MRS. PARTHENA A. FOILES, who resides on section 26, Belleview Precinct, is numbered among the early settlers of Calhoun County, is a native of Virginia, and a daughter of David and Elizabeth (Knight) Trowbridge. Her father is now deceased and her mother is a resident of Calhoun County. The daughter was born January 29, 1834, and received a fair education in the schools of her native State. After arriving at years of womanhood, she gave her hand in marriage to Henry V. Foiles, their union being celebrated July 17, 1853. Mr. Foiles was also a native of Virginia and was a brother of John Foiles, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. Their marriage was blessed with a large family of children of whom the following yet abide: Roselia, wife of William H. Tharp of Calhoun County; Elizabeth, wife of Alexander Labbel, of Calhoun County; John W. residing in Calhoun County; Mary C. wife of John Skirven of Pike County; Eliza at home; Alice, wife of .Sloeum Clowers, of Missouri; Lewis L. of Calhoun County; Luella, wife of Peter Miller of Wisconsin; and Thomas J. who makes his home in Calhoun County. Three of the family are now deceased: Sabantha L., Harriet and Laura.
About 1854, Mr. Foiles and his father visited Calhoun County, Ill., with the intention of making a permanent location should they find the country to be all that it had been represented to them. They were not disappointed in their hopes and after a year Mr. Foiles returned to Virginia and brought his family to the new home which he had prepared for them in the West. In his youth he had learned the trades of wagonmaking and blacksmithing and he now built a shop on the farm of Uncle John Foiles where he worked at the two trades for some time. He afterward built a shop on the farm now owned by George Lumley, where he carried on business for a number of years. Being an expert workman he soon won a liberal patronage and the excellent trade which he received was fast gaining for him a comfortable competence, but during the latter part of the war he was drafted into the service and compelled to leave his home. He participated in several skirmishes and at the close of the war was honorably discharged. Returning to his home he once more resumed his former occupations which he continued up to the time of his death January 12, 1884.
Mr. Foiles was a Republican in politics and a public-spirited and progressive citizen whose death proved a great loss to the community in which he made his home. He enjoyed the confidence and esteem of his fellow-townsmen in a marked degree and the sympathy of the entire community was extended to his bereaved family. He left to his widow a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres of land which releases her from the care which would devolve upon her had she to labor for her own support. Mrs. Foiles is a lady of many excellencies of character and like her husband has many warm friends.
Their son Lewis L. was born in Calhoun County, March 26, 1868, and was educated in its public schools. Under the parental roof he spent the days of his childhood and at length, having attained to mature years, on August 10, 1890, he was joined in wedlock with Miss Mary Nevius, daughter of D. S. H. Nevius, whose sketch appears on another page of this work. Lewis Foiles is a Republican in politics and is classed among the representative young farmers of the neighborhood. Upright and honorable in all his dealings, his word is as good as his bond and he deserves special mention in this history. We lake great pleasure in presenting this brief sketch of the Foiles family, knowing that it will be received with interest by many of our readers.
Extracted 24 Jan 2017 by Norma Hass from Portrait and Biographical Album of Pike and Calhoun Counties, Illinois, published in 1891, pages 269-270.
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