The Foy's of Craven, Jones & Onslow Counties, NC, and Their Descendants.
Main Page - Table of Contents

James Foy (Between 1732&37 - 1822)

James Foy, born around 1735 in Baltimore Co., MD; died Nov 11, 1822 in Onslow Co., NC. He was the son of Thomas Foy and Rebecca Puttee.
James married two different women both named Elizabeth Ward. He married (1) ELIZABETH WARD Abt. 1760 in Craven Co., NC. He married (2) ELIZABETH WARD Abt. 1771 in NC.

Child of James Foy and Elizabeth Ward daughter of Richard Ward is:

Elizabeth Foy, born Bef. 1766 in Craven Co., NC; died Mar 23, 1787 (another source says she gave birth to Edward Mumford Oct 22, 1789); married Lewis Mumford Sep 10, 1783. (another sources says their marriage was Dec 23, 1788)

James married Elizabeth Ward, the daughter of Enoch Ward, in 1771. Their children include:

James Foy, born 1772 in Onslow Co., NC; died Mar 14, 1823 in New Topsail Sound, New Hanover Co., NC; married Henrietta Rhodes Bef. 1810; (born 1777, died 9 April 1840), daughter of Col. Henry Rhodes, and had six children;
Enoch Foy, born May 17, 1777 in Onslow Co., NC; died Oct 5, 1842 in Jones Co., NC; married (1) Lucy Foy Sep 3, 1799 in NC; married (2) Applis Sanderson Apr 1805 in Jones Co., NC; married (3) Phoebe Sanderson Jun 4, 1812 in Jones Co., NC; married (4) Rachel Ellis Hancock Bef. 1841. Enoch had fifteen children in all.
Serena Foy, b. 1780, New Hanover Co., NC; married (1) Jeremiah Spicer; married (2) Jacob Golden, an Innkeeper, Captain of Onslow Regiment of Militia in 1812 and Post-master of Golden Place, Onslow County
Lewis Foy, b. New Hanover Co., NC, lived in Jones County, mentioned as a cripple in 1819
Frederick James Foy, born Mar 18, 1785 in Hicks Run, Onslow Co., NC; died Sep 20, 1833 in Onslow Co., NC; married (1) Lency House Apr 11, 1809; married (2) Christian Dixon Mar 1, 1821 in Greene Co., NC. Frederick had seven children.
Elizabeth Foy, born 1789 in Onslow Co., NC; died 1839; married Robert B. Nixon.
Joshua Foy, born 1786 in Onslow Co., NC; died Dec 15, 1851 in Onslow Co., NC; married (1) Polly Cox and (2) Unknown. Joshua had nine children.
Thomas Foy, born in Onslow Co., NC; died February 23, 1800 (another source says March, 1800) at his plantation in Jones County of a severe fit of colic; married Margaret Dudley Sep 1796 in Onslow Co., NC.
Morris Foy, born 1791 in Onslow Co., NC; died in Lousiana; married (1) Ann Unknown; married (2) Jane Unknown.
Hester Foy, married Durant H Rhodes. Was disinherited.

Sources: Family notes; Craven County deed books; Onslow County Court minutes; RECORDS OF ONSLOW COUNTY, by Zae Hargelt Gwynn; postal records. -Roger Kammerer Scanned January 20, 1997 from Onslow Register of Records of Onslow and Jones Co., Citizens and Related Families, compiled by Roger Kammerer and David E. Carpenter, 1984.

Notes for JAMES FOY:
Various sources state James was 85 - 90 years old at the time of his death in 1822 making his date of birth 1732 to 1737.
He was born 1733 in Baltimore Co., MD; according to Marriage & Death Notices from Raleigh Newspapers 1796 - 1826., and died November 11, 1822 in Onslow Co., NC;(Source: (1) Marriage & Death Notices from Raleigh Newspapers 1796 - 1826., (2) Roger E. Kammerer and David E. Carpenter, comp, Onslow Register of Records of Onslow and Jones Co., Citizens and Related Families, 1984.).

Foy: D. In Onslow county, on the 11th ult., Maj. JAMES FOY, in the 85th year of his age. He lost his wife only 12 days previously. RRw Fri 13 Dec 1822 3:5.

