Family papers collected and collated by River Falls businessman and historian Bruce Earl Foster (1932-2007), great-grandson of early River Falls resident Judge Joel Foster.
Foster was born September 6, 1932 in River Falls, Wisconsin, to Letha (nee Chinnock) and Earl Hunter Foster. The last of three children, Bruce graduated from River Falls High School in 1954 and obtained a bachelors degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 1958.
Foster worked as a professional Scout Leader for the Boy Scouts, sold life insurance for Metropolitan Life, drove a school bus, and operated an animal shelter for Pierce and St. Croix counties, which he later expanded to include grooming services. In his personal life, Foster was an avid fisherman, and involved in numerous social organizations in Pierce County throughout his life. He married Joy Rasmussen in 1961 and they had two children, Judie (1962-) and Andrew "Andy" (1968-).

Two letters, November 21, 1855, and December 30, 18--, written to his brothers by Joel Foster, first settler (1848) in the Kinnickinnic River Valley and the city of River Falls, Wis., primarily concerning travels and family news; plus one clipping quoting Foster.