Edgar Howard Farrar, Concordia Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller



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Edgar Howard Farrar, born in Concordia parish, La., June 20, 1849, is a
descendant of Thomas Farrar, who came from Yorkshire, England, to
Virginia in 1727, and married Judith Jefferson, the grandaunt of Thomas 
Jefferson.  Their grandson, Thomas Farrar, born in Virginia, was one of
the English speaking pioneers of Claiborne county, Miss., and has three
sons:  Judge F. H. Farrar, of Points Coupee;  Judge E. D. Farrar, of
Madison, and  Thomas P. Farrar, of Tensas, became distinguished members
of the Louisiana bar.  The latter married Anna M. Girault, a daughter of
Francis Spain Girault, of Natchez, and granddaughter of Col. John Girault,
of Huguenot parentage, but born in London, England, who came to America
and served in the Revolution and War of 1812.  The grandmother on the
maternal side of K. H. Farrar, was Jane Kempe, a native of Virginia, and
daughter of Col. James Kempe a native of Castle Finn, Ireland.

He was one of the patriots of 1798, who, fleeing from British tyranny, was
present at the battle of New Orleans in 1815, as commander of the Natchez
Fencibles, and struck that blow at British military enterprise in the United
States which crushed the hopes of a reconquest.

Edgar K Farrar received a liberal education in Louisiana and Virginia and
graduated in June, 1871, from the University of Virginia, with the degree
of master of Arts.  He captured the debater's medal of the Washington Literary
society that year, and to him and his colleague, Truehart, of Alabama, was
awarded a prize for conducting the best magazine for three months during their
senior year.  He was offered the assistant professorship of Latin in his 'alma
mater' after graduating, but declined this honor and entered the law department
of the University of Louisiana.  In July, 1872, he was admitted to the bar by
the supreme court of his native state, and establishing an office in Tensas,
practiced there until March, 1873, when he moved to New Orleans.  In 1884 he
entered into partnership with E. B. Kruttschnitt, and this partnership continued
until 1887, when Hon. B. F. Jonas became a member of the firm.  The status of this
association of lawyers is well known in the city and generally throughout the
Southern states.  

Mr. Farrar is a member of the New Orleans Law association and of the American Bar
association.  Democratic in politics, and an ardent free trader, he opposes the
free coinage of silver and is irrevocably pledged against the perpetuation of
lottery schemes in big native state.  Mr. Farrar is one of the original trustees of
Tulane University.  Elected state senator in 1884, he was counted out and the seat
conferred on a negro.  For two years he was associated with the office of city
attorney, and in October, 1880, was elected city attorney to fill a vacancy.  He is
a member of the Reform club, of New York city; of the Southern society, of that city;
of the Pickwick club, Chess, Checker and Whist club, the Southern Athletic-club, and
the French Opera club, of New Orleans.  His marriage with Miss Lucinda Davis Stamps
was celebrated June 20, 1878. Her father was Capt. Isaac Stamps, who fell at
Gettysburg, Penn., in July, 1863.  She is a granddaughter of Governor Humphreys, of
Mississippi, and grandniece of Jefferson Davis.  To this marriage eight children have
been born, of whom seven are daughters.

The professional, political and social career of Mr. Farrar for the last twenty years
has won for him a thousand friends.  It is without reproach and, in a measure
incomparable.  What part he has taken in building up a great law firm in New Orleans
amid a galaxy of brilliant lawyers is very well known and his work appreciated within
the law circle as it is without.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 481-482.  Published
by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.