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James W Foley

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James W Foley Veteran

Birth
Maryland, USA
Death
19 Jul 1917 (aged 72)
Medora, Billings County, North Dakota, USA
Burial
Bismarck, Burleigh County, North Dakota, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Civil War veteran
Co. K
97th PA Inf.

LATE J. W. FOLEY LAID TO REST AT WIFE'S SIDE HERE

The remains of the late James W. Foley, news of whose death at Medora on Thursday saddened his hundreds of friends throughout the state, were brought to Bismarck yesterday, and were tenderly borne by friends of Dakota's pioneer days to St. Mary's cemetery, to find a resting place beside those of the first wife of the deceased, who passed away in 1891, and a daughter, who died here in 1883.

The funeral services held at Medora on Saturday were attended by practically everyone in that section of the state, and were the most impressive the little Billings county town has ever witnessed. Many of the old friends of the deceased accompanied the family to Bismarck and participated in the last rites at the graveside, where Rev. George Buzzelle of St. George's Episcopal church read a brief service.

The late James W. Foley was born at Belair, Md., on July 18, 1845, and he died just one day following his 72nd birthday anniversary. For the last two or three years he had suffered from arterio sclerosis. Last Thursday night he was seized with angina pectoris, and an hour later he died, retaining his faculties until the very last.

There survive a widow, formerly Mrs. Gertrude Wood of Jamestown, with whom the deceased was united in 1894, and the following sons and daughters: Edgar S. Foley, Portland, Ore.; Rolla K. Foley, Sentinel Butte; James W. Foley, San Francisco, Cal.; Rachel A. (Mrs. W. T. Denniston), Spokane, Wash.; Mary F. (Mrs. Stewart Todd), Billings, Mont., and Charles R. Foley, Hardin, Mont.

The deceased was of southern stock, his ancestors having served in the war of the Revolution. His parents died when he was a boy, and he was brought up on a farm in Lancaster county, Pa., which he left at the age of 17 to enlist with the 97th Pennsylvania, with which he served through three years of the Civil war. AT the close of the war he was stationed at Carlisle barracks, Pa., as cavalry instructor. There he met and wedded Rachel Aston Shyrock, whose ancestors came to America in 1732, and who was a first cousin to Ridgway Knight, who probably stands at the head of art in France.

Mr. Foley went with his bride to Texas, here he served on the frontier for three years, among his associates being then Lieutenant Henry W. Lawton, later to become commander of the American troops in the Philippines and one of America's foremost soldiers. The friendship between these two endured until General Lawton's death in the Philippines, where he was killed in action.

The eldest two sons were born at Fort Griffin, Texas, then part of the Apache and Comanche country. In the early 70's the family went to ST. Louis, where Mr. Foley was stationed at the old Arsenal. Thence he was transferred to the frontier country of Montana and Dakota and stationed at old Fort Lincoln in 1878. In 1883 he resigned from the army and brought his family to Bismarck in order that the children might receive the benefits of the public schools, in which all were students.

In 1886 the deceased accepted a position with the old Northern Pacific Refrigerator Car company, which was organized by the Marquis de Mores, a French nobleman, and of which the late Mr. Foley wrote an interesting series of articles, recently published in the Tribune. Within a year he was made manager of the company and had charge of its properties from St. Paul to the Pacific coast. He had remained in that position just 30 years when death overtook him.

He was always much interested in the development of Billings count. He served a number of years as county treasurer. He was a man of wide reading and a broad grasp of public affairs, as his press comments o a great many topics indicated. His library probably was the most diverse and the most often used in the state. He was a man of great frankness and courage. His sense of personal honor was very keen, and his word in the western country was as good as any man's bond. He never did any man an unkind or an unfriendly act, and his benefactions were many. His frankness and courage in political affairs won him enemies, but he never lost the respect of his opponents.

James W. Foley, North Dakota's most noted poet and literatus, enjoyed a two weeks visit with his father only recently. The elder Foley at that time realized that the end was near and calmly discussed the change which was coming. He met death calmly and fearlessly, as he had lived his life, and in his passing North Dakota mourns the loss of a man.

The local pallbearers were all old friends of the deceased, whose acquaintance extended back to the early eighties – William A. Falconer, E. E. Morris, Ed S. Allen, Henry W. Richholt, Joseph Dietrich and Louis Larson.

The Bismarck Tribune, July 23, 1917, Page 2.
Civil War veteran
Co. K
97th PA Inf.

