MARTIN FRANCIS FOLEY - Biography

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Commemorative and Biographical Record of Columbia, Sauk and Adams Counties, 
WI. Chicago: Ogle, 1901, p 335-336

MARTIN FRANCIS FOLEY, one of the most enterprising and successful young 
business men of Sauk County, is now president and general manager of the 
great Northern Nursery Company of Baraboo. He has risen to this position 
entirely through his own efforts. Diligence, enterprise and sound judgment 
are numbered among his chief characteristics, and he belongs to that class of 
representative American citizens who, while promoting individual prosperity, 
also add to the general welfare and success. A native of Dayton, OH, he was 
born 27 Apr 1867, and is a son of Timothy and Margaret (KILDEAY) FOLEY. His 
father, a native of County Clare, Ireland, came to America in his boyhood, in 
1844, in company with his four brothers, all of whom are now deceased. The 
parents both spent their entire lives in Ireland. Timothy FOLEY located in 
Dayton, where he learned the machinist's trade, working in the railroad 
machine shops there until 1864, when he came to Sauk County, WI, locating on 
a farm in the town of Winfield. Since 1898 he has lived retired in Baraboo, 
and is now 79 years of age. His wife was born in County Clare, Ireland, 
where her parents were also born.

Martin Francis FOLEY was an infant when his parents came to Sauk County. His 
preliminary education was supplemented by a course in the Baraboo high 
school, which he completed when 17 years of age. He then entered the service 
of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company, with whom he was connected 
some time. At the death of his brother James, he returned home and took 
charge of his father's farm. This he continued for a number of years. He 
then became agent for the Jewell Nursey Company, of Lake City [Wabasha 
County], MN, representing that firm for several years. He was one of its 
most successful salesmen, and had the superintendency of a number of men. He 
afterward dealt extensively in nursery stock on his own account, making his 
headquarters in Reedsburg and employing a number of traveling representatives 
upon the road. The business prospered and he soon found it expedient to 
arrange for conducting the enterprise on a more extensive scale. In the 
spring of 1899 he came to Baraboo [Sauk County, WI] and organized the Great 
Northern Nursery Company, of which he is president and general manager. The 
capital stock of the corporation is $25,000, and its grounds in the city of 
Baraboo are among the best in the state of WI for the cultivation of all 
kinds of fruit and shrubbery. The Baraboo valley has the reputation of being 
unequalled for fruit culture, owing to the richness of the soil, its 
drainage, etc., and already the Great Northern Nursery Company is established 
on a permanent and profitable basis. About 25 traveling salesmen are 
employed in introducing their goods into various sections of the country, and 
the business now extends into a dozen or more states. Its sales are very 
extensive and the enterprise takes rank among the leading business concerns 
of Sauk County.

On 04 Sep 1889 Mr. FOLEY [p 336] was united in marriage to Miss Katie TIMLIN, 
daughter of Thomas and Mary Ann (HAYES) TIMLIN, of Sauk County [WI]. They 
now have two children, Eva and Laurine. Mr. FOLEY has erected one of the 
best residences in the city of Baraboo, supplied with all modern 
conveniences, its furnishings indicating the cultured taste of the occupants. 
The household is celebrated for its gracious hospitality, which is enjoyed 
by a large circle of friends. He is a valued member of several fraternal 
organizations, belonging to Maple Leaf Camp, No. 470, M. W. A., of Reedsburg; 
to Castle Hall Lodge, No. 142, K. P., also of Reedsburg, and is deputy grand 
chancellor of the Knights of Pythias fraternity, for Sauk County. For many 

years he gave his political support to the Democracy, and took an active part 
in political affairs, but is now an advocate of the of the gold standard. 
His business career has been an honorable and upright one, and the reputation 
which he bears in commercial circles is unassailable. Steadily he has worked 
his way upward by determined purpose, unflagging industry and keen 
discernment, and his success is therefore well merited.