Jennie Ruhama Wright Farnsworth, born December 26, 1868 in Chicago, Illinois and survived the Chicago Fire of 1871 and said she could remember seeing the flames that night. She grew up in Wauconda as part of the family of St. John/ McCollum. After graduating from college she taught in Colorado and then was principal of a High School in Savanna, Illinois. After she inherited the St. John/McCollum farm at the death of her half aunt Jane Ruhama St. John McCollum in 1898, she left on a long vacation trip by railroad to Mexico City. There she met and later in El Paso, Texas married William Seymour Farnsworth. Will and Rua had quite a love story and he called her "his red rose". They had two children Wilma and Wright.
Rua as Jennie was called as an adult returned to Wauconda to manage the dairy farm partially to escape the rigors and dangers of the Mexican Revolution. Will stayed in Mexico as a station agent for the Santa Fe Railroad. Rua was almost unique at that time in being a female managing a large dairy farm using modern scientific methods. During World War I, she moved to Havana, Cuba with her children where Will was a member of the War Trade Board.
She divided her time between Illinois and Mexico after the war and became quite active in Woman's clubs and was President of the Pan American Council.
After the death of her husband Will in 1930, Rua became quite active with the W.C.T.U. and President of the important branch of this Temperance organization. During her tenure Evanston passed an ordinance prohibiting saloons being licensed in Evanston.
She also toured the country giving lectures about Mexican life and customs along with her children Wilma and Wright. Wilma and Wright dressed in ethnic Mexican costumes and performed dances to accompany the lectures.
Active also in her church she served on the Board of the State Central Committee for the Baptist Church.
After the age of 72, Rua began her work in South America for the W.C.T.U. She spoke Spanish fluently and learned Portuguese in order to do radio broadcasts. At the age of 90 she was speaking on the radio without notes.
She died 16 May, 1960 in Waukegan where she had been living with her daughter Wilma. After a burial service in Wauconda, she was buried in the Wauconda Cemtery.
Rua as Jennie was called as an adult returned to Wauconda to manage the dairy farm partially to escape the rigors and dangers of the Mexican Revolution. Will stayed in Mexico as a station agent for the Santa Fe Railroad. Rua was almost unique at that time in being a female managing a large dairy farm using modern scientific methods. During World War I, she moved to Havana, Cuba with her children where Will was a member of the War Trade Board.
She divided her time between Illinois and Mexico after the war and became quite active in Woman's clubs and was President of the Pan American Council.
After the death of her husband Will in 1930, Rua became quite active with the W.C.T.U. and President of the important branch of this Temperance organization. During her tenure Evanston passed an ordinance prohibiting saloons being licensed in Evanston.
She also toured the country giving lectures about Mexican life and customs along with her children Wilma and Wright. Wilma and Wright dressed in ethnic Mexican costumes and performed dances to accompany the lectures.
Active also in her church she served on the Board of the State Central Committee for the Baptist Church.
After the age of 72, Rua began her work in South America for the W.C.T.U. She spoke Spanish fluently and learned Portuguese in order to do radio broadcasts. At the age of 90 she was speaking on the radio without notes.
She died 16 May, 1960 in Waukegan where she had been living with her daughter Wilma. After a burial service in Wauconda, she was buried in the Wauconda Cemtery.
Jennie Ruhama Wright Farnsworth, born December 26, 1868 in Chicago, Illinois and survived the Chicago Fire of 1871 and said she could remember seeing the flames that night. She grew up in Wauconda as part of the family of St. John/ McCollum. After graduating from college she taught in Colorado and then was principal of a High School in Savanna, Illinois. After she inherited the St. John/McCollum farm at the death of her half aunt Jane Ruhama St. John McCollum in 1898, she left on a long vacation trip by railroad to Mexico City. There she met and later in El Paso, Texas married William Seymour Farnsworth. Will and Rua had quite a love story and he called her "his red rose". They had two children Wilma and Wright.
Rua as Jennie was called as an adult returned to Wauconda to manage the dairy farm partially to escape the rigors and dangers of the Mexican Revolution. Will stayed in Mexico as a station agent for the Santa Fe Railroad. Rua was almost unique at that time in being a female managing a large dairy farm using modern scientific methods. During World War I, she moved to Havana, Cuba with her children where Will was a member of the War Trade Board.
She divided her time between Illinois and Mexico after the war and became quite active in Woman's clubs and was President of the Pan American Council.
After the death of her husband Will in 1930, Rua became quite active with the W.C.T.U. and President of the important branch of this Temperance organization. During her tenure Evanston passed an ordinance prohibiting saloons being licensed in Evanston.
She also toured the country giving lectures about Mexican life and customs along with her children Wilma and Wright. Wilma and Wright dressed in ethnic Mexican costumes and performed dances to accompany the lectures.
Active also in her church she served on the Board of the State Central Committee for the Baptist Church.
After the age of 72, Rua began her work in South America for the W.C.T.U. She spoke Spanish fluently and learned Portuguese in order to do radio broadcasts. At the age of 90 she was speaking on the radio without notes.
She died 16 May, 1960 in Waukegan where she had been living with her daughter Wilma. After a burial service in Wauconda, she was buried in the Wauconda Cemtery.
Rua as Jennie was called as an adult returned to Wauconda to manage the dairy farm partially to escape the rigors and dangers of the Mexican Revolution. Will stayed in Mexico as a station agent for the Santa Fe Railroad. Rua was almost unique at that time in being a female managing a large dairy farm using modern scientific methods. During World War I, she moved to Havana, Cuba with her children where Will was a member of the War Trade Board.
She divided her time between Illinois and Mexico after the war and became quite active in Woman's clubs and was President of the Pan American Council.
After the death of her husband Will in 1930, Rua became quite active with the W.C.T.U. and President of the important branch of this Temperance organization. During her tenure Evanston passed an ordinance prohibiting saloons being licensed in Evanston.
She also toured the country giving lectures about Mexican life and customs along with her children Wilma and Wright. Wilma and Wright dressed in ethnic Mexican costumes and performed dances to accompany the lectures.
Active also in her church she served on the Board of the State Central Committee for the Baptist Church.
After the age of 72, Rua began her work in South America for the W.C.T.U. She spoke Spanish fluently and learned Portuguese in order to do radio broadcasts. At the age of 90 she was speaking on the radio without notes.
She died 16 May, 1960 in Waukegan where she had been living with her daughter Wilma. After a burial service in Wauconda, she was buried in the Wauconda Cemtery.
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See more Farnsworth or Wright memorials in:
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- Illinois Farnsworth or Wright
- USA Farnsworth or Wright
- Find a Grave Farnsworth or Wright
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