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Abiel Foster (August 8, 1735 – February 6, 1806) was an American clergyman and politician from Canterbury, New Hampshire (formerly part of the Province of New Hampshire). He represented New Hampshire in the Continental Congress and the U.S. Congress. Notably, he was the first person in United States history elected to Congress in a special election.
Foster was born in Andover, Massachusetts, in 1735, the son of Captain Asa Foster of Colonel Ebenezer’s Colonial Regiment and Elizabeth Abbot. He attended Harvard College, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1756. After studying theology, he was ordained as a pastor in Canterbury on January 26, 1761, the same year he married Hannah Badger. He served as pastor there until 1779, building strong trust within the community over his 18 years of ministry. During this time, he was appointed to the General Court. In 1779, he retired to private life, but he soon returned to public service. Throughout his life, Abiel Foster held various offices of trust and honor, earning a reputation for integrity and contributing significantly to his community.
He served in Congress under the first President of the United States, George Washington, and the second President, John Adams, collaborating with the Founding Fathers to establish a functioning federal government.
His first wife, Hannah, died in 1768. He later married Mary Wise Rogers, granddaughter of John Rogers (Harvard), and they had eight children.
Career
In 1775, Foster served as a deputy to the Provincial Congress at Exeter. From 1783 to 1785, he was a delegate from New Hampshire to the Continental Congress. Between 1784 and 1788, he served as a judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. On March 3, 1789, he became a member of the First United States Congress under the new Constitution as a Representative from New Hampshire, serving until March 3, 1791 (having been elected in a special election on June 22, 1789, to fill a vacancy). He then returned to the New Hampshire Senate in 1791 and served until 1794. Although he ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House in 1792, he was elected again in 1794 and served from December 7, 1795, to March 3, 1803. On July 14, 1798, Foster voted in favor of the Alien and Sedition Acts.
Death
Foster died in Canterbury on February 6, 1806. He is interred at the Center Cemetery in Canterbury, New Hampshire.
Memorial
On March 22, 1942, the California Shipbuilding Company launched its 16th Liberty-type, 10,500-ton freighter, the S.S. Abiel Foster. (The day before, the S.S. Benjamin Franklin, launched on November 16, 1941, completed its test run.) The S.S. Abiel Foster served as a troop supply ship during World War II and contributed to the Invasion of Normandy.