Thomas Foley

Events


Date of Baptism: 14 April 1664.

Place of Baptism: Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England.

The baptism is given in the parish registers.


Date of Burial: 21 February 1728/9.

Place of Burial: Ribbesford, Worcestershire.

The burial is given in the parish registers.

Relationships


Father: Thomas Foley.

Mother: Sarah.

See the Commentary section.


Spouse: Sarah Littleford (died 1733). Married 27 February 1687 in Rock, Worcestershire.

The marriage is recorded in the parish register.


Children:

(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. All children were baptized in Ribbesford.)


Sarah Foley (born January 25 1689/90, baptized 31 January 1689 - buried 11 December 1741) married Benjamin Bach 30 November 1716 in Ribbesford.


Mary Foley (born 17 August 1692, baptized 23 August 1692).


Elizabeth Foley (born 13 October 1694, baptized 23 October 1694) married William Harris 28 September 1727 in Kidderminster, Worcestershire.


Thomas Foley (born 16 May 1697, baptized 6 June 1697 - buried 31 December 1731).


Littleford Foley (born 1 August 1703, baptized 4 August 1703) married Rowland Hayward 1 July 1731 in Worcester, Worcestershire (St Michael Bedwardine).


Evidence


Thomas's marriage (Rock, 1687, Weddings)


Tho: Foly of Bewdly & Sarah Littleford of Albrigh[ton] by License Feb: 27o


from the Ribbesford parish register:


Jan 1689/90

31: Sarah daugh of Thomas Foley & Sarah born Jany 25


In August 1692

23: Mary daugh of Thomas Foley & Sarah born Augt 17


October 1694

23: Elizabeth daugh of Thomas Foley & Sarah born the 13 day


In June 1697

16: Thomas son of Thomas Foley & Sarah June 6:


In August 1703

1. Littlefoot daut of Thomas Foley & Sarah, 4


from Amphlett (page 341) (1698)


Inter Margaretam Littleford et alios querentes et Thomam Foley Tudor et alios defendentes in Bewdley et aliis.


A transcription of Thomas Foley’s will


In the Name of God Amen I Thomas Foley of Bewdley in the County of Worcester Gunsmith being of a Disposing Mind and Memory do make my Last Will and Testament in Manner following. Viz My Soul I hope will Return to God who gave it my Body I commit to the Earth to be Buryed And my Estate I dispose of as followeth (viz) Imprimis I give to my Son Thomas Foley one Shilling and no more And to my daughters Sarah Mary Elizabeth and Littleford Eighty pounds apeice to be paid them respectively within six months next after my decease And all the Rest and Residue of my Personal Estate (after my debts Legacies and funeral Expences are paid and satisfyed) I give to Sarah my Wife And I appoint my said Wife to be sole Executrix of this my Will in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal and published this to be my last Will and Testament the 13th Day of April 1728 Tho: Foley Signed Sealed and published in the presence of us Sarah Smith Wm Trump


Commentary


Here is the evidence suggesting that Thomas and Sarah Foley of Chadwick are the correct parents of the Ribbesford gunsmith. I will use colours to help keep things straight. Thomas Foley of Chadwick left a 1654 will. He had two sons: John Foley of Chadwick, who inherited Chapman Hill; and Thomas Foley of Chadwick, who left a 1667 will.

  • The will of Thomas Foley of Chadwick, and the Bromsgrove parish register, make it clear that he had a son named Thomas baptized in 1664.

  • The Ribbesford gunsmith, Thomas Foley, had a connection with Chadwick:

    • His daughter Sarah Foley married Benjamin Bach of Chadwick, the son of Joseph Bach.

    • John Foley seems to have died in 1723, leaving a will which mentioned Chapman Hill. His son John Foley junior had died before him in 1720, leaving a will. In the 1720 will, Joseph Bach and Thomas Foley are appointed as trustees. The appraisers for the inventory were Joseph Bach, Thomas Foley, and Sarah Foley. Among the witnesses were Thomas Foley junior and Sarah Foley. These Foleys seem to be Thomas Foley, the Ribbesford gunsmith, his wife Sarah, and their son Thomas, who was born in 1697. (However, it is possible that they are actually children and grandchildren of John Foley.)


The most likely interpretation of the evidence seems to be that Thomas Foley’s son baptized in 1664 was Thomas, who moved to Ribbesford but maintained a connection with his family in Chadwick.


References


Amphlett, John (ed.) An Index to Worcestershire Fines, 1649 - 1714 (Oxford: the Worcestershire Historical Society, 1896).


The Bromsgrove Lowne of 1723 (David Nokes and Jenny Townshend transcribers) (BMSGH, 2014).


Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, St John the Baptist parish registers, FHL films 321123, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.


"England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NK3C-RJG : accessed 17 Apr 2014), Thomas Foly and Sarah Littleford, 27 Feb 1687; citing Rock, Worcester, England, reference ; FHL microfilm 374917.


Ribbesford, Worcestershire, St Leonard’s parish registers, FHL film 2355770, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.


UK, Poll Books and Electoral Registers, 1538 - 1893. Digital images at Ancestry.com.


Will of Thomas Foley or Fowley, Gunsmith of Bewdley, Worcestershire, in Church of England. Province of Canterbury. Prerogative Court.Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Probate Records, 1384-1858, PROB 11/628/374.