James Foley

As printed in 1902

JAMES FOLEY.

Prominent in the ranks of the Republi- can party, Mr. Foley has manifested his loyalty to the general good by capable service in office. He at one time served.as sheriff of Clark county and stood as a stalwart defender of law and order. He is now engaged in atictioneering and is a real estate agent of Springfield. His birth occurred in Moorefield township, Clark county, August 39, 1838, his father being John Foley. The family is of Scotch-Irish descent, and William Foley, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a land surveyor of Virginia. He served his country as a soldier in the war of the Revolution and he reared a family of eighteen children, eleven of whom became residents of Ohio.

James Foley, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Virginia in 1779 and was also a land surveyor. The year 1803 witnessed his arrival in Clark county, at which time he settled in what is now Moorefield township, which was a part of Champaign county. He made the journey westward on horseback and became the owner of government land which he entered at Cincinnati. In 1808, in Darby Plains, he wedded Mary Marsh, who was born in Virginia in 1784. He was one of the first county commissioners of Clark county, being elected to that office after the county was formed, in 1818. While he was serving on the board the first courthouse of the county was erected. He was also a captain in the war of 1812, and the sword which he carried in that struggle is in the possession of our subject. He was very prominent in political affairs and for two terms represented his district in the state ‘legislature “In his business affairs he prospered, becoming the owner of twenty-eight hundred acres of land in Clark county and one hundred and sixty acres in Franklin county. Fraternally he was connected with the Masonic order. His death occurred in October, 1863, and his wife passed away in 1853, their remains being interred in Ferncliff cemetery of Springfield. They had four children, John, Catherine, James and Susan, all of whom were born and educated in Clark county and here died. They, too, now sleep in Ferncliff cemetery.

John Foley, the father of our subject, was born in Moorefield township in 1815, and died in 1841 at the early age of twenty-six years. He wedded Mary Dunlap, who was born in Champaign county in 1815 and died in this county in 1899. Their children were James and Amanda. The latter became the wife of Garrett Loomis and at her death was interred in Ferncliff cemetery. After the death of her first husband Mrs. John Foley became the wife of Theodore Stout and had one son, William, who was married and at his death lefytwo sons, Harry and Charles, both of whom are living in Springfield. In religious faith the Foleys were Presbyterians.

James Foley of this review was only three years of age when his father died. In Moorefield township he was educated and went with his mother to Morgan county, Illinois, where her father was then living. After five years there passed he returned to Clark county to make his home with his grandfather and worked upon the farm here. He also attended school for a time in Springfield and’ for a short period engaged in clerking in a store here. He lived with his grandfather until 1862, at which time he was married. Just previously he had conducted a dry-goods store in Springfield, which he sold in 1861. He then returned to the farm in Moorefield township and carried on agricultural pursuits until 1873, when he came to the city and was identified with business affairs here until 1876, when he was appointed deputy sheriff under

E. G. Coffin. In 1880 he was elected sheriff of the county and served for two terms of two years each, entering upon the duties of the office on the Ist of January, 1881. Since his retirement from office he has been engaged in auctioneering and in the real estate business, handling property on commission. In these enterprises he has met with gratifying success and is well known: in the business world.

Mr. Foley has always been a stalwart Republican, has attended the national conventions of his party and has been a delegate to county and state conventions., He does all in his power to promote the growth and insure the success of the party: and his efforts have been effective in its behalf. For six years he served as justice of the peace of Moorefield township, was also township trustee and was largely instrumental in the building of the schoolhouse while acting on the board of education. For fifteen years he served on the board of equalization in Springfield and at all times has been loyal and true to public duties.

The lady who bears the name of Mrs. Foley was in her maidenhood Miss Mary J. Marsh, who was born in Moorefield township, a daughter of John and ‘Maria (Dye) Marsh: Her father was a farmer of Moorefield township but devoted most of his time to stock dealing, driving his stock to eastern markets for sale. He owns seven hundred acres of valuable land. Both he and his wife were natives of Virginia and came to Clark county on horseback. They were the parents of three children: Nathan, who is living in Champaign county; Mary, the wife of our subject, and John, deceased.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Foley have been born five children: Mabel died in Springfield at the age of eighteen years. Frances W. is the wife of Carl K. Mower, a first lieutenant in the United States regular army, being connected with the heavy artillery at Fort Totten, New York. He served for one year at Porto Rico and for two years in the Philippines. Alice is the wife of Edward M. Hurd, manager of the Albany

Rubber Tire Company, of Albany, New York, and they have three sons—James Foley, Francis Casper and Dwight Harris. Marie is living with her parents. John Marsh Foley, the youngest child of our subject, is a clerk in the Lagonda National Bank. The children were all educated in Springfield, being students in the high school and seminary here.

Mr. Foley is connected with the Knights of Honor and is a progressive and public-spirited citizen. Any matter or movement which tends to promote the general welfare receives his attention and if his judgment sanction it he gives to it his hearty endorsement and active co-operation. His official career has been most enviable and over his public record there falls no shadow of wrong. E SU

As printed in A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.