Jacob M. Farnum

FARNUM, MITCHELL, SCOTT, TROUTMAN, KEITH, HENRY, YOUNG, BAGLEY, SADLER, CRESSWELL

Posted By: Volunteer - Rich Lowe
Date: 12/24/2002 at 20:07:57

(The following biographical sketch was prepared for publication in this paper by the Bonaparte Centennial Committee.)

Jacob M. Farnum was born in Metheun township, Hillsboro county, New Hampshire, June 19, 1792, and was married to Hannah Mitchell of Haverhill, Mass., Jan. 1, 1816. To this union were born seven children, five of whom lived to old age, two died in infancy.

The family lived at Ipswich, Mass., and later at Hookset, Merrimac county, New Hampshire, until J.M. Farnum sold out in 1836.

In the spring of 1837 J.M. Farnum and his son Frederick, started west to hunt a new location. They went via New York City, Hudson river, Erie canal, and Lake Erie to Detroit, thence to Chicago, thence down the Illinois river and up the Missisippi to St. Louis where they met Beniah Farnum, Frederick’s oldest brother. The three of them proceeded up the Mississippi to Ft. Madison, thence across country to Bentonsport; then a few days looking around, and J.M. Farnum bought the claim of a New Jersey boy by the name of Brown. It proved later to be Sec. 25 and 26, Harrisburg township, Van Buren county.

They obtained temporary accommodations at Stephen Scotts until the two brothers, Frederick and Beniah, located on the new bought claim, and J.M. Farnum went back to New Hampshire to get the family.

He started with team and wagon to drive through with the family, but when he reached Wheeling, West Virginia, he concluded to go by steamboat the rest fo the way to Ft. Madison.

He bought nearly a thousand acres of land at the land sales in Burlington in 1838. Thinking timberland was going to be the great necessity of this prairie country, he bought largely of it and located a sawmill on Honey creek, which proved to his disgust to be a very unreliable mill stream.

He bought, sold and traded land, improved the 25 and 26 section claim and drove his business. He built the present house, which is built squarely across the section line in 1851, and in 1854 sold said place to George W. Troutman, and moved to Keokuk where he died Dec. 14, 1855. His wife preceeded him in death just five days, having died Dec. 9, 1855.

Of his family Beniah married Letitia Keith; Mary married Patrick Henry; Harriett married Peter W. Young; and Roxanna married John Bagley.

William Sadler and family came from Tuscarawus county, Ohio, to Harrisburg township, Van Buren county, in the autumn of 1843, and on the 13th of April, 1845, on the farm now occupied by George Wallingford, Frederick Farnum and Mary Ann Sadler were married. They lived continuously on the west half of Section 23, Harrisburg township, from the time of their marriage until Frederick Farnum’s death Jan. 8, 1892. His wife lived on the same place until her death [Aug 28] 1900.

Of their family of seven children, four died in infancy, and one son, Charles in 1880, at the age of 27 years. Mrs. Grace Cresswell and Clinton Farnum are all who are left of their children.

Clinton Farnum’s residence was built in 1859, the bank barn in 1860, the stone house in 1861 and the house on the hill south in 1867.

-- Written by Clinton Farnum.