Source: History of Onslow County, pg 136
He first settled on the south side of the Trent River near Pembroke Ferry, not far from New Bern, and afterwards moved to Onslow County on Hicks Run.
James Foy fought in the American Revolutionary War and was in the battles of Cowpens, King's Mountain, Guilford Court House and Moore's Creek Bridge, at which place he was wounded in the wrist.
He died at the age of 85 years. According to other records he was ninety years at his death.
Continued: "...James Foy served in the Revolution and was in the Battle at Moore's Creek. I have heard it said that it was he who shot and killed the British officer whose death caused the Americans to gain the battle.
" My grandfather (James Foy) was a strong Democrat as were all his sons
" JAMES FOY, SR. 192 James Foy, Sr., son of Thomas Foy, Sr., and Rebecca Puttee, was born in Baltimore County, Maryland in 1737 and died in Onslow County on 11 Nov. 1822. His father Thomas Foy, Sr., brought his family from Maryland to Craven County, N.C., in 1749, where he settled at Rocky Run, on the Trent River.
James Foy, Sr., was first married in Craven County about 1760 to Elizabeth Ward, daughter of Richard Ward. She died before 1766, leaving him with a daughter.
On 23 Oct. 1761, James Foy, Sr. obtained his first piece of property in Craven County when he received a land grant of 294 acres. In 1769, Foy moved to Onslow County, settling in the Lower Southwest District.
He was married again about 1771 to Elizabeth Ward, daughter of Enoch Ward.
James Foy, Sr. was a prominent planter and influential man in Onslow County affairs. He served in the Revolutionary War, first as a Lieutenant and then Captain of the Wilmington Brigade in the N .C. Line. He was in the Battle of Cowpens, King's Mountain, Guilford Court-house, and Moore's Creek Bridge, at which place it is said he was wounded in the wrist.
Family tradition says James Foy, Sr. purchased one dozen French cut crystal glasses, brought here during the Revolution, of which he gave one glass to each of his children. A few of his descendants still had theirs into this century.
In 1774, James Foy, Sr. was appointed procession master in the Southwest District. In April 1778, he was appointed County Ranger (missing text - 1 line) ... Onslow County, an office he resigned in the fall of 1803.
On 23 April 1791, George Washington, on his Southern Tour, stopped and had lunch at Foy's Inn in Onslow County. From 1793-1795 he was also mentioned as the mail contractor from New Bern to Wilmington, a distance of 100 miles, from which he got $500 per year.

According to the land deeds in Onslow Co. court house:
James Foy purchased and sold land to:

Feb 10,1778

Feb 10, 1778

May 13, 1784

June 1, 1807

April 3, 1809

March 9, 1811

July 21, 1821

Will of James Foy ca. 1737 - 1817/22

In the name of God, Amen. I James Foy, Senior, of the County of Onslow and State of North Carolina; being of sound, perfect and disposing mind and memor, blessed be God for the same; Do this fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord Christ, One thousand eight hundred and seventeen, make and publish this my last will and desire is that all my just debts be paid as also my funeral expenses; and, as touching my worldly estate, wherewith it hath pleased God to bless my endeavors with, I will and bequeath in manner and form following, viz:

Imprimis: I give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wife Elizabeth Foy my best bed and furniture, also the saddle and Bridle, one Bay mare and colt, tow calves, two sows and pigs, one grubbing ditto, one round table, six windsor chairs, all the crockery ware, all the pewter, rion tea kettle, tow iron port, all the copper ware, that are in the house at the time of my decease.

Item: I lend to my wife for her sole use and benefit, during her natural life, the house and plantation where I usually reside at, as also fire wood and wood for use of the said plantation. And also, I lend unto my said wife, two negroes named Todge and Eve his wife during the life of my said wife Elizabeth; and at her decease, I will and bequeath unto my daughter Patsey Nixon, the aforesaid negroes Todge and Eve, to her and her herirs (lawfully begotten of her body) forever. Two negroes also pay debts.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my grandson Joseph Mumford, as his mother had all the land and negroes that came to my first marriage, and was delivered to Lewis Mumford for my daughters use, which I considered in full of my first wifes child portion, to him and heirs forever.

