to create an airflow. Generally, purpose-made handheld fans are folding fans, which are shaped like a Circular sector, sector of a circle and made of a thi ...
with a golden Japanese-inspired floral pattern. Her friends wrote their signatures on the fan, congratulating Foster on her official entry into adult society. The fan is currently owned by the Morris County Park Commission and it can be viewed online. Foster's father did not allow her to attend college. In 1975, regarding how her gender affected her opportunities, Foster has stated,Also in 1896, at the age of 19, Foster attended
William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until Assassination of William McKinley, his assassination in 1901. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Repub ...
's presidential inauguration in Washington D.C. and met him in a receiving line. Morris County Park Commission digital file archive at Historic Sites\FosterFields\FOSTER Family History Info\Caroline Foster\CRF Quotes. She later recounted this experience to
Pat Nixon Thelma Catherine "Pat" Nixon (; March 16, 1912 – June 22, 1993) was First Lady of the United States from 1969 to 1974 as the wife of President Richard Nixon. She also served as the Second ladies and gentlemen of the United States, second lady ...
at the Seeing Eye.


Life at Fosterfields

By the year 1900, Caroline Foster had lived on Fosterfields for 19 of her 23 years. That year, Foster joined the Morristown Lawn Tennis Club.E2 Project Management LLC. ''Historic Structures Report: The Willows at Fosterfields: An update to the 1983 Historic Structures Report by Robert P. Guter'', 2015. Accessible via the archives of the Morris County Park Commission. In 1903, Foster joined the
Morris County Golf Club The Morris County Golf Club (MCGC) is a private, members-only golf club located on in the upscale Convent Station section of Morris Township, New Jersey, a suburb northwest of New York City in Morris County. It is one of the 10 founding memb ...
. She was also involved in the Morristown Library's Modern Mondays, a monthly reading club that included anthropologist Ethel Cutler Freeman, author
Dorothy Kunhardt Dorothy Kunhardt (née Meserve; September 29, 1901 – December 23, 1979) was an American children's-book author, best known for the baby book ''Pat the Bunny.'' She was also a historian and writer about the life of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln ...
, and Elinor Parker, manager of Scribner's Book Store. By 1901, Charles Foster had repeatedly referred to "Cara's garden" in his weather journal, suggesting that she had begun skilled gardening by the age of 24 years old. This may have been the same garden beside which Foster later built her Temple of Abiding Peace from 1916 to 1919. In 1907, Foster and her father were included in a directory of prominent
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
families' homes (referred to as "fashionable addresses") in Dau's New York Blue Book. From the 1880s to the 1920s (i.e., the Gilded Age of Morristown), Morristown was a hub for millionaires to erect mansions and socialize, comparable to Rhode Island's
Newport Newport most commonly refers to: *Newport, Wales *Newport, Rhode Island, US Newport or New Port may also refer to: Places Asia *Newport City, Metro Manila, a Philippine district in Pasay * Newport (Vietnam), a United States Army and Army of t ...
or Long Island's North Shore. She socialized with wealthy local families including the Twombleys, the Frelinghuysens, and the Moores, despite the fact that her family was not as wealthy and socially elite; they enjoyed
tea parties A tea party is a social gathering event, typically held in the afternoon, featuring the consumption of tea and light refreshments. Social tea drinking rituals are observed in many cultures worldwide, both historically and in the present day. A ...
,
dog show A dog show is an animal show; it is an event where dogs are exhibited. A conformation show, also referred to as a '' breed show'', is a kind of dog show in which a judge, familiar with a specific dog breed, evaluates individual purebred dogs f ...
s, dinners, and sporting events. Around 1910, Foster first adopted masculine clothing in her daily life. In place of women's dresses customary to the era, photographs display Foster in masculine clothing including men's hats, ties, shirt, jacket, and shoes paired with a skirt. Although it was unusual for the time, her radical clothing furthered her popularity. In the 1977 Morristown ''Daily Record'', Foster explained,


