Pioneer, Statesman, Abolitionist, Educator, Deacon

Hiram Warner Farnsworth born Brattleboro, Vt; named for his paternal grandmother Caroline Warner; Graduated Wiliams College in Mass. 1840, member of Phi Beta Kappa, taught school Tuskegee, Macon Co, Ala. for about 18 months; Principal of New London Female Academy until March 1855, March 17 1842 married Deborah ( Della) Torrey Lerow in Boston, three children from this union; Della died 1850; Dec 3, 1855 married Harriet Ann Stoddard, Station Agent New London, Conn for Northern RR, March 4, 1856 started on trek to Kansas, Arrived Topeka on May 16, 1856, started grist and saw mill; Formed Congregational Church of Topeka, October 14, 1855; served as Deacon; Antislavery church, 5 children born to second marriage, 1859 first State Senate member; Mayor of Topeka 1860-1861; Resigned in 1861 to become Indian Agent to Kaw Indians 1861-67; December 1, 1866, he was appointed one of three special Commissioners to inspect all the Kansas Indian Tribes, and take Deputations of the various tribes-about 13 in all-to Washington to effect treaties preparatory to the removal of the Indians from Kansas. Director of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe RR; Founder and trustee for Washburn College 1867; 1867 signed petition for voting rights for women and blacks, Postmaster of Topeka 1869-1873; 1870 joined Pilgrim Society; Police Judge of Topeka, 1874; Clerk of Board of Education from 1876 to 1899; 1876 Secretary of Masonic Lodge for 23 years; Topeka Free Library Founding Member 1878; Association of Old Settlers date of Citizenship in Kansas 1856; visits California via Santa Fe RR 1895; early in 1899 Family Reunion in Topeka with 6 of 7 surviving children, Dies at 201 Topeka Ave in Topeka July 26, 1899 and is buried beside his second wife Harriet.
Data: Shawnee Co. Kansas History, 1905
History of Kansas, 1883

Family verbal history adds that Hiram when asked by his daughter why his photograph did not appear with the Indians in 1867 in Washington, D.C. with the other commissioners, Hiram stated that he was not willing to be associated with such an enterprise that obviously was cheating the Indians. He had a cabinet photograph in his family album of Joe Jim (Joseph James, Jr.) who was his Kaw interpreter in this period. Joe Jim's grave and this photograph can be seen at Find a grave.com # 27565888 in the Washunga Cemetery, OK.
Hiram was a very liberal and openminded man even by today's more liberal standards and treated all people equally.
It is also quite interesting that some of the Kaw Indians-perhaps 4 families-took the name Farnsworth which is retained today by descendants of these indians.



In 1919 a town in Northern Texas named itself Farnsworth in honor of H.W. Farnsworth, director of Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway.

Children of Hiram by first wife Della Torrey Lerow:
Kate Leland (1843-1930) see findagrave.com #12306430, named for an early Baptist minister who was an abolitionist.
Mary Emma (Minnie) (1845- 1929) see findagrave.com #7491652

Oliver Dimon (1847-1848), named for a classmate at Williams college, Oliver Dimon, see findagrave.com #76496086

Children of Hiram by second wife Harriet Ann Stoddard:
William Seymour Epaphroditus (1856-1930), (Find A Grave Memorial
# 25611628), named for Hiram's brother
Adeline Lurena "Addie" ( 1858- 1938), see findagrave.com # 8866952, named for two of Hiram's sister who had died young.

James Watson Brown (1860-1940), named for Watson Brown, John Brown's son killed at Harpers Ferry in 1859, 7 months before James' birth, see find a grave.com #84819693
Joshua Coit Learned b. 1863, named for a family friend and abolitionist from Conn. see find a grave #73207843. It is also interesting that Robert Coit gave land for the New London Female Academy in New London where Hiram was the principal.
Fred Colfax (1866-1945), named for his wife's mother's maiden name, Charlotte Colfax, see findagrave.com # 84809242



His daughter-in-law Martha (Mattie) Van Orsdol Farnsworth's journal from 1882 to 1922 called PLAINS WOMAN has some information about Hiram and his family. She lived with that family the last years of Hiram's life and married his son Fred. See Topeka Cemetery ( Find a grave.com #13757137 for Martha's grave)

NOTE: Some photos of Hiram call him Major, but thus far no research has been able to tie him to this rank-perhaps it was honorary? see obituary of his wife Harriet for use of this title in the Topeka State Journal 20 July 1899.


see Wikipedia entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiram_Warner_Farnsworth

from the WASHBURN READER 1865-1915., ed Robert D. Stein, Woodley Memorial Press, Topeka, Kansas, 1984

page 53
Feb 6, 1865 First board of Trustees including
Maj. H.W. Farnsworth appointed-called Lincoln college at this point.

Page 117-118
November 19, 1868 Meeting of the Trustees of Lincoln College Topeka Kansas
On motion of Mr. Farnsworth a committee was formed to investigate the changing of the name of the college to Washburn to reflect the large donation of Ichabod Washburn.
Later Hiram served on the auditing committee for Washburn and Executive committee.