Mark Sylvester Foote

As printed in 1915

MARK SYLVESTER FOOTE.

Mark S. Foote, who for many years resided in Burlington, Iowa, was one of the strongest factors in promoting industrial growth within the state. He was interested in a number of important enterprises and particularly the district of which Burlington is the center profited by his activities. Mr. Foote was born in Middlebury, Vermont, August 21, 1823, and was a son of Justus and Harriet S. (Graham) Foote, whose history is extensively set forth in connection with the sketch of the Hon. John Graham Foote, appearing in this work. The family is of most distinguished ancestry, the first American progenitor having come to this country in the early days of the Massachusetts Bay colony. A complete record of the forbears of our subject is given in connection with the sketch of his brother.

Mark S. Foote received his education in Potsdam, New York, and in 1840, at the age of seventeen, went to St. Louis, Missouri, and from there to Mobile, Alabama, where he remained during the following winter. He then returned to St. Louis, remaining in that city until February, 1845, when he came to Burlington, Iowa. In 1846 he became a partner of Charles Hendrie and they engaged in the foundry and machine business. The concern enjoyed prosperity from the start and in 1848 Mr. Foote extended his interests by building in partnership with E. D. Rand, Charles Hendrie and Moses Foote the first planing mill in Iowa. He disposed of his foundry interests in 1852 and then bought out his partners, Messrs. Rand and Hendrie, in the planing mill, entering at the same time the lumber business, along which line he dealt entirely in Chicago lumber. In 1857 he disposed of his interests and with his brother-in-law, John H. Gear, entered the wholesale grocery business, successfully continuing therein until 1870, when he sold his share in the concern to Mr. Gear. He then bought, in company with others, the old Hendrie foundry, of which he was one of the original owners, and operated the same for a number of years, at the end of which time he engaged in the wholesale paper business, in which he continued until 1876. In 1877 he became one of the organizers of the Burlington Water Company and was employed by the Holly Company to superintend their interests during the construction of the plant, which was built and turned over to the Water Company in June, 1878. In 1880 Mr. Foote founded the Steam Supply Company of Burlington, which he constructed according to his own plans and which he managed until 1883. This firm had for its purpose the furnishing of heat to business houses and residences from a central source. In the same year Mr. Foote assisted in building the Hoxtun Steam Heater plant at Kewanee, Illinois, and in 1884 originated the project for the Burlington Roller Mills. He worked out the plans and arrangements for this entire plant. Subsequently he engaged in the construction of a number of buildings and also installed steam heating plants for several years prior to his death. He also had charge of the property interests in Burlington of Mrs. Remey, widow of the well known admiral.

Mr. Foote was one of the most important factors in the building of Burlington, as can readily be perceived from his record. He was connected with all of the early projects for improvement and was one of the most forceful men in the commercial growth and development of the city. Beside the interests above mentioned he was a stockholder in the Burlington and Mount Pleasant Plank Road; the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad; the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad; the Burlington & Carthage Railroad; and the Burlington Gas Company. He was a stockholder and director in the First National Bank of Burlington and the Burlington Iron Works. Beside superintending the construction of the Burlington Waterworks, the Steam Supply plants and the Burlington Rolling Mills, he had charge of the construction of the Hawkeye Woolen Mills and various other industrial enterprises. He was a man of great business energy and of an executive ability that permitted him to handle a number of enterprises successfully at the same time. His activities proved of the greatest worth to the city in which he resided and Burlington honors him as one of its foremost promoters.

On December lo, 1851, Mr. Foote was united in marriage at St. Louis, Missouri, to Miss Mary S. Mauro, a daughter of W. H. Mauro, a well known pioneer of Burlington. Mr. and Mrs. Foote had eight children, of whom five survive, as follows: Mrs. Harry Squires, Mark M., Mrs. Helen S. Hayes, Mrs. Eliza W. Lawler and Moses G.

In his early life Mr. Foote was a whig and later gave his support to the republican party. Although he took an active interest in government affairs he never sought public honors. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and carried the charitable principles of that organization into his every-day life. He was a large-hearted, generous man who would further any cause that he considered worthy of his support without considering individual gain, and throughout his long career proved himself most public spirited. When he passed away, February 13, 1904, he was in his eighty-first year and with him there went from life one of the most important figures in the history of the state. His memory is cherished by the many who knew him and who esteemed him for his qualities of intellect and character.

As printed in History of Des Moines County, Iowa (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.