Senator from the Forty-fourth District, composed of the counties of Chickasaw and Floyd, was born in Galway county, Ireland, August 14, 1841. In 1846 he came with his parents to America, first to Halifax, Nova Scotia, shortly after to Boston, Massachusetts, and in 1849 they changed their residence to Baltimore, Maryland, which place was their home until 1857. His early education was acquired from the Christian Brothers and in the public schools; then he went to a private academy, and later to a commercial college. In 1857, with his widowed mother, moved west to Iowa and located on a farm in Chickasaw county. For the next ten years he worked on the farm. During this period he was an active member of the school board and taught several terms of winter school. While on the farm he was elected and served as a member of the County Board of Supervisors. In 1871 he was elected Treasurer of Chickasaw county; re-elected three times, serving eight years in all, and was a delegate from the Fourth Congressional District of Iowa to the National Democratic Convention at Cincinnati when General Hancock was nominated for President. Was the nominee of his party for State Treasurer, later for Congress and still later for State Senator. Represented his county in the Twenty-second General Assembly and served several terms on the Democratic State Central Committee. Has been mayor, alderman and school director in his home town of New Hampton. In 1882 he engaged in the lumber and coal business, in which he remained twenty years. Was elected president of the State Bank of New Hampton in 1902, which position he now holds. Elected Senator in 1906. A Democrat in politics.

JOHN FOLEY Senator from the Forty-fourth District, composed of the counties of Chickasaw and Floyd, was born in Galway county, Ireland, August 14, 1841. In 1846 he came with his parents to America, first to Halifax, Nova Scotia, shortly after to Boston, Massachusetts, and in 1849 they changed their residence to Baltimore, Maryland, which place was their home until 1857.His early education was acquired from the Christian Brothers and in the public schools; then he went to a private academy, and later to a commercial college. In 1857, with his widowed mother, moved west to Iowa and located on a farm in Chickasaw county. For the next ten years he worked on the farm. During this period he was an active member of the school board and taught several terms of winter school. While on the farm he was elected and served as a member of the County Board of Supervisors. In 1871 he was elected Treasurer of Chickasaw county; re-elected three times, serving eight years in all, and was a delegate from the Fourth Congressional District of Iowa to the National Democratic Convention at Cincinnati when General Hancock was nominated for President. He was the nominee of his party for State Treasurer, later for Congress, and still later for State Senator. Represented his county in the Twenty-second General Assembly and served several terms on the Democratic State Central Committee. Has been mayor, alderman and school director in his home town of New Hampton. In 1882he engaged in the lumber and coal business, in which he remained twenty years. Was elected president of the State Bank of New Hampton in 1902, which position he now holds. Elected Senator in 1906. A Democrat in politics.

A native of Ireland, born in the county of Galway on the 14th of August, 1840. His parents were Thomas and Catherine (Lyden) Foley, who immigrated to this country when John was a child. His father died in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1852, and his mother in Iowa in the spring of 1877. Mr. Foley came to this state in June, 1857, and settled on a farm in Jacksonville Township, ten miles from New Hampton. In 1867, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Conley, and they resided on the farm until 1872, when he was elected county treasurer and they came to make their home in New Hampton. In 1882, Mr. Foley engaged in the retail lumber business in New Hampton, continuing till 1900. Here he again and continuously showed the qualities of the able business man coupled with the utmost fairness and fidelity in dealing with his customers. During these years he served the city of New Hampton as mayor, and was several years a member of the board of education. In 1889, he was chosen vice president of the Northwestern Lumbermen’s Association, and a year later was elected its president. In 1899, at the organization of the State Bank of New Hampton, he assisted in that work, became a heavy stockholder and was elected its president. During this time his larger political career was developing. He was elected to the lower house of the Iowa legislature, and later served a four-year term as state senator from the Chickasaw-Floyd district. The democrats of the state nominated him for state treasurer and the party honored him with the nomination for congress from the Fourth district. Throughout all these years he was prominent in the councils of his party in the state and nation and his advice was sought many times. Mr. Foley, during all his life, was a devout member or the Catholic Church and assisted liberally in the upbuilding of St. Joseph’s church and school. He was a fourth degree member of the Knight of Columbus and adhered with fidelity to the tenets of his order, Its members recognized in him a brother Knight of high Worth and one who reflected great credit upon their organization.