Thomas Dove Foster

Best known to readers for A Letter From the Fire: Being an Account of the Great Chicago Fire, he wrote from direct experience after witnessing the 1871 disaster in Chicago. The work has lasted because it is both personal and historical, capturing the shock of the fire in plain, memorable language.

Beyond his writing, Foster built a major career in the meatpacking industry. Sources describe him as a Bradford, England, native who joined the John Morrell business, helped manage its American operations, and later became a leading figure in Ottumwa, Iowa, where he was also remembered for philanthropy and civic support.

That mix of business leadership and eyewitness storytelling makes his work especially interesting today. He was not a full-time literary figure, but his account of the Chicago fire gives modern readers a rare on-the-scene voice from one of the most famous urban disasters in American history.