Marshall County KS Archives Biographies.....Farrar, Thomas J. 1843 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com May 23, 2007, 11:06 pm Author: Emma E. Forter (1917) THOMAS J. FARRAR. Thomas J. Farrar, a well-to-do retired farmer and landowner, of Rock township, former trustee of that township, former member of the board of county commissioners of Marshall county and an honored veteran of the Civil War, is a native of the old Buckeye state, but has been a resident of this county since 1880. He was born on a farm in the immediate vicinity of London, in Madison county, Ohio, March 10, 1843, son of Henry and Melinda (Chenoweth) Farrar, the former a native of England and the latter of Ohio and the former of whom became a Kansas pioneer, spending his last days on his farm in the vicinity of Beattie, this county, a well-to-do and influential pioneer citizen. Henry Farrar was born in Yorkshire, England, on March 19, 1815, and was but five years of age when his parents came to this country, settling in the vicinity of Cincinnati, later moving on up into Madison county, Ohio, where Henry Farrar grew to manhood and where he married Melinda Chenoweth in 1837. Afterward he employed himself in farming pursuits in that county and became the owner of about six hundred acres of land in the vicinity of London, the county seat. He also took an active part in local civic affairs, served his township as assessor and in other public capacities and was also treasurer of his school district. In 1873 Mr. Farrar disposed of his interests in Ohio and came to Kansas, realizing the possibilities that awaited the pioneer in this section of the state, and bought a tract of land in Guittard township, this county, the next year, 1874, establishing his home there. He was an excellent farmer and prospered in his operations, presently becoming the owner of fifteen hundred and twenty acres in Guittard and Rock townships, which he afterward divided among his children. He maintained his home on his original farm, about one mile southeast of Beattie, where he spent his last days, his death occurring there in 1895, in the residence he built there in 1880. Henry Farrar was twice married. His first wife, Melinda Chenoweth, died at her home in Madison county, Ohio, in 1857, at the age of forty years. To that union ten children were born, seven of whom grew to maturity, those besides the subject of this sketch being as follow: Mrs. Owen Thomas, deceased; Horatio N., an honored veteran of the Civil War and a pioneer of this county, now deceased, a memorial sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume; Jonathan, a substantial farmer of Vermillion township, this county; Mrs. Margaret Crooks, living near Frankfort; Mrs. Isabelle Durkee, deceased, and William H., of Stevens county, this state. On September 30, 1858, in Madison county, Ohio, Henry Farrar married, secondly, Mrs. Rachel (Gregg) Seal, who was born in that county, and to that union two sons were born, Romeo, a mechanic, of Blue Rapids, and Spurgeon, of Chicago. The mother of these children died in Chicago and was buried in this county. By her previous marriage to John W. Seal, who died about 1855, she was the mother of one child, a daughter, Eva, who married John Warner, of this county. Reared on the home farm in the vicinity of London, Ohio, Thomas J. Farrar was living there when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted his services in behalf of the Union and went to the front as a member of Company C, First Regiment, Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, and saw service with that command in Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama, later being detailed to guard prisoners of war at Chicago. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Farrar returned to his home county in Ohio in 1864 and in 1865 was married there. He established his home on a farm in Oak Run township, that county, and there resided until 1880, when he came to Kansas, his father having located in this county several years previously, and in 1881 he bought his present farm in Rock township, this county. On that place when he bought it there was a small, two-room house and an orchard had been planted on the place. He at once set about improving the place and it was not long until he had one of the best-improved farms in that part of the county. At his home place in Rock township Mr. Farrar owns one hundred and sixty acres and he also has a farm of one hundred acres in Vermillion township. Since 1908 he has been living practically retired from the labors of the farm, though continuing to keep an eye on the management of the same. Mr. Farrar is an ardent Republican and has ever given his close attention to local political affairs. In 1895 he was elected a member of the board of county commissioners from his district and served very acceptably during his incumbency in that important office. He also has rendered service as trustee of his home township. As noted above, it was in 1865, in Madison county, Ohio, that Thomas J. Farrar was united in marriage to Anne Holway, who was born in Devonshire, England, and who left there in 1861 and came to this country with a sister, settling in Ohio. She completed her schooling at Oberlin, engaged in teaching school in Madison county and was thus engaged at the time of her marriage to Mr. Farrar. Some years later, in 1868, her parents, Robert and Elizabeth (Hartnell) Holway, came to this country and settled in Madison county, Ohio, where their last days were spent. To Mr. and Mrs. Farrar ten children have been born, two of whom died in infancy, the others being as follow: Imogene, who married James Temple and is now deceased ; Robert H., who married Lulu Storm and is farming in Rock township; Mary E., who is at home with her parents; Frank C, deceased; Thomas H., who married Clara L. Clark and is farming in Wells township; Nellie J., a trained nurse and a graduate of the Wesley Hospital, Kansas City; Anne W., who is teaching school at Sterling, Kansas, and lasarah, a graduate of the Frankfort high school, now teaching at Delphos. The Farrars are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and take a proper interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in the general social activities of the community in which they live, helpful in promoting all agencies having to do with the advancement of the common welfare. Mr. Farrar is an active member of the Frankfort post of the Grand Army of the Republic and is now serving as chaplain of that patriotic organization. Additional Comments: Extracted from: History of Marshall County, Kansas: its people, industries, and institutions by Emma E. Forter Indianapolis, Ind.: B.F. Bowen & Co. (1917) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/marshall/bios/farrar484gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ksfiles/ File size: 7.1 Kb