William Seymour Epaphroditus Farnsworth's mother was pregnant with him as the family of Hiram Warner Farnsworth, his second wife Harriet A. (Stoddard) Farnsworth and the 2 daughters of Hiram's first marriage Kate and Minnie came by wagon early in 1856 from New London, Ct. to Topeka, Kansas. The family arrived in Topeka on May 16, 1856. Will was born there 10 Sept 1856 and was named for his father's younger brother, a sea captain.
His early life was at the Indian Agency at Council Groves, Kansas where Hiram was the agent for the Kaw Indians. There Will received a letter dated 1866 which the family retains from Hiram about care of the family and stock "to the male head of the Farnsworths". Will was ten years old. Hiram was off dealing with the Delaware Indians (among others) near Leavenworth, Kansas.
It was in Council Groves on June 3, 1868 where one of the last Indian battles-a rather minor affair- between the Kaw Indians and the Cheyenne took place. Will saw it from the second floor of the Indian Agency and recalled seeing seeing stray arrows land in the Agency Yard in a letter written in 1927.
His early education was mostly at home, since Hiram had been a school teacher.
Will was a cadet in the early Kansas militia and was educated in Pond's Business College and Washburn College, Topeka. He entered railway service in 1875 with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in construction work and later was a clerk at Topeka 1875-1881. Then levelman on New Mexico and Arizona RR and the Sonora RR 1882-1883. Superintendent of bridges and buildings on New Mexico and Arizona RR, Benson Arizona 1883-84. Material Agent for Sonora RR in Guaymas, Mexico 1886-1887 and a variety of jobs as he ascended the corporate ladder until he was made Station Agent in Mexico City in 1897 which position he retained until his death in 1930.
In 1898 when he was 42 he met Jennie Ruhama Wright who was visiting Mexico City and within just a few months of that meeting Will married his "Red Rose" as he called her in the love letters he wrote to her over a period of 32 years and many separations due to illness, war, and the many problems associated with running the Farnslea Farm in Wauconda, Illinois.
Early in their marriage Will and Rua made a trip home to see his very elderly father Hiram in Topeka and at that time the group photo of Hiram and his children and grandchildren was made. Rua was expecting in that photo and in October of 1899 Wilma Jeanette Farnsworth was born. Wright Reyneau Farnsworth completed the family in 1907. Rua and Will had a large house built in Mexico City, but enjoyed its comfort for only a few years, since by 1909 the beginning of the Mexican Revolution made it prudent for Rua and the children to return to the United States. Will continued to live and work in Mexico, but now was residing at the American Country Club. Some of the fighting of the Revolution actually invaded the club. Will writes a very interesting long account of the Revolution which he requested the family to keep private. During the first world War. Will was appointed to the War Trade Board in Havana, Cuba and the small family was together again for a few months.
By the mid 1920's Will's health-perhaps due to his love of cigars-was worsening. He could not stand the altitude of Mexico City. His son Wright and new bride Audree were to come to meet Will and Rua in Mexico in June of 1930, but as their train was coming into Mexico, Will was leaving on another train and going to California in an effort to improve his health. He died there 9 July 1930 with his sister Addie Willetts (Addieline Leland "Addie" ( 1858- 1938), see findagrave.com # 8866952), named for a early Baptist minister who was an abolitionist. nearby. Addie is the one who took charge and had Will cremated and then returned his remains to Wauconda where he had really never lived, but apparently his heart was there. Wauconda had been his legal voting residence over all the Mexican years. It would be 30 years before his "Red Rose" Rua came to lie beside him in the Wauconda, Cemetery.
Add his sister:
Addieline Leland "Addie" ( 1858- 1938), see findagrave.com # 8866952, named for a early Baptist minister who was an abolitionist.
His early life was at the Indian Agency at Council Groves, Kansas where Hiram was the agent for the Kaw Indians. There Will received a letter dated 1866 which the family retains from Hiram about care of the family and stock "to the male head of the Farnsworths". Will was ten years old. Hiram was off dealing with the Delaware Indians (among others) near Leavenworth, Kansas.
It was in Council Groves on June 3, 1868 where one of the last Indian battles-a rather minor affair- between the Kaw Indians and the Cheyenne took place. Will saw it from the second floor of the Indian Agency and recalled seeing seeing stray arrows land in the Agency Yard in a letter written in 1927.
His early education was mostly at home, since Hiram had been a school teacher.
Will was a cadet in the early Kansas militia and was educated in Pond's Business College and Washburn College, Topeka. He entered railway service in 1875 with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in construction work and later was a clerk at Topeka 1875-1881. Then levelman on New Mexico and Arizona RR and the Sonora RR 1882-1883. Superintendent of bridges and buildings on New Mexico and Arizona RR, Benson Arizona 1883-84. Material Agent for Sonora RR in Guaymas, Mexico 1886-1887 and a variety of jobs as he ascended the corporate ladder until he was made Station Agent in Mexico City in 1897 which position he retained until his death in 1930.
