Among the men who have made their own fortune, carving it out by hard labor and the sweat of their brow, may be most properly mentioned the subject of this notice. He owns and operates a half-section of land in Guilford Township and eighty acres in East Galena Township. His home lies on section 31, in Guilford Township. He was one of the early settlers of Jo Daviess County, and has seen it progress from its primitive state to its present proud and prosperous condition. In the opening up of a good farm he has contributed thus much toward its advancement.

A native of County Wexford, Ireland, our subject was born Aug. 13, 1813, and was reared to farm pursuits. His parents, John and Julia (Murphy) Foley, were also born in County Wexford, and the father was a farmer by occupation. Their family consisted of five children - two sons and three daughters. Of these Michael Foley is the only one who came to America. He made the voyage in the year 1836, when twenty-one years old, and sojourned for a time in New York, where he was employed as a farm-laborer. Next he emigrated to Pennsylvania, and in 1838 came to this county. He located in 1837 in Township Twenty-eight, in the vicinity of Galena, and continued working on a farm until the year 1850, when he joined the caravan pushing toward the Pacific Slope, going over the plains, and engaged in mining in California where he remained two years, and was fairly successful. He made the return trip by water via the Isthmus of Panama and New York City. In the year 1852 he again settled at Galena, and the year following, 1853, took unto himself a wife and helpmate. Miss Ann, daughter of Alex and Ann (Morgan) McDonald. The parents of Mrs. Foley were natives of County Fermanagh, Ireland, and emigrated to America in 1847, coming to this county and settling in Guilford Township. The father carried on farming, and both parents lived to be seventy-one years old; they had a family of thirteen children who were named respectively: James, Elizabeth, John, Hugh, Alexander, Catherine, Patrick, Daniel, Thomas, an infant who died unnamed; Ann, and Barney.

Mrs. Foley, also a native of County Fermanagh, Ireland, was born Jan. 12, 1833, and was a child of thirteen years when she came with her parents to America. She attended the district school in Guilford Township, and remained under the home-roof until her marriage, receiving from her careful mother thorough instruction in all useful household duties. Of her union with our subject there have been born ten children, but six of whom are living. John Alexander married a Miss Meade, and is occupied at Madison in Dakota; James and Charles are at home with their parents; Mary is engaged as a book-keeper at Winona, Minn.; the others are at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Foley settled on their present farm in Guilford Township, in the year of 1855. Their residence, although unpretentious, is comfortable; also the barns and out-buildings. Mr. Foley upon becoming a naturalized citizen, identified himself with the Democratic party, and has served as Justice of the Peace, School Director, and School Trustee in Guilford Township. His excellent wife is well spoken of by her neighbors, and in the building up of the homestead and the rearing f her family has performed her full share of labor and assumed equal responsibilities with her husband.

Contributed by Carol Parrish - Portrait and Biographical Album of Jo Daviess and Carroll Counties, Illinois (1889) Pg. 677