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I first began researching my paternal line in April, 2005, as a memorial tribute to my Dad. He was always proud of the fact that we came from two of the early pioneer families of northwest Missouri, the Foleys and the Millers.

When I was growing up and had to go to the city library to do any homework, Dad would drive by after work to pick me up. Before we'd leave the building, he nearly always took us on a detour to look at THE ANNALS OF PLATTE COUNTY in the reference room. It was a 2" thick, Victorian-era history book, written by a member of one of the early pioneer families of Platte County. Dad took pleasure in pointing out some pages that listed several of our Foley and Miller ancestors.

I only wish my father were alive now to see all of the census records and other genealogical data that's becoming more and more readily available everyday. I'm sure he'd be pleased that I've finally started to build on the foundation he laid so many years ago.

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I haven't been able to locate many old family photos yet, so I'm also including general pictures about area history. I may never find many photos of my Missouri ancestors, but the other photos I post will provide background context for their lives.

For starters, I've located a good picture of the Pony Express statue in St Joseph, Missouri. The Convention and Tourist Bureau there likes to promote it as the place "where the Pony Express began and Jesse James ended". You can see that catchphrase now on all the city limit signs.

St Joseph's location in the middle of America, near the trailheads of several wagon train routes, made it a logical place for the eastern end of a transcontinental mail service. Jesse James, a native of northwest Missouri, was living a quiet life of "retirement" when he was shot and killed at home by one of his former gang members. The Pony Express Stables and the house where Jesse was murdered are two of St Joseph's most prominent historic sites.
Relatives of Rev James Wesley Foley of Missouri
Updated August 12, 2005
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James Foley
missouri_family_historian@msn.com


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Family Photos

  • Pony Express Memorial in St Joseph, Missouri (118 KB)
    During much of the 19th century, St Joseph was as large and important as its rival, Kansas City. The close proximity of several major riverports (St Joseph, Atchison, Leavenworth, Weston, and Kansas City) made the area a major crossroads of westward expansion. I have many memories of going on school excursions to the Pony Express Museum, located in the famous company's former stables.
  • Watkins Mill from the Back Meadow (Clay County) (14 KB)
    This mill, currently a historic museum, supplied woolen goods to much of northwest Missouri. It's said that the mill's founder, Walthus Watkins, sold army uniforms during the Civil War (probably to both sides, since Missouri was a major border state at the time). Members of the Foley and Miller families probably purchased woolen goods from this mill and livestock from the surrounding plantation.
  • 19th Century View of Weston, Missouri (painting) (26 KB)
    Weston was a major riverport until the Missouri River shifted course in one of its periodic floods, turning the town into a peaceful "backwater". The ANNALS OF PLATTE COUNTY relates there was once a vote to move the county seat from Platte City to Weston. Although Weston was at the height of its prosperity and importance at the time, the proposed move was voted down.
 

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