James Foley, My Maternal 5th Great Grandfather
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks
Week 18
Prompt: Tradition
James Foley is cited as a patriot by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Ancestor A040196, for Civil and Patriotic Service. His documented service is described as serving on a jury in 1783 and paying a supply tax in 1783, both drawn from Prince William County records. They also cited Hening’s Statutes at Large.
 |
| Image created by ChatGPT |
I wanted to know more about what those specific 1783 records actually said about him.
FamilySearch.org’s Full-Text Search feature, which allows searching unindexed microfilm, provided a wealth of documents for James Foley in Prince William County during this time period. Hening’s Statutes at Large were also available online through HathiTrust Digital Library.
I found numerous personal property tax records for James Foley, though most were undated. Then I came across one that looked different. The title page read:
“A List of Taxable Property in Prince William County for the Year 1783 - Certificate Tax”
This appears to be what DAR cited as a “supply tax.” During and just after the Revolution, Virginia issued certificates to individuals who supplied goods or services to the government. These certificates could then be taxed, redeemed, or recorded at the county level. This tax list was created under Virginia’s post-Revolutionary taxation system, as outlined in Hening’s Statutes at Large.
Although the document itself is a general personal property tax list and is not labeled a “supply tax,” such records are often interpreted—particularly by the DAR—as evidence of financial contribution during the Revolutionary period. While the record does not state what James Foley supplied, it does tax him for horses and cattle. Over time, the number of horses in his tax records remains fairly consistent, suggesting a stable livestock operation—likely including cattle, which could have been used to supply beef.
I found numerous court records showing that James Foley served as a juror in Prince William County. One in particular matched the DAR service description:
Prince William County Court Record, 15 October 1793
James Foley served as a juror in a civil debt case involving Alexander Lithgow and John McMillior.
These records satisfied my curiosity about James Foley’s DAR documented service. But in the process of searching the microfilm, I found much more about his role in the county.
Most importantly, the first person to apply for DAR membership using James Foley’s service did not include that on June 20, 1785, James Foley was listed as an Ensign in the Prince William County militia under Captain John Lawson and Lieutenant William Downman. Two years later, on June 5, 1787, he was recommended by the court as a Lieutenant in the militia.
In the 1780s, James Foley appears on multiple personal property tax lists with:
• 1 white male
• enslaved persons (varying numbers, but fewer than five)
• horses (2–4)
• cattle (11–15)
James Foley appears frequently in the county court records. He held power of attorney for land transactions, appraised property, and testified as a witness in numerous debt claims. In fact, he appears so often that I could understand why in the 1790s the land tax records show an overseer managing his property and livestock operation. About that same time he began to appear in similar court records in Wood County, Virginia (now West Virginia), where several of his children had migrated.
James Foley’s service may not have taken place on a battlefield, but it was no less essential to the life of his community. He served as a juror, a constable, and was trusted in the settlement of estates. He had been named an ensign and later recommended for lieutenant in the county militia. He was a well-respected member of society in two counties—someone who could be counted upon in positions of trust.
A tradition of trust and service in the Foley family took different forms. His brother Mason served in the South Carolina militia, rising to the rank of Captain in the 10th Company of the Spartan Regiment. His son, James Jr., would later serve as a captain in the Fauquier County militia before taking on civil responsibilities of his own in Wood County.
What endured was not rank or title, but something quieter—a tradition of service rooted in trust.
No comments:
Post a Comment