Lafayette Lumpkin Foster

On the Sunday afternoon of January 29, 1967, a crowd gathered on the front steps of the Limestone County Courthouse to dedicate a Texas Historical Marker to one of the county’s most interesting figures, Lafayette Lumpkin Foster.  In addition to being an active member of the community of Groesbeck, he published one of the earliest newspapers in the county, served Limestone County and its district as state representative where he was elected Speaker of the House at the age of 34, served as Commissioner of Insurance, Statistics, and History, was appointed to the first Railroad Commission of Texas, and served as president of one of Texas’ prominent colleges.

Lafayette Lumpkin Foster was born in Forsythe County, Georgia on November 27, 1851.  His childhood was spent mostly on a farm, and his educational opportunities were limited to private schools, which he attended between crop seasons.  His mother died in 1861, and his father enlisted in the Confederate Army serving as captain of Company E, 22nd Georgia Regiment until the end of the Civil War.  During this time, Lafayette, his brother, and his sister lived with their grandmother who was described as “a woman of marked intellectuality and strong Christian character.”  She may have had a strong influence upon him as evident by his life.  As a result of most of his father’s property and the property of others in the area being destroyed during General Sherman’s march to the sea, the Foster family found themselves in a situation that greatly limited the prospects of an ambitious young man.

At the age of eighteen, Foster left home in search of a better life.  He came to Texas arriving at Horn Hill, Limestone County on December 12, 1869.  He was penniless and was indebted to an uncle for the money that paid his expenses to Texas.  With determination for a better life, he sought honest employment and for the next four years cultivated the soil, picked cotton, and worked as a brick mason.  Through the forceful preaching of Ezekiel J. Billington, young Foster joined the Baptist Church and decided to enter the ministry.  By working hard, he eventually managed to save enough money to attend Waco University, where “he stood well with his teachers and classmates and acquired a fair English education.”  Waco University began as a preparatory school for young Baptist men in 1857.  It merged with Baylor University in 1886 after that institution moved to Waco from Independence, Texas.  For many years after the consolidation, Baylor retained many of Waco University’s policies, course offerings, and faculty.

In November 1873, Foster moved to Groesbeck, which had been established by the Houston and Texas Central Railroad in 1871.  Here he met and married Laura Pender on January 2, 1875.  They had seven children: Joseph Lumpkin, Walter Drew, Edna, Henry Iveson, Jacob Lawson, Maxey, and May Alma.  

Foster became an active member of the community.  He was among the first to make application for membership into the Groesbeck Masonic Lodge, where he served four terms as Worshipful Master. He was also an early member of the Groesbeck Baptist Church and “a guiding spirit behind the erection of the first Baptist Church building.”  As a minister, he became prominent in Baptist circles and was president of the General Association when that body consolidated with the State Convention to form the Baptist General Convention of Texas.  He also served 6 years as a Baylor University trustee.

In 1876, Foster went into the newspaper business by publishing the Limestone New Era, the first permanent newspaper in Groesbeck.  The Groesbeck Enterprise, the Groesbeck Herald, the Groesbeck Argus, and the Groesbeck Clarion were earlier newspapers in the town but were published for only short periods of time.  As editor of the New Era, Foster became inspired by the principles of the Democratic Party.  His editorials became “a power for good in the hands of this man whose partisanship sprang from patriotism.”  The Limestone New Era was eventually absorbed by the Groesbeck Journal, which was established by W. C. Morris in 1892.

Foster became very well known throughout the area for his journalism, which led him to enter politics.  In 1880, Foster was elected to represent Limestone County in the 17th Legislature.  In 1882, he was elected to the 18th Legislature from the 62nd District composed of Limestone, Falls, and McLennan Counties.  It was while he was serving as representative that he gained a wide reputation as a debater and parliamentarian.  In 1885, he was elected Speaker of the House of the 19th Legislature.  At the age of 34, he was the youngest person to serve in that position up until that time.  While serving in the House of Representatives, Foster gained an outstanding reputation as “a forcible speaker and possessed eloquence that was persuasive and convincing.”  

Governor Lawrence Sullivan (Sul) Ross appointed Foster to the new state post of Commissioner of Insurance, Statistics, and History, the forerunner of today’s Texas Agriculture Commission.  While serving in this position, Foster worked with Attorney General James S. Hogg to force illegally operated insurance companies out of Texas.  In 1891, James Hogg became governor, and on May 4, 1891, he appointed Foster to the first Railroad Commission of Texas, which had been created by the 22nd Legislature to regulate the operation of the railroads in the state.  He resigned from the Railroad Commission in 1895 and became vice president and general manager of the Velasco Terminal Railway. 

Foster’s good friend, former Governor Sul Ross, died unexpectedly on January 3, 1898 while serving as president of Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Texas A&M University). Foster was appointed by Governor Joseph D. Sayers to replace Ross as president, a position Foster held until his death.  He had previously served on the A&M Board of trustees for about five years and was familiar with the operations of the college.

Foster made significant contributions to A&M’s progress.  He expanded the physical plant and the courses of instruction, and established the school’s system of statewide agricultural experiment stations and the first summer school. He also took an unprecedented action, which would have an enormous impact on A&M decades later.  He quietly allowed in the first female students, a professor’s twin daughters by the names of Mary and Sophie Hutson.  Half a century later, the fact that the Hutson girls had been students, strengthened the case of those in favor of making Texas A&M coeducational. 

Just a month past his 50th birthday, tragedy struck Foster. While on a trip to Dallas, he caught pneumonia.  After being ill for several days, he died at 4:30 a.m. on December 2, 1901 with his oldest son by his side. His body was transported to College Station by train where the funeral took place on December 3.  He lay in state in the Assembly Hall from 2:00 to 3:00 with the funeral following at 3:30, which was attended by noted people from every part of the state including Governor Sayers and several state officials.

Foster became the only A&M president to be buried on the campus in the newly selected college cemetery, which was located about one-fourth of a mile east of the main building.  His was the first burial there.  In 1939, the remains of Foster and the others buried in the small cemetery were transferred to another location on the western edge of the campus to make room for the construction of Duncan Dining Hall.  

The life of Lafayette Lumpkin Foster is a great example of how hard work and determination can lead to great accomplishments and success. Even though he began his adult life with nothing, his role in the early development of Groesbeck and Limestone County, his contributions in state government, and the role he played in the development of Texas A&M are a testament to that hard work and determination.  Upon receiving the news of his death, one of his friends, Rev. George W. Owens, stated, “All of the success in life that L. L. Foster attained was due entirely to himself.  He was literally a self-made man.  He came to Texas with nothing.  He worked hard, saved enough to complete his education, and then began to climb toward success.  His life was well rounded and was an example of what energy, integrity and ability will do.”