Treasurer
of Grand Haven Township, School Inspector and a representative general
agriculturist of Ottawa County, Mich.,
is along-time resident of the State,
but, a native of Merrie England, was born under British rule in the year 1834.
Our subject is the son of Charles FARR,
who, leaving his native land emigrated to America in 1848, and, locating
in the Empire State, made his permanent home in Oswego, there residing for over two-score years, passing
peacefully away in 1889. The father was a
successful farmer and was about forty-one years of age when, bidding farewell to the scenes of his
childhood, he sailed for the United States.
In England he had managed three different stage routes and was a man of more than ordinary business
ability. Our subject received his
education and early business training in the Old Country, and at the age of thirteen apprenticed to the
firm of Austin & Son, learning the
trade of casting and wire-drawing jewelry, stamping and refining. He attended the free schools of England and
well improved his opportunities of instruction. The home of his youth was in the city of Birmingham, Warwickshire. Mr. FARR had not long attained his
majority when he decided to follow his father to America, and in 1855 crossed the broad Atlantic to the land of
promise beyond the sea. Arriving in New York, our subject soon rejoined his
father, from whom he had been separated
by an absence of seven years. William FARR remained in Oswego County for
a twelvemonth, and then journeyed to
Canada, which he made his home for the five succeeding years. While a dweller in Canada our subject
learned and engaged in the cooper's trade
and some length of time was profitably devoted to coopering. In the
Dominion of Canada Mr. FARR met and married Miss Frances Maria LONG, the two being united in marriage
in 1859. The estimable wife of our subject was a native of Canada, her parents
being of English birth. The seven sons and daughters who blessed the
happy home were Addie C., the eldest, who married John H. SHIRE; Charles Frederick, deceased; William, deceased; Herbert Reed; Nellie, deceased;
Walter and Bruce. In 1882 Mr. FARR removed to the United States
and, journeying to Michigan, located in
Ottawa County, settling at once upon his present valuable homestead, then wild
timberland. Of the one hundred and forty acres, one hundred are
under cultivation, yielding bounteous
harvests of grain and fruit. In addition to farming here in
Michigan, our subject also engaged on his own farm in the cooper
business, profitably conducting the same for over four years. Vitally
interested in educational advancement, Mr. FARR has, as a School
Director for ten years, materially aided in the upward progress of the district
schools of his home locality, and for four years Township Treasurer has
discharged the duties of the office to
the great satisfaction of the general
public. Mr. and Mrs. FARR are both devout members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, and are active aids in benevolent enterprises and religious work. Politically a Republican ever
since making his residence in Michigan, our subject is deeply interested in
both the local and national management
of the great trusts involved, and, thoroughly appreciating a Republican form of
government, is in the highest sense of
the term a loyal and public-spirited citizen.
Portrait & Biographical
Record of Musekgon & Ottawa Counties, Michigan
1893, Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company
Submitted by Penny Pollock
and Bill Moore