Construction of cottage

Foster was skilled in carpentry and woodworking. In 1911, she constructed chicken coops for the farm. In 1915, after the 1774 Ogden farmhouse burned down at
Fosterfields Fosterfields, also known as Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, is a farm and open-air museum at the junction of Mendham and Kahdena Roads in Morris Township, New Jersey. The oldest structure on the farm, the Ogden House, was built in 1774. List ...
, she assisted Morristown contractor George Mills in rebuilding the farmhouse based on her memories of its layout and interior. The Temple of Abiding Peace is a cottage and garden in
Fosterfields Fosterfields, also known as Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, is a farm and open-air museum at the junction of Mendham and Kahdena Roads in Morris Township, New Jersey. The oldest structure on the farm, the Ogden House, was built in 1774. List ...
. Both of these were designed, constructed, and established by Caroline Foster. In 1915, Foster became a member of the Garden club in Morristown. In 1916, at the age of 39, she began to construct a one-room Cape Cod-style
cottage A cottage, during Feudalism in England, England's feudal period, was the holding by a cottager (known as a cotter or ''bordar'') of a small house with enough garden to feed a family and in return for the cottage, the cottager had to provide ...
outside of the mansion, to have a respite from the main house. Around this time, she had daily supervision of the farm employees, and her father was also losing his hearing, which biographer Becky Hoskins claims "must have been frustrating" for Foster. Foster determined to complete construction on her own. She dug the foundation by hand and built the framework herself. She gathered stones from the woods for the fireplace; sand from the nearby brook (for the foundation; a proportion of 2 cement to 6 sand & gravel); barn boards from
lumber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...
store C. W. Ennis; and flooring from the Thebaud house. Tools used included a hammer, a
ripsaw A ripsaw (or rip saw) is a wood saw that is specially designed for making a rip cut, a cut made parallel to the direction of the wood grain. Design The cutting edge of each tooth has a flat front edge and it is angled backward by about 8°, in ...
, a
crosscut saw A crosscut saw (thwart saw) is any saw designed for cutting wood perpendicular to (across) the wood grain. Crosscut saws may be small or large, with small teeth close together for fine work like woodworking or large for coarse work like log b ...
, a ruler, a shovel, and a
trowel A trowel is a small hand tool used for digging, applying, smoothing, or moving small amounts of viscous or particulate material. Common varieties include the masonry trowel, garden trowel, and float trowel. A power trowel is a much larger ga ...
. The cost of building was $200. Foster included the
door knocker A door knocker is an item of door furniture that allows people outside a house or other dwelling or building to alert those inside to their presence. A door knocker has a part fixed to the door, and a part (usually metal) which is attached to ...
which was found in the ashes of the original 1774 Ogden house. In journals and blueprints, she referred to the cottage as "The Temple of Abiding Peace," likely as a response to the conflict of the
Great War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. Of the cottage's construction, Foster recalled:Foster completed construction in 1919. Sources do not indicate whether she hired carpenters for the effort. The Temple of Abiding Peace was used as her
workshop Beginning with the Industrial Revolution era, a workshop may be a room, rooms or building which provides both the area and tools (or machinery) that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods. Workshops were the only ...
, to entertain
guests A guest is person who is given hospitality. Guest or The Guest may refer to: * Guest (surname), people with the surname ''Guest'' * USS Guest (DD-472), USS ''Guest'' (DD-472), U.S. Navy ''Fletcher''-class destroyer 1942–1946 * Guest appearance, ...
, and to craft birdhouses with friends. Historic landscape consultant Marta McDowell considers the cottage's flower garden historically significant because it "displays features that span the history of the 19th- and 20th-century American gardening: the
Romantic era Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. The purpose of the movement was to advocate for the importance of subjec ...
of the early 1800s, the
Colonial Revival The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture. The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, which reawakened Americans to the arch ...
of 1876 onwards, and the imported English perennial borders of the early 20th century." The garden historically included
lilacs The Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (in Portuguese language, Portuguese), acronym LILACS, and previously called Latin American Index Medicus, is an on-line bibliographic database in medicine and health sciences, main ...
,
peonies The peony or paeony () is any flowering plant in the genus ''Paeonia'', the only genus in the family Paeoniaceae. Peonies are native to Asia, Europe, and Western North America. Scientists differ on the number of species that can be distinguishe ...
, irises,
phlox ''Phlox'' (; "flame"; plural "phlox" or "phloxes", ) is a genus of 68 species of perennial and annual plants in the family Polemoniaceae. They are found mostly in North America (one in Siberia) in diverse habitats from alpine tundra to open ...
, and daisies, as described in Foster's diary entries and illustrated in her close friend Hattie Evans's 1920 watercolor landscape of the cottage. About a decade later, Evans created a second watercolor painting of Foster working in the garden.


