The 17 Jun 1880 US Census of Graysville, Catoosa Co., GA enumerated the household of 26 Y/O Charles Thomas Farrar, a sawyer in a local saw mill who was born in Evergreen, VA, and his 23 Y/O wife, Rosalind Virginia (Dawn) Farrar, born in TN. Also living in the household as a "boarder" was 45 year old William Baker Farrar, " local lumber dealer". He was Charles' first cousin from Evergreen, VA and the owner of the lumber saw mill where Charles was employed. Also living in the household were their children: 6 Y/O Maye Hardwick Farrar born in Dawnville, Whitfield Co., GA; 2 Y/O Thomas Bennett Farrar (b. 29 Oct 1877 Cleveland, Bradley Co., TN [Reference: Farrar Family Bible] - d. 19 Apr 1888 Woodlawn, Jefferson Co., AL [Reference: Farrar Family Bible]) and 10 months old William Charles Farrar, my grandfather, born in Graysville, Catoosa Co., GA.

Between 04 Jun 1881, the birth date of their son, Ogden Shelby Farrar, in Dalton, Whitfield Co., GA, and 16 Jan 1884, the birth date of their son, Stephen Baker Farrar, in Cedartown, Polk Co., GA, Charles Thomas Farrar and his family began to migrate further southward with stops in Cedartown, Polk Co., GA where as noted above their son, Stephen Baker Farrar, was born on 16 Jan 1884. Their next stop was Tallapoosa, Haralson Co., GA where sadly their 1 Y/O son, Stephen Baker Farrar, died on 30 Jun 1885 and where their daughter, Jimmie Oden Farrar, was born on 05 Nov 1885. Charles and his family continued their migration and arrived in Woodlawn, Jefferson Co., AL (later to become part of Birmingham) about 1888 as their son, Thomas Bennett Farrar died there on 19 Apr 1888 and their son, Sam Cross Farrar, was born there on 15 May 1888. (NOTE: All birth and death dates confirmed by the Farrar Family Bible). Charles Thomas Farrar's first recorded employment in the Birmingham area was at the Sloss Furnace repair shop in 1888 (The Sloss Furnace is a National Historic Landmark in Birmingham, Alabama that operated as a pig iron-producing blast furnace from 1882 to 1971). By 1889, Charles went into the familiar business of lumber dealing and was the foreman of Hughes Lumber Yard in Birmingham but gravitated to the more lucrative job of working for the railroads. In 1890 he was a "locomotive fireman" for the "Georgia Pacific Railroad" By 1896 he was a "locomotive engineer" for the renamed "Southern Railway" and continued to work for the railroads most of his remaining life.

Dawn Franklin Farrar was born on 24 Apr 1890 in the Avondale section of Birmingham. The 1896 Birmingham City Directory records Charles Thomas Farrar, a Southern Railroad engineer, and family, including Dawn Franklin Farrar, living in Avondale at the address, “2d ave A’dale” (Avondale). Avondale, at the time, was the site of a very large cotton mill and its accompanying company owned community and store. Avondale was located closely to the Sloss Furnace repair shop where Dawn's father, Charles Thomas Farrar, worked in 1888.

I have not been able to locate the Charles Thomas Farrar family in 1900 US Census.

The 1900 Birmingham City Directory recorded Chas T. Farrar as an “engineer Southern Railroad” and his residence was listed as “2d ave A’dale” (Avondale). He had remained a “railroad engineer” but “Southern Railroad” was operating “Georgia Pacific Railroad" after 1894.

The 1910 US Census of Birmingham, AL enumerated the household of 59 Y/O Charles Thomas Farrar and his 53 Y/O wife, Rosalind Virginia (Dawn) Farrar. Also living in their household were their children: 20 Y/O Dawn Franklin Farrar, a pressman, 16 Y/O Sybley John Farrar, 14 Y/O Enoree Yvonne Farrar and 12 Y/O Edward Larson Farrar.

Dawn Farrar began his employment in 1910 Birmingham, AL at the age of 20 as a printing press operator at "Garrison Printing Co". He remained in this position until 1924 when he began working for finance companies in various positions including manager.

The 1920 US Census of Birmingham, AL enumerated the household of 69 Y/O retired Charles Thomas Farrar. Inexplicably, his 63 Y/O wife, Rosalind Virginia (Dawn) Farrar, is not enumerated in the 1920 household. Their children living in the household were: 30 Y/O Dawn Franklin Farrar, a printer; 21 Y/O Edward Larston Farrar; 27 Y/O Sybley John Farrar, a railroad pipefitter; 25 Y/O Willie (Schwend) Farrar, wife of Sybley John Farrar and 5 Y/O Elizabeth Farrar, daughter of Sybley and Willie Farrar.

The 1930 US Census of Birmingham, AL enumerated the household of 79 Y/O retired railroad engineer, Charles Thomas Farrar, and his 72 Y/O wife, Rosalind Virginia (Dawn) Farrar. Also living in the household were their two sons: 40 Y/O Dawn Franklin Farrar, an automobile salesman; and 37 Y/O Sybley John Farrar, a pipefitter for a Steel and Iron Company and Sybley's 36 Y/O wife, Willie (Schwend) Farrar, and their two children: 15 Y/O Elizabeth Farrar and 8 Y/O Virginia Farrar.

Dawn resided with his parents most of his life except during a brief marriage to Katherine Mae Stewart. They were married on 28 Dec 1928, separated in late 1929 and divorced circa 1936. This brief marriage produced a son, William John Farrar, who tragically was totally abandoned by his father. Following the death of both his parents in 1933, Dawn resided with his widowed sister, Jimmie Oden Farrar Tucker, until her death in 1936. He then resided, until shortly before his death, with another widowed sister, Maye (Farrar) Gresham, while working as Warehouse Superintendent for "Steward Oil Co".

The 1934 Birmingham City Directory recorded Dawn Franklin Farrar employed as a "clerk" and living at 2828 49th St., the residence of his widowed sister, Jimmie Oden (Farrar) Tucker.

The 1942 Birmingham City Directory recorded Dawn Franklin Farrar employed as a salesman and living at 625 Tuscaloosa Ave., the residence of his widowed sister, Maye (Farrar) Gresham.

Dawn's unfortunate premature death from lung cancer probably resulted from his habit of smoking "Picayune Cigarettes".

Dawn Franklin Farrar was the 4th cousin 2 times removed of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain) through his mother, Rosalind Virginia Dawn Farrar. (See Find A Grave Memorials Mark Twain and Mark Twain.

Bio by Gresham Farrar.