In 1898 when he was 42 he met Jennie Ruhama Wright who was visiting Mexico City and within just a few months of that meeting Will married his "Red Rose" as he called her in the love letters he wrote to her over a period of 32 years and many separations due to illness, war, and the many problems associated with running the Farnslea Farm in Wauconda, Illinois.
Early in their marriage Will and Rua made a trip home to see his very elderly father Hiram in Topeka and at that time the group photo of Hiram and his children and grandchildren was made. Rua was expecting in that photo and in October of 1899 Wilma Jeanette Farnsworth was born. Wright Reyneau Farnsworth completed the family in 1907. Rua and Will had a large house built in Mexico City, but enjoyed its comfort for only a few years, since by 1909 the beginning of the Mexican Revolution made it prudent for Rua and the children to return to the United States. Will continued to live and work in Mexico, but now was residing at the American Country Club. Some of the fighting of the Revolution actually invaded the club. Will writes a very interesting long account of the Revolution which he requested the family to keep private. During the first world War. Will was appointed to the War Trade Board in Havana, Cuba and the small family was together again for a few months.
By the mid 1920's Will's health-perhaps due to his love of cigars-was worsening. He could not stand the altitude of Mexico City. His son Wright and new bride Audree were to come to meet Will and Rua in Mexico in June of 1930, but as their train was coming into Mexico, Will was leaving on another train and going to California in an effort to improve his health. He died there 9 July 1930 with his sister Addie Willetts (Addieline Leland "Addie" ( 1858- 1938), see findagrave.com # 8866952), named for a early Baptist minister who was an abolitionist. nearby. Addie is the one who took charge and had Will cremated and then returned his remains to Wauconda where he had really never lived, but apparently his heart was there. Wauconda had been his legal voting residence over all the Mexican years. It would be 30 years before his "Red Rose" Rua came to lie beside him in the Wauconda, Cemetery.
Add his sister:
Addieline Leland "Addie" ( 1858- 1938), see findagrave.com # 8866952, named for a early Baptist minister who was an abolitionist.
William Seymour Epaphroditus Farnsworth's mother was pregnant with him as the family of Hiram Warner Farnsworth, his second wife Harriet A. (Stoddard) Farnsworth and the 2 daughters of Hiram's first marriage Kate and Minnie came by wagon early in 1856 from New London, Ct. to Topeka, Kansas. The family arrived in Topeka on May 16, 1856. Will was born there 10 Sept 1856 and was named for his father's younger brother, a sea captain.
His early life was at the Indian Agency at Council Groves, Kansas where Hiram was the agent for the Kaw Indians. There Will received a letter dated 1866 which the family retains from Hiram about care of the family and stock "to the male head of the Farnsworths". Will was ten years old. Hiram was off dealing with the Delaware Indians (among others) near Leavenworth, Kansas.
It was in Council Groves on June 3, 1868 where one of the last Indian battles-a rather minor affair- between the Kaw Indians and the Cheyenne took place. Will saw it from the second floor of the Indian Agency and recalled seeing seeing stray arrows land in the Agency Yard in a letter written in 1927.
His early education was mostly at home, since Hiram had been a school teacher.
Will was a cadet in the early Kansas militia and was educated in Pond's Business College and Washburn College, Topeka. He entered railway service in 1875 with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in construction work and later was a clerk at Topeka 1875-1881. Then levelman on New Mexico and Arizona RR and the Sonora RR 1882-1883. Superintendent of bridges and buildings on New Mexico and Arizona RR, Benson Arizona 1883-84. Material Agent for Sonora RR in Guaymas, Mexico 1886-1887 and a variety of jobs as he ascended the corporate ladder until he was made Station Agent in Mexico City in 1897 which position he retained until his death in 1930.
In 1898 when he was 42 he met Jennie Ruhama Wright who was visiting Mexico City and within just a few months of that meeting Will married his "Red Rose" as he called her in the love letters he wrote to her over a period of 32 years and many separations due to illness, war, and the many problems associated with running the Farnslea Farm in Wauconda, Illinois.