World War I

On Caroline Foster's 40th birthday (April 6, 1917), the United States entered the Great War. Foster's 1918 Wanamaker diary indicates her involvement in the
Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...
, the canning committee, and WWI
liberty bond A liberty bond or liberty loan was a war bond that was sold in the United States to support the Allied cause in World War I. Subscribing to the bonds became a symbol of patriotic duty in the United States and introduced the idea of financi ...
s. Circa 1918, Foster details a
WWI World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting took place mainly in Europe and th ...
-related event on April 4: Circa 1918, from March to October, Foster canvassed the Morristown community to fundraise for
Liberty bond A liberty bond or liberty loan was a war bond that was sold in the United States to support the Allied cause in World War I. Subscribing to the bonds became a symbol of patriotic duty in the United States and introduced the idea of financi ...
s to expend the
Allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are calle ...
in the
Great War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. In one entry, Foster says she "paid call upon Mrs. Kountze. Poor pathetic lady, old & alone. Procured $10,000 for Liberty Loan." Mrs. Kountze was the widow of American banker
Luther Kountze Luther Kountze (October 29, 1841 – April 17, 1918) was an American banker, responsible for helping the city of Denver, Colorado in a time of need and leaving a philanthropic legacy in Morristown, New Jersey. He founded a late-19th century n ...
of the Kountze Brothers in New York City. She lived on their farm estate, "Delbarton," which later became the
Delbarton School Delbarton School is a private, all-male Catholic college-preparatory school in Morristown, New Jersey, serving seventh through twelfth grades. It is independently directed by the Benedictine monks of St. Mary's Abbey in Morristown and is locat ...
. On October 8, 1918, regarding her feelings during the war, she wrote:When armistice was announced on November 11, 1918, Foster wrote,Around this time, while Foster was in her 40s, her eyesight began to deteriorate. This would lead to almost total blindness later in her life. In April 1917, Foster's uncle,
Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...
William H. Thompson (1914–16), appointed Foster as the first female deputy sheriff in Morris County. By 1918, her and close friend Hattie Evans drove Evans's
Hupmobile Hupmobile was a line of automobiles built from 1909 through 1939 by the Hupp Motor Car Company of Detroit. The prototype was developed in 1908. History Founding In 1909, Bobby Hupp co-founded Hupp Motor Car Company, with Charles Hastin ...
to patriotic World War I rallies,
Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...
meetings, and fishing expeditions. In 1921, Foster was elected to the Morris County Republican Committee and held the position until 1961. She also served as a challenger at polling booths.


