Farnsworth, Milo R. 1822 – 1909

FARNSWORTH, PARDEE, NORTON

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/22/2024 at 16:07:23

Source: Twice-A-Week Plain Dealer May 28, 1909, FP, C5

M. R. Farnsworth passed away Wednesday evening after a long illness. The funeral takes place at the residence at 3 o’clock this afternoon, and the remains will be taken on the evening train to his former home at Whitewater, Wis., for interment. Mr. Farnsworth was well advanced in years and has lived a large part of his life in Winneshiek County and later in Cresco and has enjoyed the respect of all. We will publish an obituary of deceased in a later issue.

Source: Twice-A-Week Plain Dealer June 1, 1909, FP, C6

Milo R. Farnsworth was born in Homer, N. Y., (Cortland county). Aug. 21st, 1822.
His youth and school days wore spent in his native place. He graduated from the Homer academy before he was 19 years old, taught school a couple of years, and was married March 28th, 1844, to Luey S. Pardee of Scott, N. Y.
In a week's time they started “out west," by way of the lakes, and found a destination in Illinois, Woodford county, near Peoria. They remained there four years when they decided to follow the Star of Empire on its westward way and sought a source of revenue in the soil of the Badger state at Whitewater.
For twenty years Wisconsin made them a happy home, but again the western fever seized them and only the soil of Iowa would heal it. They took possession of their cabin-home in Winneshiek county, five miles southeast of Cresco, the same day that General Grant took possession of the White House.
Ten children were born to them, one in Illinois and the rest in Wisconsin. Six children survive, three boys and three girls. The oldest son, B. W., lives in Whitewater, Wis., the rest in Iowa, Mrs. W. J. Norton in Decorah, Frank and Clinton on farms near Cresco, and Mesdames Cady and Vance in Cresco. As soon as the last child was married Mr. and Mrs. Farnsworth left the farm home and have lived in town for about 25 years.
Six years ago Elder E. E. Gardner, a Seventh Day Adventist came to Cresco as an evangelist. He, with his wife and two boys, rented rooms of Mr. and Mrs. Farnsworth and remained a couple of years. The ideal life of the Gardner family strongly impressed Mr. Farnsworth and demonstrated that there was a virtue and power in Christianity he had never before conceived. He felt it and it became a vital principle with him. The Bible was unsealed and he daily perused its pages. He accepted the Advent doctrine and during the six months of his painful illness his faith was the anchor of his soul.
On the 28th of last March, the 65th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Farnsworth, all the children were “home to dinner.” Mr. Farnsworth’s wheeled chair was rolled by the table that it might be a genuine family reunion. It was his last earthly joy and he realized that nothing happier or holier would come to him again.
He quietly fell asleep Wednesday, May 26th, at half-past five in the afternoon. A short service was held at the residence on Friday at 3:00 o’clock p. m., conducted by Elder E. E. Dorcas, of Nevada, treasurer of the Seventh Day Adventist Conference of Iowa, assisted by Rev. H. J. Hinman of the local Congregational church. Mrs. M. M. Moon and Miss Edith Webster sung two solos.
His remains were accompanied by his sons Frank and Clinton to Whitewater, Wis., where there are three daughters buried. The son Charles is buried in Nebraska.