Item: Whereas I have made a deed of gift unto Thomas Foy son of Thomas Foy, deceased, bearing date 2nd June 1800, for the following negroes, viz: Sall and all her children &c. and I do hereby this my last will and testament confirm the above deed of gift and also one Dollar infull..

Item: I give and bequeath to my oldest son James Foy, Junior, three Hundred Pounds, and Yellow Joe. And I have given him a deed of gift for six negroes and other property, such as horses, beds, hogs, tools, &c. which have been all delivered to him at his marriage, and since, to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my son Enoch Foy one negro by name of Ruth, one by name of Sarah ditto Moll and her two children, their names are Ceasar and Frank as also a negro boy by the name of Joe, with the horses, cattle, hogs, beds and tools, put in his possession at his marriage, and all he got for the leased land on the west side of Shillings branch, Mill Creek in Jones County, I give to him & his heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my son Lewis Foy the seven hundred Dollars he got of my son Enoch for the lease ofn the east side of Shillings Branch, and a negro by the name of Peter, beds, furniture, Horses, cattle, hogs, tools and smith tools, to him and his heirs forever. Also I lend to my son Lewis Foy the following negroes for his support, as he is a cripple, viz: Dick & Ann, & Hannah & Ned and negro Fan for and during his natural life for his sole support, and at his death I give the said negroes I lend to son Lewis, to his heirs lawfully begotten of his body forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my daughters Sereney all the household goods and beds she had in her possession when she married Golden, also I lend for and during my daughter's, Serency's natural life, the following negroes by name peter and Tamar and her child Moses. And also Nathan and Mary for her supoort, during her natural life and at their death I give said negroes, and Thamar's increase, to be equally divided betweent the heirs lawfully begotten of her body forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my son Frederick Foy, the following negroes Viz: Dave, George, Sall, Lott, and girl Alice and beds and such tools or stocks of cattle, hogs, as in her possession, and I have given her a deed of gift for the lands where my son James Foy now at present resides in this county, his heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my daughter Betsey Nixon two feather beds and furniture, and two cows and yearlings, one chest, and the following negroes viz: Mimy and her children of the following names, Simon, Sarah and Grace, and also Jack Lenea, to her and her heirs (lawfully) begotten of their body forever.

Item: Whereas I have paid unto my son Joshua Foy to the amount of sixteen hundred dollars, or thereabouts in lands, which has been sold and conveyed by me, and I hereby confirm the same to him and his heirs forever. Also I give and bequeath to my said son Joshua, two parcels of land on Mill Run, adjoining Wards and Corbettes, being four hundred acres more or less, to him and his heirs forever. And also the following negroes viz; Issac, Hannah, Duke, Charlotte, Nicey, Rose and Miranda, to him and his heirs forever.

Item. I give and bequeath to my son Morris Foy one bed and furniture, one bay mare and colt, one yoke oxen and chain, and further I give unto my said son Morris three hundred acres of land known by the name of Bear Garden and also two hundred acres of land where old Suck died, to him and his heirs (lawfully begotten of his body) forever, and also I hereby give unto my said son Morris, the following negroes viz; Douglas and Robin, Abb, Jack and Tony, to him and his heirs, as also one feather bed and furniture to him and his heirs forever.

After my wifes decease, my will and desire is that my lands I left to my wife during her natural life, being the lands I purchased of James Hebble and John Lester to my son Morris and his heirs and assigns forever, the residue not mentioned in my will to pay debts.

Lastly I constitute, make and appoint my sons Frederick Foy and Joshua Foy my whole and sole Executors to this my last Will and Testament, revoking all other wills and testaments by me heretofore made. And I do hereby desire my executors above mentioned to do their duty in full.

James Foy Senior. (Seal)

More about James Foy's will.

If you have a question, can add any information, or find a broken link please contact:

Trisha Carden

Much of the information published here is copyrighted by the various researchers listed on our contributor page. To obtain permission to use this information please contact the researchers individually. This site is not meant for use for commercial purposes.