Automobile ownership

By 1920, most of Foster's friends had automobiles while she did not. Foster wanted to own an
automobile A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, peopl ...
, and it can be assumed her family had the wealth to afford it, but her father's opposition to vehicles prevented her from doing so. Instead, Foster travelled to social events, civic events, and fishing-holes by horse and carriage or hitching a ride on a friend's automobile, such as her friend Hattie Evans who owned a Hupmobile circa 1918. For Christmas Day, 1922, when Foster was 45 years old, Foster's friends had pooled their money and
bought ''Bought'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code drama film produced and released by Warner Bros. and directed by Archie Mayo. The movie stars Constance Bennett and features Ben Lyon, Richard Bennett and Dorothy Peterson. It is based on the 1930 novel ' ...
her a
Model T Ford The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by the Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first mass-affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. Th ...
coupe A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and typically with two doors. The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the Fr ...
for $450–$500. One of the friends behind the gift claimed it was "the best and greatest surprise I think Cara ever got in her life. First time anybody had ever put their minds on what she needed."Model T Ford Day at Fosterfields
/ref> The chauffeur of Henry Rawle's family at Knox Hill Road drove the car to Fosterfields to deliver it on Christmas Day. The car was adorned with a red ribbon, red bows, and two white decorative doves. When Charles Foster saw the vehicle driven onto the property, the following exchange occurred: The following day, Foster left at 8 am to drive to
Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
, to visit her aunts Alice and Emma Phelps Foster. She took her lunch and 5 gallons of gas for her Model T
town car A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
. Its electric starter and crank method were dangerous to maneuver; its crank drew gasoline into the engine cylinders to ignite it, and if improperly handled, the crank could knock back and break bones. Because she immediately was able to drive, it can be assumed that her friends Hattie Evans and Mildred Eddy allowed Foster to drive their automobiles. In 1968, Foster recalled;At 8 pm, she arrived at her aunts' house in
Hartford Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
and went right to bed, presumably from exhaustion. Once she returned to New Jersey, her father refused to allow Caroline Foster to park it on the property; Foster had to use her neighbors' garage. Charles Foster later relented and built a one-bay garage for the Model T.


Death of Charles Foster

When Foster's father fell ill and retired from business, Foster's responsibility to manage the farm increased. In 1927, Foster's father Charles Grant Foster died at the age of 85; his obituary was published in the ''Daily Record'' on August 12, 1927. Caroline Foster inherited the 213.4-acre Fosterfields property and she chose to step into her father's role as the superintendent of the farm; friend claims she "became more outspoken, but in most ways, lived as before." Assuming control of the farm, she continued to perform physical labor and instructed employees in carpentry. She kept 6 dogs around The Willows mansion, usually mutts and strays. Foster ensured maintenance of the Reveres' mansion to reflect its 19th-century
appearance Appearance may refer to: * Visual appearance, the way in which objects reflect and transmit light * Human physical appearance, what someone looks like * ''Appearances'' (film), a 1921 film directed by Donald Crisp * Appearance (philosophy), or ...
, including intricate trompe-l'oeil wall murals by Joseph Warren Revere. Like her father, Foster exhibited
frugality Frugality is the quality of being frugal, sparing, thrifty, prudent, or economical in the consumption of resources such as food, time or money, and avoiding waste, lavishness or extravagance. In behavioral science, frugality has been defined as ...
in running the farm, despite her wealth. While investing in diversified
stock market A stock market, equity market, or share market is the aggregation of buyers and sellers of stocks (also called shares), which represent ownership claims on businesses; these may include ''securities'' listed on a public stock exchange a ...
portfolios, she regularly visited Morristown to demand detailed accountings of her holdings from her banker. Other anecdotes include scavenging used lumber from Epstein's Department Store to build a doghouse and insisting that her relatives should pay for the farm's dairy products like any other consumer.


