Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 638
JAMES H. FARNSWORTH

Among the few daring pioneers who ventured into the wilds of Harrison county in 1852 was James H. FARNSWORTH, the subject of this biography. He located at Twelve Mile Grove, section 25, of what is now Boyer township. He came with his father, Samuel FARNSWORTH, and both men took claims that had been squatted on by Mormons a few years previous to their coming. As soon as land came into the market at the government land office, they purchased these lands and there they built rude cabins with hewn floors; cleared away timber and broke the virgin soil. This was in the summer of 1852 and Matthew HALL did the first breaking in the neighborhood. Later, he moved to Douglas township and there improved his land which is now occupied by his son Herbert A., just to the east of Woodbine. In 1863 Mr. FARNSWORTH went to Denver, Central City and Empire, Colorado, with an ox team. Reaching Denver, the party sold their teams and outfit and went on to Southern California by pack-train. Returning to Colorado in a few months the exploring party found good mining prospects in sight, but on account of Indian hostilities they did not remain. Mr. FARNSWORTH, with a few more, secured four ponies and a covered rig with which they returned to Iowa, being thirteen days en route from Denver to Omaha, arriving in the autumn of the same year-1863. Mr. FARNSWORTH, in company with another, then set out and cultivated one of Harrison county's first nurseries. He always was successful at horticulture, being a lover of fruit and flowers and was a prime mover in the county fair.

James H. FARNSWORTH married Olive HOWARTH, of Harrison county and to this union nine children were born, James E., Mary E., Samuel A., Sarah M., Owen G., Erminie M., Viola B., Charles V. and Herbert A. This family now is widely scattered, those still residing in Harrison county being Mrs. Mary E. FORNIA, Herbert A. and Charles V., both of Woodbine.

Mr. FARNSWORTH was a stanch believer in Democratic party principles. He was a wide reader of good, wholesome literature, the daily and weekly newspapers and magazines being his favorites. He died in the month of December, 1905. Mrs. FARNSWORTH still resides in Woodbine, where the worthy couple settled a few years prior to Mr. FARNSWORTH's death.

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