Daniel T. Farr, b. 6 Jan 1826

THOMPSON, HAYNES, FOSTER, BOWMAN, LUTHER, MCDONALD

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 3/18/2004 at 08:09:26

Few men are more widely or favorably known along the southern line of this county than Mr. Farr, who operates 507 acres of prime land, lying on section 15, 9, 10 and 16, the homestead being on the first mentioned. He is an old resident of the county, and has had much to do with the building up of Maquoketa Township, always maintaining a warm interest in those enterprises calculated for its advancement socially, morally and financially. He has represented it in the County Board of Supervisors, besides holding the minor offices, and is one whose opinion is generally sought in matters pertaining to the public welfare. He has been a successful man, both at farming and in his business transactions, and has one of the most attractive homesteads in this part of Jackson County. He has for some time been interested in the breeding of Red Polled cattle, and in the prosecution of this industry, as his other farming operations, is equipped with all the conveniences necessary for the best results.

It may be well before proceeding further to glance at the antecedents of our subject. He is the offspring of a good family, being the son of Bethel S. and Candace (Thompson) Farr, the former a native of Vermont, and the latter of Schenectady, N.Y. The paternal grandfather, Salmon Farr, was also a native of the Green Mountain State, and served as a private in the Revolutionary War. Afterward he carried on farming in his native State, but finally removed to the vicinity of Schenectady, N.Y., where he purchased land, labored a number of years in the building up of a homestead, and finally retired to the home of one of his children in Genesee County, where he died in 1846, at the ripe old age of ninety-six years.

On the mother's side Grandfather Daniel Thompson, a native of New York State, served as a soldier in the War of 1812, and with one of his sons participated in the battle of Lake Champlain. At the close of the war he settled down on a farm in the Empire State, and became owner of a homestead in Cortland County. He spent his last days in Homer, Cortland County, and died in 1846, when seventy-eight years old. Politically, he was a Jeffersonian Democrat. The Thompsons were originally from Holland, and were represented in New York State during the period of its early settlement.

The father of our subject removed with his parents from Vermont to New York when a lad of seven years, acquired a practical education, and learned the trade of bricklaying, but preferring agriculture, turned his attention mainly to the latter. He purchased land in Warren County, which he improved, but in 1825 removed to Seneca County, abandoned farming, and engaged in mercantile business in Trumansburg, in partnership with his brother. This, however, did not prove a success, and four years later he removed to Rochester, N.Y., where he engaged as a bricklayer. In 1829 he changed his residence to Batavia, where he followed his trade, and also leased a farm in Genesee County belonging to the old Wordsworth estate, which he operated three years. Then, removing to Caryville, he resumed work at his trade in various places, finally migrated to Detroit, Mich., and died there in 1849, at the age of sixty-two years. He was a Whig, politically, and religiously, a member of the Baptist Church. The mother died in Genesee County, in November, 1874, at the age of seventy-four years.

The parental household numbered ten children, nine of whom grew to mature years. Bethel S. died when twenty-six years old, at St. Louis, Mo., where he had been engaged in the practice of law; Solomon B. is a resident of Michigan; Martha E. lives in Orleans County, N.Y.; Edah M. is a resident of Dunkirk, N.Y.; Daniel T., our subject, was the next in order of birth; Andrew J. lives in Manistee, Mich.; Diana died when thirty years old; James W.; Junia S. died at the age of thirty years; Andrew, during the late Civil War, enlisted in 1861 in a regiment of sharp-shooters, but later was transferred to the 66th Illinois Infantry, promoted to Sergeant, and served until the close. He saw some hard fighting, and at one time was engaged with the enemy for a period of sixteen days in succession, and was wounded by a spent ball. Otherwise he miraculously escaped.

Daniel T. Farr, our subject, was born in Trumansburg, Seneca Co., N.Y., Jan. 6, 1826, and recollects being in the city of Rochester, although when about five years of age his father went on to farm in Genesee County. He was given excellent school advantages for that day, pursuing his studies some of the time at a select school on Pine Hill. When a lad of thirteen he began an apprenticeship at cabinet-making, at which he worked fifteen months, and became quite proficient. When fifteen years old he took up the trade with his father. At the age of eighteen he migrated to Canada, and on the 1st of July, 1844, located in Jordan, near St. Catherines, where he sojourned two years, employed by one man, and then commenced business for himself as a builder and contractor.