Later life and historical preservation

In 1955, when Foster was 78, she met Washington Valley historian Barbara Hoskins, who invited Foster to collaborate on ''Washington Valley: An Informal History''. Hoskins asked Foster to record her family's life at Fosterfields and investigate Joseph Warren Revere's life at The Willows mansion. Foster accepted and dedicated herself to this task, hiring an assistant to read documents to her (due to Foster's blindness) and reporting information to Hoskins each day. Hoskins later became a close friend of Foster's. Published in 1960, when Foster was 83, their collaborative nonfiction book was written, in part to prevent the historic Washington Valley district from being converted into a reservoir by the Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority. Hoskins has stated, "If aroline Fosterhad lived in another era, she could have been a great lawyer or master mechanic...I never knew anyone like her and I never expect to again." On March 19, 1958, Foster received a letter from Russell Myers, Secretary-Director of the Morris County Park Commission. In the letter, Myers agreed with her desire to preserve the land and suggested it be donated as a park to the Morris County Park System. This letter "initiated a 20-year friendship" between Foster and Myers, who had weekly
tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of '' Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of south-western China and nor ...
while discussing the future of the farm and property. Rather than a park, Foster and Myers decided it would be a
living museum A living museum, also known as a living history museum, is a type of museum which recreates historical settings to simulate a past time period, providing visitors with an experiential interpretation of history. It is a type of museum that recr ...
. Whereas Foster's collaboration with Hoskins focused on documenting past historic sites, many of which have since been demolished, her friendship with Myers concerned the future of the farm, particularly after her death. In 1965, she received a permit to purchase a handgun, although she was blind by this time. Circa 1968, she stated in an interview with Barbara Hoskins, In 1972, she was invited to meet First Lady
Pat Nixon Thelma Catherine "Pat" Nixon (; March 16, 1912 – June 22, 1993) was First Lady of the United States from 1969 to 1974 as the wife of President Richard Nixon. She also served as the Second ladies and gentlemen of the United States, second lady ...
at the Seeing Eye because, at 95, Foster was "the oldest Republican Committee woman in Morris County." In 1972, when she was 95 years old, Foster donated 120 acres of land to the Morris County Park Commission, but she retained the right to hay the field. That year, when a reporter quoted her as having said, "I'm a tough old broad," she responded, "I never use that kind of language! I said 'I'm a tough old bird.'" Despite this, Barbara Hoskins claimed Foster "could swear like a trooper" and had a "tremendous temper." Circa 1975, Morristown artist Louis Absalon created an oil-painted
portrait A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face is always predominant. In arts, a portrait may be represented as half body and even full body. If the subject in full body better r ...
of Caroline Foster at age 98. It shows her in a gray suit with
pocket square A handkerchief (; also called a hankie or, historically, a handkercher or a ) is a form of a kerchief or bandanna, typically a hemmed square of thin fabric which can be carried in the pocket or handbag for personal hygiene purposes such as ...
, blue plaid bow tie, and hair in a
bun A bun is a type of bread that is round and small enough that it can generally be eaten hand-held. Whether a bun is considered sweetened or unsweetened differs between countries: it is considered sweetened in the United Kingdom, a savory bread in ...
before a blue background. The portrait was based on a black-and-white photograph from 1975 that had appeared in a newspaper article announcing Foster's 100th birthday. Foster continued to live in The Willows and supervise the farmhands until the end of her life. While writing her
will Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...
in 1974, Foster arranged to bequeath Fosterfields to the Morris County Park Commission to be preserved as a " living historical farm" – a type of
open-air museum An open-air museum is a museum that exhibits collections of buildings and artifacts outdoors. It is also frequently known as a museum of buildings or a folk museum. Definition Open air is "the unconfined atmosphere ... outside buildings" ...
. She requested that the property "be kept as simple as possible, and that the natural condition of the property be maintained to the extent possible in order that the
wildlife Wildlife refers to domestication, undomesticated animals and uncultivated plant species which can exist in their natural habitat, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wilderness, wild in an area without being species, introdu ...
and
trees and flowers "Trees and Flowers" is a song performed by Scottish band Strawberry Switchblade. It was their debut single in 1983, and a subsequently released demo version has become one of their most popular tracks. Background and composition Despite the ban ...
...may be protected and preserved."
Fosterfields Fosterfields, also known as Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, is a farm and open-air museum at the junction of Mendham and Kahdena Roads in Morris Township, New Jersey. The oldest structure on the farm, the Ogden House, was built in 1774. List ...
became the first living historical
farm A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...
in New Jersey. The farm presently depicts farm life during the Gilded Age of Morristown.


