Who is Edmund Foster, Ruth's grandfather from Housekeeping and what is their importance?

Edmund Foster is Ruth's grandfather. He is described as both a dreamer and a practical man. Edmund loved the mountains as a child, and he would paint fanciful pictures while growing up in the Middle West. He later took a train west, looking for mountains, and ended up in the remote town of Fingerbone, working for the railroad. He built a house, married, and had three children.