Frain Family Tree - Illinois Branch

Frain, Mary and Michael Foy/Thomas Foster

Mary Frain was the daughter of Luke Frain and Mary Sweeney.  She was born Aug. 15, 1860 in County Durham, England. She died before 1939 in Spring Valley, Bureau County, Illinois.

She married Michael Foy in Durham County, England in 1880. He was born 1856 in England. He died as a result of an accident in Minonk, Illinois in Sept. 1888. See article from Minonk News below.

Mary Foy is written on back of picture.  This is most likely the daughter of Mary Frain Foy and Michael Foy.  Picture from photo collection of Katherine Frain Glazebrook Smeltzer.

Mary and Michael had the following children:

John M. Foy born Dec. 7, 1882 in Durham County, England. He died April 1967 in Chicago, IL.

Mary Foy born 1885 in Illinois - 1900 US Census.,

Lizzie Foy born 1887, Illinois - 1900 Census

Mary married Thomas Foster about 1893 in Bureau County, Illinois. Thomas was born in England in 1856 per family information provided by Pat Bounds or May 1853 per 1900 US Census.  Thomas was a coal miner.

Mary and Thomas had the following children. Names and initial birth dates from family information provided by Pat Bounds. See e-mail below.

Patrick J. Foster born about 1894 - March 1898 per 1900 US Census

Martin Foster born about 1896, is 9 years old in the 1910 US Census

Luke Foster born about 1898 - Aug. 1893 per 1900 US Census, is 16 in 1910 US Census

Ann Foster born about 1902 - Aug 1895 per 1900 US Census, is 14 years old in 1910 US Census

Eleanor Foster born about 1903, is 8 years ol in 1910 US Census

Based upon the birth date discrepancy between the Pat Bounds birth dates for Martin and Ann vs. the 1900 and 1910 US Census', it appears the family history may have their birth dates switched.

Mary Foster is in the 1920 US Census as Head of Household with sons Martin, age 16, and Patrick, age 21, living at home.  Her daughter Mary Foy, age 31, was living with her, as well.  Her daughter Mar's age should probably be 35.  Daughter is a bookkeeper and Patrick is a laborer.  Her daughter, Eleanor, is living with her grandparents, Luke Frain and Mary Sweeney, according to the 1920 US Census.  Her grandson, John Foy. Jr., is also living with Luke and Mary.  More research is necessary to determine why her husband Thomas is not present.

Mary was still living in Spring Valley, Illinois when her father died in 1922, but by the time of her brother Luke's death in 1939 she had died in Spring Valley.

In Aug. 1950 when her brother Patrick died his funeral was attended by Mr. &. Mrs. Patrick J. Foster from Detroit. This is probably Mary's son and daughter-in-law and the son was named after her brother. Martin Foster of Spring Valley, nephew of Patrick Frain, attended Patrick's funeral in 1950. This must be Mary's son, also named after a brother.

While researching the internet I found the Durham (England) County Council web page. Found a marriage certificate for Michael Foy and Mary Frayne indicating they were married in 1880. From same source found Mary Frain born in 1860.

From an e-mail from Godfrey Duffy: "I also found Mary Foy on the 1881 census incorrectly recorded as the daughter of John & Bridget Foy and of course she is the daughter in law and wife of Michael Foy who is also in the house. "

Also from Godfrey and his research of the Durham Records Office: "born 15 August 1860, bapt 18 August 1860, Mary Frayne daughter of Luke Frayne & Mary Sweeney. Godparents Patrick Hoy & Frances Hewitt. St. Charles's RC, Tudhoe village, Co. Durham"

 Start of Pat's e-mail:

Hi!

I came across your website and was surprised to see the Frain & Foster names of Illinois!

Mary Frain, daughter of Luke & Mary Sweeney ,was married SECONDLY to Thomas Foster married c. 1893 at Spring Valley. They had the following children, all baptized at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Spring Valley: (all are year of baptism) Patrick bap. 1894, Martin bap. 1896, Luke bap. 1898, Ann bap. 1902 & Eleanor bap. 1903. Thomas Foster was born 1856 in England and died in Spring Valley.

