As an addition to my previous post, according to John Grenham (Griffith's Valuation), there were 18 Foley households in Castlecomer, Dysart and Mothell civil parishes. I've gone through Castlecomer, Clough and Mothell Catholic Parish registers and found all the Foley's that married, baptized children or were sponsors or witnesses between 1813-1870. Obviously, those years were not all available in each parish.
John Foley and Eleanor Kavanagh baptized Pat in 1813 and John in 1815. No other baptisms were recorded between 1818-1828. I believe my 2x grandfather Edward was probably born in 1822 and his marriage register in LaSalle, Illinois listed John Foley and Ellen Cavanagh as his parents.
Edward was a miner in the United States, probably in Pennsylvania (though he was listed as a laborer) and Illinois, 1850 and 1860 censuses, respectively.
My brother, two out of three sister's and myself have Ancestry DNA results that are very interesting. My paternal DNA and one of my sister's paternal DNA show both the same thing, pretty much all of Leinster. My brother's paternal DNA shows all of Leinster and a smaller area encompassing northern Kilkenny, southern Laois and western Carlow. Exactly the area I've been looking at. My other sister's paternal DNA shows all of Leinster, the same smaller area that my brother has and an even smaller area, literally zeroing in on the northern part of Kilkenny and southern edge of Laois!
The Payne brothers in Pennsylvania, came to this exact area in 1845 to recruit miners to their mine. Edward lived in that area during the 1850 census. He declared his intention to become a U.S. citizen in Pennsylvania and became a citizen in Illinois in 1860 and that document mentions Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania as where he declared his intention.
So, it's all pointing to this area as his Ireland homeland. I just need to find some proof. Also, an Edward Foley was a witness to a marriage of James Brenan and Mary Dunne on 18 Feb 1844. I've also found an Edward as a sponsor for a baptism in 1865 in Muckalee, an Edward as a witness to a marriage in 1868 in Clough and two Edward's as sponsors to baptisms in 1867 and 1869. My Edward died in 1863 in LaSalle, Illinois.
I'm not exactly sure of where to go next. I'm going to start looking at the DNA matches of myself and siblings and see if that finds us someone related to Foley's in norhthern Kilkenny. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much.
Pat Foley