LATE J. W. FOLEY LAID TO REST AT WIFE'S SIDE HERE

The remains of the late James W. Foley, news of whose death at Medora on Thursday saddened his hundreds of friends throughout the state, were brought to Bismarck yesterday, and were tenderly borne by friends of Dakota's pioneer days to St. Mary's cemetery, to find a resting place beside those of the first wife of the deceased, who passed away in 1891, and a daughter, who died here in 1883.

The funeral services held at Medora on Saturday were attended by practically everyone in that section of the state, and were the most impressive the little Billings county town has ever witnessed. Many of the old friends of the deceased accompanied the family to Bismarck and participated in the last rites at the graveside, where Rev. George Buzzelle of St. George's Episcopal church read a brief service.

The late James W. Foley was born at Belair, Md., on July 18, 1845, and he died just one day following his 72nd birthday anniversary. For the last two or three years he had suffered from arterio sclerosis. Last Thursday night he was seized with angina pectoris, and an hour later he died, retaining his faculties until the very last.

There survive a widow, formerly Mrs. Gertrude Wood of Jamestown, with whom the deceased was united in 1894, and the following sons and daughters: Edgar S. Foley, Portland, Ore.; Rolla K. Foley, Sentinel Butte; James W. Foley, San Francisco, Cal.; Rachel A. (Mrs. W. T. Denniston), Spokane, Wash.; Mary F. (Mrs. Stewart Todd), Billings, Mont., and Charles R. Foley, Hardin, Mont.

The deceased was of southern stock, his ancestors having served in the war of the Revolution. His parents died when he was a boy, and he was brought up on a farm in Lancaster county, Pa., which he left at the age of 17 to enlist with the 97th Pennsylvania, with which he served through three years of the Civil war. AT the close of the war he was stationed at Carlisle barracks, Pa., as cavalry instructor. There he met and wedded Rachel Aston Shyrock, whose ancestors came to America in 1732, and who was a first cousin to Ridgway Knight, who probably stands at the head of art in France.

Mr. Foley went with his bride to Texas, here he served on the frontier for three years, among his associates being then Lieutenant Henry W. Lawton, later to become commander of the American troops in the Philippines and one of America's foremost soldiers. The friendship between these two endured until General Lawton's death in the Philippines, where he was killed in action.

The eldest two sons were born at Fort Griffin, Texas, then part of the Apache and Comanche country. In the early 70's the family went to ST. Louis, where Mr. Foley was stationed at the old Arsenal. Thence he was transferred to the frontier country of Montana and Dakota and stationed at old Fort Lincoln in 1878. In 1883 he resigned from the army and brought his family to Bismarck in order that the children might receive the benefits of the public schools, in which all were students.

In 1886 the deceased accepted a position with the old Northern Pacific Refrigerator Car company, which was organized by the Marquis de Mores, a French nobleman, and of which the late Mr. Foley wrote an interesting series of articles, recently published in the Tribune. Within a year he was made manager of the company and had charge of its properties from St. Paul to the Pacific coast. He had remained in that position just 30 years when death overtook him.

He was always much interested in the development of Billings count. He served a number of years as county treasurer. He was a man of wide reading and a broad grasp of public affairs, as his press comments o a great many topics indicated. His library probably was the most diverse and the most often used in the state. He was a man of great frankness and courage. His sense of personal honor was very keen, and his word in the western country was as good as any man's bond. He never did any man an unkind or an unfriendly act, and his benefactions were many. His frankness and courage in political affairs won him enemies, but he never lost the respect of his opponents.

James W. Foley, North Dakota's most noted poet and literatus, enjoyed a two weeks visit with his father only recently. The elder Foley at that time realized that the end was near and calmly discussed the change which was coming. He met death calmly and fearlessly, as he had lived his life, and in his passing North Dakota mourns the loss of a man.

The local pallbearers were all old friends of the deceased, whose acquaintance extended back to the early eighties – William A. Falconer, E. E. Morris, Ed S. Allen, Henry W. Richholt, Joseph Dietrich and Louis Larson.

The Bismarck Tribune, July 23, 1917, Page 2.

Inscription

Brave Soldier, Firm Friend and Honest Man



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  • Created by: Brian Backes
  • Added: Jun 15, 2011
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71439182/james_w-foley: accessed ), memorial page for James W Foley (18 Jul 1845–19 Jul 1917), Find a Grave Memorial ID 71439182, citing Saint Marys Cemetery, Bismarck, Burleigh County, North Dakota, USA; Maintained by Brian Backes (contributor 47148484).