Death and legacy

On July 26, 1979, Foster died at 102 years of age. Foster spent 98 of her 102 years at
Fosterfields Fosterfields, also known as Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, is a farm and open-air museum at the junction of Mendham and Kahdena Roads in Morris Township, New Jersey. The oldest structure on the farm, the Ogden House, was built in 1774. List ...
. Her funeral was held on July 29, 1979, at her home. Upon her death in 1979, she donated "a sizable sum from her estate" to New Jersey's DPH Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. She also donated a "substantial endowment" to the Joint Free Public Library of Morristown and Morris Township. Foster also bequeathed 87
Currier and Ives Currier and Ives was a New York City-based printmaking business operating from 1835 to 1907. Founded by Nathaniel Currier, the company designed and sold inexpensive hand-painted Lithography, lithographic works based on news events, views of popu ...
prints to the
New Jersey Historical Society The New Jersey Historical Society is a historical society and museum located in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, United States. The Historical Society is housed in the former headquarters of the Essex Club. It has two floors of exhibition spac ...
, 37 of which were displayed from March to November 1981 in an exhibit titled "Country and Sporting Life by Currier & Ives." They contained illustrations of ice skating, horse racing,
fisticuffs Bare-knuckle boxing (also known as bare-knuckle or bare-knuckle fighting) is a full-contact combat sport based on punching without any form of padding on the hands. The sport as it is known today originated in 17th-century England and, although s ...
, farm activities, and leisurely country life. These were displayed alongside 10 Currier & Ives prints from the Harry T. Peters Collection, which were on loan from the
Museum of the City of New York The Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) is a history and art museum in Manhattan, New York City, New York. It was founded by Henry Collins Brown, in 1923Beard, Rick. "Museum of the City of New York" in to preserve and present the history ...
, including a rare print from the "Life of a Hunter" series. On April 8, 1980, her friend
Ruth Cheney Streeter Ruth Cheney Streeter (October 2, 1895 – September 30, 1990) was an American military officer who was the first director of the United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve (USMCWR). In 1943, she became the first woman to attain the rank of major ...
stated in an interview, "Cara was a character, she enjoyed being a character and we enjoyed her being a character." In 1986, the Friends of Fosterfields & Cooper Mill was formed to help preserve the farm and honor Foster's memory. Their restoration projects included The Willows, the Temple of Abiding Peace, Foster's original
Model T Ford The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by the Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first mass-affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. Th ...
, and the cottage garden. The Friends of Fosterfields also created a documentary titled "Caroline Foster: A Life and Legacy." In 2010,
Fosterfields Fosterfields, also known as Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, is a farm and open-air museum at the junction of Mendham and Kahdena Roads in Morris Township, New Jersey. The oldest structure on the farm, the Ogden House, was built in 1774. List ...
historian Rebecca Hoskins published a biography of Foster titled ''Caroline Foster and
Fosterfields Fosterfields, also known as Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, is a farm and open-air museum at the junction of Mendham and Kahdena Roads in Morris Township, New Jersey. The oldest structure on the farm, the Ogden House, was built in 1774. List ...
Living Historical Farm:  A Life and a Legacy.'' A
book signing Book signing is the affixing of a signature to the title page or flyleaf of a book by its author. Book signings are events, usually at a bookstore or library, where an author sits and signs books for a period. Book signing Book signing is popu ...
occurred at
Fosterfields Fosterfields, also known as Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, is a farm and open-air museum at the junction of Mendham and Kahdena Roads in Morris Township, New Jersey. The oldest structure on the farm, the Ogden House, was built in 1774. List ...
in April 2011 by author Hoskins. The biography was published by Friends of Fosterfields Living Historical Farm and Cooper Gristmill''.'' In 2016, the "Friends of Fosterfields" volunteer group celebrated their 30th anniversary by re-planting Caroline Foster's cottage garden to resemble its historic arrangement. As of 2022, a scholarship named for her, The Caroline Rose Foster Scholarship for Independence and Self-Determination, offers $1,000 to students based on an essay contest and standardized test scores. It is sponsored by the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, part of the New Jersey Department of Human Services, to which she donated in 1979.


See also

* Mary Crane Hone (1904–1990), a Morristown actress and political activist who donated her nearby historic Acorn Hall estate in 1973 * Nettie Metcalf (1859–1945), contemporary woman farmer in Ohio *
History of New Jersey The history of what is now New Jersey begins at the end of the Younger Dryas, about 15,000 years ago. Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans moved into New town reversal of the Younger Dryas; before then an ice sheet hundreds of fe ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Foster, Caroline Rose 1877 births 1979 deaths Farmers from New Jersey 20th-century American philanthropists American conservationists People from Morristown, New Jersey People from Morris Township, New Jersey 20th-century American women farmers 20th-century American farmers American women centenarians 20th-century American women philanthropists Philanthropists from New Jersey