It is possible that John Foy was the son of Andrew Foy. According to census records, Andrew Foy was listed in Stokes County census in 1800 and in the Rockingham County censuses in 1810 and 1820. He was age 26-44 in the 1800 census and over 45 years of age in both Rockingham County census records. In the 1820 census, Andrew lived with a female over 45 (probably his wife, name unknown), eight males ranging in age from infant to 25 years of age, and one other female age 16-25.

In the 1830 census, John Foy and a much younger Andrew Foy appear in the Rockingham County census. They lived near each other so it is possible that they were both sons of the Andrew Foy from Stokes County. By 1840 in Rockingham County, John Foy is listed and nearby is a Richard Foy, possibly another son to the elder Andrew.

By 1850, there are three Foy families in Rockingham County. They were John and Rebecca Foy, each 46 years old, and four children; and Pleasant Foy, age 36, his wife, Martha, age 38, and their seven children. A third Foy in that census was Samuel Foy, age 30, who was living with William Carter, age 40, and his wife, Elizabeth, age 30, and their son, Pleasant Carter, age 6.

Because the name "Pleasant" reappears in these families, it is possible that John Foy, B. 1804, Pleasant Foy, B. about 1814, and Samuel Foy, B. about 1820, were siblings, possibly all children of the Andrew Foy from Stokes County. Elizabeth Carter was the sister to Rebecca Webster Foy and both Elizabeth and Rebecca were mentioned in their father's will. Because Samuel Foy was living with John Foy's brother-in-law, this further ties Samuel Foy to the John and Rebecca Foy family.

In 1860, census records show only four Foy families living in central North Carolina. They were John Foy, age 56, and his family; William H. Foy, age 25, (one of John's sons) and his family; and Pleasant Foy, age 46, and his family. Neither Samuel, the younger Andrew, or Richard Foy appear in the 1860 census in this area, and it is not know what happened to these families.

Submitted by Karen Craver Foy
November 1998

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