Biographical Sketch of R. A. Farnsworth, Johnson County, Missouri, Rose Hill Township. >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** R. A. Farnsworth, a prosperous and capable farmer and stockman of Rose Hill township, is the oldest child of a family of ten members of a well known and highly regarded pioneer family of Johnson county. He is a native of Missouri. Mr. Farnsworth was born in 1855 in Henry county, in a log cabin which stood on the banks of Noris creek. He is a son of C. L. and Nancy C. Farnsworth who were the parents of the following children: Mr. Farnsworth, whose name introduces this sketch; Mrs. Louisa J. Fowler, Enid, Oklahoma; Mrs. Helen E. Hall, Longton, Kansas; Reason W., deceased; Mrs. Mary L. Parkhurst, Kinsley, Kansas; Mrs. Lucy A. Parkhurst, Hollywood, California; Albert A., Lutesville, Missouri; Mrs. Ida F. Duck, Urich, Missouri; Edna E. and Cyrus L., Blairstown, Missouri. In 1854, the father moved from Greene county, Tennessee to Missouri and in 1855 he came to Johnson county, where he engaged in farming for two years and then went to Cass county and entered three hundred twenty acres of land. When Order Number 11 was issued, C. L. Farnsworth was compelled to leave his homestead there and return to Johnson county. After the war closed, he sold his place in Cass county and purchased two hundred forty acres in this, Johnson county, and the rest of his life was spent on this farm where he was engaged in raising stock and in general farming. Mr. Farnsworth constantly added to his acreage and at the time of his death in March, 1909 owned fifteen hund- red acres of valuable land in Johnson county. He was active to the very last and not for a day resigned his control of business matters. At the sale, held after his death when the estate was being settled, the stock he had on his farm brought more than four thousand dollars. For a man eighty years of age, this is an unusual record. He was a citizen of Johnson county worthy of the greatest respect and considera- tion. R. A. Farnsworth obtained his education in the country schools of Cass and Johnson counties. He attended school held in a log cabin, having puncheon benches and a log left out on one side of the building for a window. "Billy" Busan was the teacher of this school, in Cass county. At the age of twenty-one years, Mr. Farnsworth purchased an interest in his father's stock and became associated in business with him, this arrangement continuing for five years. In 1881, the son bought a farm of 120 acres of land in Rose Hill township, for which place he paid three thousand dollars. His holdings have since increas- ed and R. A. Farnsworth now is the owner of 686 acres of valuable farm land in Johnson county. He has in previous years been a very success- ful breeder of Shorthorn cattle, but recently he gave all his stock interests to his boys. In 1877, R. A. Farnsworth was united in marri- age with Mary Frances Snell, daughter of Z. Snell, a brave pioneer of Johnson county, coming here in 1867, when Mrs. Farnsworth was a child, eleven years of age. Mr. Snell settled on the John Shoup farm. Mrs. Farnsworth attended school held at Stout school house and when but a little girl would start out alone across the wide, unbroken prairie and follow the trail which led to the school. Mr. Summers was then employ- ed as teacher and among her schoolmates were Mrs. Boston, nee Fulton, and Mrs. "Bill" Stout, who was then Jennie Colvin. To Mr. and Mrs. Farnsworth have been born seven children, five of whom are now living: S. A., Blairstown, Missouri; E. R., Urich, Missouri; Zella F., deceas- ed; Grover C., deceased; Harrison F., Blairstown, Missouri; James F. and Henry F., at home with their parents. Henry F. Farnsworth is now married and is building a beautiful bungalow. He and James F. are in partnership in the poultry business and in the past eight months, dat- ing from the time of this writing, they have sold thirty-six hundred dozen eggs which brought them one thousand dollars. When R. A. Farns- worth was a young man in his courting days, he never owned a buggy, and an auto was unheard of, but assisted the girl of his choice to mount behind him on his horse and would thus escort her in fine style any place she desired to go. The older people and little children traveled in farm wagons, but the young folks went on horseback, and everybody had a good time no matter how he got there. There were no roads and trails and directions were relied upon in traveling any dis- tance. It was no easy matter to go from place to place in the early days when to go very far from home was dangerous, yet people were more sociable and hospitable in those days than now and they did much more visiting. The settlements were scattered and few. The prairie was a vast, unbroken, unfenced plain and wild game of all kinds abounded. Mr. Farnsworth has witnessed the gradual change from this state to the present condition, the change that has made Johnson county one of the garden spots of Missouri and he has nobly done his part in the county's upbuilding. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny (Eisenbarger) Harrell ====================================================================