Dr. Foster Brown was born in Leyden, New York, on September 18,1908. He graduated from Boonville High School in 1926. He received a B.A. in 1930 and an M.A. in 1933 from St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York, and an Ed. D. in 1950 from Columbia University.

Dr. Foster married Catherine Pickard in 1936. They had five children, Ruth, Susan, Wallace, Celia and Irving. He supported the Boy Scouts of America, was a member of the Rotary Club, Ramapo Valley Children's Service Fund, Rockland County Cerebral Palsy Association, and County Historical Society. He participated in the National Education Association, New York State Teachers Association, Association of State Teachers College Faculties and the American Society for Curriculum Development. His career began as teaching principal at Coeymans, New York in 1930. Dr. Foster worked as teacher and administrator at the State University Teachers College at New Paltz, research associate in the State Education Department and visiting instructor at St. Lawrence University. He was Dean of Cortland State Teachers College from 1951 - 1952.

Dr. Foster Sargant Brown was the sixth president of SUNY Oswego from 1952 until 1963. He then became president of St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, until he retired in 1970. Dr. Foster died in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on February 14, 1985.