The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-07-11

W. ~ XAVShluS IA 4SAAs AS0sSAS
edition was replaced by standard vol.
umes published by E. P. Dutton and
Company of New York, including
Boys and Girls Tales of the Trail
and Voices of Song the latter with
foreword by Theodore Roosevelt,
frontier friend of the older Foley
and of the younger man.
His first attempt at reading his
poems in public was in Valley City
about 1918 when he appeared before
Mrs. Frank White, wife Of former.
Governor White of North Dakota,
and a party of her friends. He has
given programs each day for week
at Chautauqua, N. Y, one of his au-
diences numbering more than 5000
people.
He made summer trip with the
University of Wisconsin Chautauqua
at one time, giving a program of in
terpretations of boy and girl life.
and during the war he Travelled
through the entire western and
southern part Of the United States,
giving readings under the auspices
of the Y. M. c. A. in the army and
navy camps. In this way he did his
bit during the early days Of the war.
Political Position
In civil life he has held various
political positions. He was secretary
to Governor Sarles in 1905 and 1906,
and again to Governor Hanna in 1912.
He resigned the latter position in or.
der to devote all his time to writing
and lecturing. He served as secre-
tary of the state senate three times,
was secretary Of the state railroad
commission, and was executive secre-
tary and acting chairman of the Re-
publican state central committee in
1912. In 1905 he was Grand Master
of the state Masonic organization,
was an honorary member of the Ro-
tary club of St. Paul, Mimi, the Gel
tic club of Los Angeles, and an artist
member Of the Press club of San
Francisco. He is also a member Of
the Family club of San Francisco as
a tribute of affection and apprecia-
ton following a reading to two hun
dred members of the club under the
redwood trees of California.
Now Employed on Post
At the present time he is employed
on the Pasadena Post, Pasadena, Cal
ifornia, and has some of his work
syndicated.
In 1896 Foley was married to Emily
L. Beardsley, daughter of Dakota
pioneer family who came here from
Ohio in 1883. Their married life last.
ed only little over two years, his
girl wife dying suddenly while visit
ing with friends in Superior, Wiscon-
sin in September 1898. During the
trying period which followed he
found relief from his sorrow in Ii.
terary work.
In December 1900 he married Edith
d. Skeels of Bismarck, the closest
friend and companion of his first
wife. They began their married life
in a cottage in Bismarck which they
still own although they have been
absent from it for many years.
James Foley was born in St. Louis
Mo-, Feb. 4, 1874. His father was a
native of Bel Air, Maryland. Upon
the death of his parents which oc.
Cured when the elder Foley was q
mere boy, he was taken to Pennsy.
lvania where he spent his youth in
Lancaster country. He was seven.
( teen years old when he enlisted as q
volunteer in the Ninety-seventh
Pennsylvania, serving for three years
in the Civil War.
His mothers ancestors were sol.
diers in the Revolutionary War. Fol.
lowing the Civil War James Foley
Senior was detailed as a cavalry in.
structor at Carlisle, Pa. While there
he met Rachel Ashton Shryock, moth
er of the poet, who was cousin OF
Ridgway Knight, one of the celebrat
ed artists of France of the present
day.
The marriage of the elder Foley
and this native daughter of Pennsyl-
vania took place at Carlisle in 1869
Immediately thereafter, the young
couple went to the frontier of Texas
where the two oldest sons were born
They spent three years in the mill
tary camps of Texas. In command Of
one of the frontier expeditions was
Lieut.. Henry w. Lawton, later Gener
al Lawton, who was killed in the
Philippines. A close bond of friend
ship existed between General Lawtor
and Foley.
/ The Foley family moved from
Texas to st. Louis, NO., an import
ant military center, at that time
and it was here that the poet was
born. In response to the call for mil
ltary men on the frontier the elder
Foley and his family were stationed
at Fort Lincoln, Dakota in 1878
There the father of the poet ended
his military career in 1883 after serv
ing twenty-one years in the army, in
order that he might properly educat,
his children.
A writer says in speaking of the
elder Foley that "he has genius fol-
forceful expression, clear vision
and splendid integrity and courage
Thus from both sides Of the family
the younger Foley inherited artistic
and literary inclinations, and fror
both sides Of the family he also in
herited Americanism for ancestr!
covering a period Of nearly two hun
dred years.
"His mother was a rare type o.
woman, sweet, patient, sacrificing
with splendid faith and courage
She was the mother of seven chill
dren. one Of whom, girl, Of three
died in Bismarck in 1886. To he
} children she gave a love, devotion
land care that Foley has sought to re
T. "a I. p A.