The following ten years were occupied by our subject in the above-mentioned manner, he being successful in the meanwhile, and becoming the owner of town property. He finally concluded that the Great West afforded a better field for operation, and in 1853 crossed the Mississippi into this county, and purchased 312 acres on the 12th of July, that year. He then returned to the Dominion and finished the contracts which he had made there, then sold out, and started with his family for his new location, the journey occupying two weeks. They located on the new farm, where Mr. Farr had put up a log house, and in connection with its improvement our subject carried on bricklaying two seasons. In 1861 he put up one wing of his present residence of brick, and in 1874 erected the main part. It is the largest brick farmhouse in Maquoketa Township, and equipped with modern conveniences. Mr. Farr also has two large barns, corn-cribs, an ice house, and a windmill. He also set out forest and fruit trees, and, in short, has all the comforts and conveniences of the first-class modern country estate. He labors for improvement of his live-stock, and keeps a herd of about eighty head of cattle, with a dairy of thirty cows, and ships annually quantities of butter to various points. His horses are exceptionally fine, and of these he keeps thirteen head, utilizing three teams in the operation of the farm. He also raises numbers of swine each year.

Over forty-three years ago, on the 26th of January, 1846, our subject was united in marriage, in Lewiston, N.Y., to Miss Hannah Haynes. This lady was born in Niagara District, eighteen miles from Niagara Falls, in Louth Township, Lincoln Co., Ontario, Canada, Aug. 24, 1824, and is the daughter of Peter and Betsy (Foster) Haynes, the father a native of New York, and the mother of Pennsylvania. The paternal grandfather, Adam Haynes, was a native of Germany, whence he emigred to America early in life, and locating in the Mohawk Valley, N.Y., then migrated to the Province of Ontario, Canada, purchased a large tract of land, and there spent the remainder of his days, passing away at the age of sixty years. On the mother's side Grandfather William Foster was born in Nova Scotia, served in the Revolutionary War, and later moved to Pennsylvania, where he engaged in farming. He subsequently emigrated to Canada, became well-to-do, and engaged in the War of 1812 on the side of the British. He spent his last days in the Dominion, dying in 1850, when ninety years old.

The father of Mrs. Farr was reared to manhood in Canada, received a good education, and engaged in farming until the War of 1812, when he, with his brothers, joined the militia. Later he became possessor of a good farm of 150 acres and one of 700 acres, both in Canada. He died in 1844, at the age of fifty-three years. The mother had passed away previous to the death of her husband, in 1829, when only forty years of age.

To our subject and his estimable wife there were born eight children, the eldest of whom, a daughter, Candace, born Sept. 13, 1847, was graduated from Mt. Vernon, and married William Bowman, of Maquoketa Township; Bethel was born April 9, 1850, was graduated from the Commercial College at Maquoketa, and is at home with his parents; Herman was born Dec. 12, 1858, was graduated from the Iowa Medical College, married Miss Ellen Luther, and is practicing his profession in Madrid, Boone Co., Iowa; Emma E. was born Dec. 27, 1855, married J.H. McDonald, and lives on a farm in Maquoketa Township; Edgar was born Jan 11, 1858, was graduated from the Iowa City Law School, and is practicing in Sioux City, this State. He was also graduated from Brown's University, Ind.; Charles was born March 15, 1860, is also a graduate of the above named institution, and engaged in law at Maquoketa.

Mr. Farr, politically, is a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, to which he has been of essential service in this county, officiating as Chairman of the Democratic County Central Committee for the last three years, and frequently being sent as a delegate to the County and State Conventions. He has served as Justice of the Peace seven years, and represented his township in the County Board of Supervisors several terms. He held the office of School Treasurer for a period of twenty years, and is still retained. Socially, he belongs to Helion Lodge, A.F. & A.M., the R.A.M., and is also a Sir Knight in the Commandery at Maquoketa.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois.)