Early in their marriage Will and Rua made a trip home to see his very elderly father Hiram in Topeka and at that time the group photo of Hiram and his children and grandchildren was made. Rua was expecting in that photo and in October of 1899 Wilma Jeanette Farnsworth was born. Wright Reyneau Farnsworth completed the family in 1907. Rua and Will had a large house built in Mexico City, but enjoyed its comfort for only a few years, since by 1909 the beginning of the Mexican Revolution made it prudent for Rua and the children to return to the United States. Will continued to live and work in Mexico, but now was residing at the American Country Club. Some of the fighting of the Revolution actually invaded the club. Will writes a very interesting long account of the Revolution which he requested the family to keep private. During the first world War. Will was appointed to the War Trade Board in Havana, Cuba and the small family was together again for a few months.
By the mid 1920's Will's health-perhaps due to his love of cigars-was worsening. He could not stand the altitude of Mexico City. His son Wright and new bride Audree were to come to meet Will and Rua in Mexico in June of 1930, but as their train was coming into Mexico, Will was leaving on another train and going to California in an effort to improve his health. He died there 9 July 1930 with his sister Addie Willetts (Addieline Leland "Addie" ( 1858- 1938), see findagrave.com # 8866952), named for a early Baptist minister who was an abolitionist. nearby. Addie is the one who took charge and had Will cremated and then returned his remains to Wauconda where he had really never lived, but apparently his heart was there. Wauconda had been his legal voting residence over all the Mexican years. It would be 30 years before his "Red Rose" Rua came to lie beside him in the Wauconda, Cemetery.
Add his sister:
Addieline Leland "Addie" ( 1858- 1938), see findagrave.com # 8866952, named for a early Baptist minister who was an abolitionist.
His early life was at the Indian Agency at Council Groves, Kansas where Hiram was the agent for the Kaw Indians. There Will received a letter dated 1866 which the family retains from Hiram about care of the family and stock "to the male head of the Farnsworths". Will was ten years old. Hiram was off dealing with the Delaware Indians (among others) near Leavenworth, Kansas.
It was in Council Groves on June 3, 1868 where one of the last Indian battles-a rather minor affair- between the Kaw Indians and the Cheyenne took place. Will saw it from the second floor of the Indian Agency and recalled seeing seeing stray arrows land in the Agency Yard in a letter written in 1927.
His early education was mostly at home, since Hiram had been a school teacher.
Will was a cadet in the early Kansas militia and was educated in Pond's Business College and Washburn College, Topeka. He entered railway service in 1875 with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in construction work and later was a clerk at Topeka 1875-1881. Then levelman on New Mexico and Arizona RR and the Sonora RR 1882-1883. Superintendent of bridges and buildings on New Mexico and Arizona RR, Benson Arizona 1883-84. Material Agent for Sonora RR in Guaymas, Mexico 1886-1887 and a variety of jobs as he ascended the corporate ladder until he was made Station Agent in Mexico City in 1897 which position he retained until his death in 1930.
In 1898 when he was 42 he met Jennie Ruhama Wright who was visiting Mexico City and within just a few months of that meeting Will married his "Red Rose" as he called her in the love letters he wrote to her over a period of 32 years and many separations due to illness, war, and the many problems associated with running the Farnslea Farm in Wauconda, Illinois.
Early in their marriage Will and Rua made a trip home to see his very elderly father Hiram in Topeka and at that time the group photo of Hiram and his children and grandchildren was made. Rua was expecting in that photo and in October of 1899 Wilma Jeanette Farnsworth was born. Wright Reyneau Farnsworth completed the family in 1907. Rua and Will had a large house built in Mexico City, but enjoyed its comfort for only a few years, since by 1909 the beginning of the Mexican Revolution made it prudent for Rua and the children to return to the United States. Will continued to live and work in Mexico, but now was residing at the American Country Club. Some of the fighting of the Revolution actually invaded the club. Will writes a very interesting long account of the Revolution which he requested the family to keep private. During the first world War. Will was appointed to the War Trade Board in Havana, Cuba and the small family was together again for a few months.
By the mid 1920's Will's health-perhaps due to his love of cigars-was worsening. He could not stand the altitude of Mexico City. His son Wright and new bride Audree were to come to meet Will and Rua in Mexico in June of 1930, but as their train was coming into Mexico, Will was leaving on another train and going to California in an effort to improve his health. He died there 9 July 1930 with his sister Addie Willetts (Addieline Leland "Addie" ( 1858- 1938), see findagrave.com # 8866952), named for a early Baptist minister who was an abolitionist. nearby. Addie is the one who took charge and had Will cremated and then returned his remains to Wauconda where he had really never lived, but apparently his heart was there. Wauconda had been his legal voting residence over all the Mexican years. It would be 30 years before his "Red Rose" Rua came to lie beside him in the Wauconda, Cemetery.
Add his sister:
Addieline Leland "Addie" ( 1858- 1938), see findagrave.com # 8866952, named for a early Baptist minister who was an abolitionist.
Inscription
William S. Farnsworth
1856-1930
Family Members
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