Mary was FIRST MARRIED in c1882 to a man with the surname Foy. They had one son, John M. Foy Sr. John M. Foy Sr. was born 07 Dec 1886 and he is shown as being born in England. (That is most likely why you couldn't find Mary anywhere on her parent's census-she was already married!)

John M. Foy Sr. married my grandmother's sister, Catherine Teresa (Katie) Gilroy (daughter of Edward Gilroy & Margaret McIlwee) in 1905. They resided in Benld Illinois, Macoupin County. He was also a coal miner, as was my great grandfather & grandfather. (My great grandparents, Edward Gilroy (b. 1844 Donegal Ireland & Margaret McIlwee (b. 1848 Kilbirnie Ayr Co. Scotland) also resided in Spring Valley & are buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery & attended Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.) John Foy Sr. died in Chicago, Illinois in April 1967.

Catherine Teresa (Gilroy) Foy was born in August 1884 in Spring Valley and baptized at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. She died of the influenza one day prior to my grandmother's death of Influenza. Catherine Teresa died 05 Feb 1920 and my grandmother, Mary Margaret (Gilroy Hutton), also of Benld, died 06 Feb 1920. Both were 8 months pregnant & both babies also died. They had a double funeral in Gillespie, Illinois at St. Simon & Jude Catholic Church and are buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Gillespie Ill.

John M. Foy Sr. & Catherine Teresa had the following children. all born in Macoupin Co., Benld, Illinois & baptized at St. Simon & Jude Catholic Church in Gillespie (about 5 miles from Benld.): John M. Jr. b. 03 Nov 1905, Cyril b. 09 Feb 1907, Margaret b. 1908, Gertrude b. 1911, Edward F. b. 15 Feb 1913 & Katherine b. Feb 1918.

The John Foy in the 1920 census that you show as age 13 (he actually was 15) and as a great grandson living with Luke & Mary Sweeney Frain in Spring Valley is John M. Foy Jr., son of John M. Sr. & Catherine Teresa (Gilroy) Foy.

I have information on my grandmother's side of the family (Gilroy), probably more than you want, but would be happy to share it with you. Hope this adds a few "goodies" to your quest! Pat

End of Pat's e-mail

The following was found on the internet, a page called 'Minonk Talk' 'Stories' 'A look at Minonk's Past'.  It is part of a paper by Barth Wiestart entitled 'Lost Aspirations'.  My interest in the story is the last line that says "His father-in-law, Luke Frain, came down Saturday afternoon and took the remains to Spg. Valley for interment."

Luke Frain from Spring Valley is without doubt my great grandfather whose daughter, Mary, married a man named Foy, per Pat's e-mail.  Michael is probably her first husband.  In this article he died September, 1888 and per Pat's e-mail she married Thomas Foster c. 1893

Start of excerpt from Minonk News. 

On Friday night last Minonk was the scene of one of the most awful tragedies limited to a single life which has ever entered its history. Michael Foy, with companions named John Gilbride and A. Miller, left Spring Valley on that night bound south in quest of the higher wages paid miners in that end of the state. They did not propose to enrich the Ill. Cent. by payment of fare, and upon their discovery in a freight car at this point, were bounced. Foy, as his comrades admit, had been indulging to some extent, and was determined to continue his journey on the train from which he had been ejected. Pursuantly, he and comrades proceeded to the lower end of the yards to catch her on the fly. His friends, satisfied that the speed was dangerously fast for such an effort, dissuaded Fay from the attempt, but with headstrong will he sprang for the open door of one of the box cars, but could not hold on, and fell so that the wheels passed over portions of his body, inflicting terrible and fatal injuries.

Denis Ryan went down and had the wounded man placed in the caboose of a train that happened to be going north, and he was taken up to the city, where he died a few hours afterwards, but not before Father Innocent

was summoned at his request, and administered to him. A small sum of money was found in his shoe, which is all the property he left to his poor wife and three small children. His father-in-law, Luke Frain, came down Saturday afternoon and took the remains to Spr. Valley for interment.

The Minonk News Sep. 21,1888

(comment by Barth Wiestart) Here was a man trying to improve his lot in life. He had a family and heard he could earn more money elsewhere. He had to be nervous. His buddies where with him and he had to show them he had it all together. But this night he wasn't allowed any mistakes. No not one.

End of excerpt from Minonk News