Wilder De Ayr Foster (January 8, 1819 – September 20, 1873) was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.

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Quick Facts Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 5th district, Preceded by ...

Wilder D. Foster
From 1891's History of the City of Grand Rapids
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 5th district
In office March 3, 1873 – September 20, 1873
Preceded by	Omar D. Conger
Succeeded by	William B. Williams
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 4th district
In office December 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873
Preceded by	Thomas W. Ferry
Succeeded by	Julius C. Burrows
Personal details
Born	(1819-01-08)January 8, 1819 Orange County, New York, U.S.
Died	September 20, 1873(1873-09-20) (aged 54) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Political party	Republican

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Foster was born in Orange County, New York where he attended the common schools. He moved to Michigan in 1837, and engaged in the hardware business at Grand Rapids in 1845. He was city treasurer and member of the board of aldermen and then became Mayor of Grand Rapids in 1854. He was a member of the Michigan Senate in 1855 and 1856 and was again mayor of Grand Rapids in 1865 and 1866.

In a special election on April 4, 1871, Foster was elected as a Republican from Michigan's 4th congressional district to the 42nd United States Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas White Ferry. (Foster defeated Ferry's brother William, who ran as the Democratic nominee.) In 1872, after new district boundaries were drawn, Foster was reelected to a full term in the 43rd Congress from Michigan's 5th congressional district. In all, Foster served in Congress from December 4, 1871, until his death in Grand Rapids. He is interred there in Fulton Street Cemetery.

• List of United States Congress members who died in office (1790–1899)

• United States Congress. "Wilder D. Foster (id: F000315)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• The Political Graveyard