author
James W. (James William) Foley
1874–1939
A poet and newspaper editor of the American West, he wrote with warmth about frontier life and became one of North Dakota's best-known literary voices. His verse ranges from playful pieces for children to sketches of trail life and songs tied closely to the state's identity.
2 Audiobooks
Boys and Girls The Verses of James W. Foley
by James W. (James William) Foley
A Christmas prayer
by James W. (James William) Foley
About the author
Born in 1874, James William Foley was an American poet and journalist whose life became closely linked with North Dakota. He spent part of his youth in the Dakota country, later worked in journalism, and became widely known for writing about western life in a plainspoken, memorable style.
Foley published books including Tales of the Trail, Boys and Girls, and The Voices of Song. His work often blended humor, sentiment, and scenes from everyday life on the plains, which helped make him a popular regional writer.
He was also recognized as North Dakota's poet laureate, and he wrote the words to the "North Dakota Hymn." He died in 1939, but he remains an important literary figure in the state's history.