Martha Mary (Farrell) Foley
Photographer's name printed on the border: ``Lyden --- Manning, Iowa''

born: 15 Nov 1850, De Witt,Clinton Co.,Iowa

died: 17 Oct 1930, Vail,Crawford Co.,Iowa, at her home

bur.: 20 Oct 1930, Arcadia,Carroll Co.,Iowa, at St. John's Cemetery

occu: farmer

spouse: Keeran FOLEY

marr: 16 Jan 1872, Clinton Co.,Iowa

born: 1845, Durrow,Co. Queens(Laois),Ireland

died: 17 Sep 1880, West Side,Crawford Co.,Iowa

bur.: Arcadia,Carroll Co.,Iowa, at St. John's Cemetery

Children:

Catherine A. ``Kate'' FOLEY

Jane ``Jennie'' FOLEY

Mary E. FOLEY

George FOLEY

Ellen ``Nellie'' FOLEY

                      |--------
                      |
           |---------John FARRELL (Ireland - )
           |          |
           |          |--------
           |
  |------George FARRELL (1829, Ireland - 1882, Iowa)
  |        |
  |        |          |--------
  |        |          |
  |        |---------
  |                   |
  |                   |--------
  |
Martha Mary FARRELL (1850, Iowa - 1930, Iowa)
  |
  |                   |--------
  |                   |
  |        |---------
  |        |          |
  |        |          |--------
  |        |
  |------Jane CULLEN (1826, Ireland - 1862, Iowa)
           |
           |          |--------
           |          |
           |---------
                      |
                      |--------

The photo of Martha was is from an old photo album of Marjorie (Walde) Knott (inherited from Esther O'Donnell) and was positively identified by her grandson Mel Foley, who knew Martha.

Keeran and Martha came to Crawford county, Iowa about 1875 (give or take a year). They settled on a farm about 6 miles north of Westside.

After Keeran died, Martha kept farming on the farm with her children. She lived there until 1908 when she moved to Vail. Her daughter Mary cared for her in Vail.

A 1908 Jackson Twp, Crawford Co. Plat Map shows ``K. Foley'' owning 80 acres in section 24 of Jackson Twp (the South half of the NW quarter).

Looking behind the dates and charts, we can imagine that Martha had a pretty tough life. Her mother died when Martha was only 12, and as the oldest girl, Martha probably had to shoulder a lot of the weight of the household. Soon after her marriage, she and Keeran moved to Crawford County, which was pretty unsettled at that time, so they had to begin the arduous task of building up a farm from nothing. But then in 1880, Keeran died, leaving Martha with a new farm, and five kids under the age of 8. Martha stayed on the farm, and managed it herself.

The farm bought by Keeran and Martha stayed in the Foley family for 117 years, until it was sold in 1992 by Martha's grandsons Mel and Francis Foley.

Sources for this individual: @S293@ @S294@ @S295@ @S1175@