Levi Farnsworth is the son of Ichabod Farnsworth and Anna B. Cummings. Levi married Delia Speare Watts on December 30, 1827 in Jonesboro, Maine.
Born in Jonesborough, Maine, Levi and his brothers were ships carpenters. He left Machias, Maine on November 4, 1849 in the cargo ship, Agate, headed for the Pacific Coast, leaving his wife, Delia, and 7 children in Maine, ages 1 to 21. Delia and the children were living with her son-in-law, Jason Drisko, in 1860, with Levi noted as being there also. (But he was not.) He showed up in Vancouver, WA. around 1851. He had several legal claims for debt in Maine in the 1840's. He was a Justice of the Peace in Washougal, Washington from1852-53.
Levi was awarded Joint GLO Contracts 4 and 5 with John Lowell in 1855, although they had separate contracts. John Lowell was from East Machias, Maine, only about 10 miles from where Levi lived. Lowell drowned in 1856 while serving as an expressman for the Volunteers, and Levi finished the Contracts as "Compassman." He was the first Mayor of Vancouver, Washington in 1858, City Surveyor of Vancouver in 1857, and surveyed the first plat of Vancouver, in 1858, which was later resurveyed under the defective plats statute in 1881. From 1857-62 he surveyed many of the early Donation Land Claims in Clark County. From 1860-62 he was Clark County Sheriff and in 1863 a Legislative Road Commissioner.
Levi was a Charter Member of Masonic Lodge Number 4 in 1857 and Past Master in 1863; a member of Washington Territorial Council (Senate) in 1865-66 (from Clark Co.) and the Territorial Legislature in 1876-79 (from Yakima County); Vancouver City Surveyor in 1867; Clark County Auditor from 1867-71; and Clark County Surveyor 1872-74. He patented 120 acres near Hockinson, WA in 1892, after his death, and patented 80 acres 2 miles west of Ellensburg, Washington in 1878.
Levi returned to surveying contracts in 1871 and 1872. Contract 121 was in the foothills of Clark, Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties. Levi was 67 years old at the time, and this was tough ground. The notes stated that he used George H. Steward as compassman in T3N R3E, but there probably were more. The South half of the work in T3N R3E makes no sense, like the notes were lost and made up. There were corners and BT's before the 1902 fire, so he was there. The North half has corners but as the survey went North, it deviated from true position by up to 1000 feet. Other surveyors report poor quality work on the rest of the surveys on the West side. George H. Steward was the Notary for the Contract 147 in 1872 in Yakima, both before the work and after, and may have been compassman. Those surveys also have problems.
Levi was voted into the Washington Territorial Assembly in 1878, and at the same time elected Surveyor of Yakima County in 1878. Levi secured a water right for a sawmill on the Yakima River 4 miles upstream from Ellensburg in 1876, and sold the mill in 1882. He was in West Kittitas, WA in 1880, a Charter and first Past Master in Ellensburg in 1882, and finally showed up in Jonesboro, Maine in 1883 after a long absence of 33 years. His wife and all but one of his children were all still alive and there to greet him. Courtesy: USGS.
Contributor: LBN (49278253)
Born in Jonesborough, Maine, Levi and his brothers were ships carpenters. He left Machias, Maine on November 4, 1849 in the cargo ship, Agate, headed for the Pacific Coast, leaving his wife, Delia, and 7 children in Maine, ages 1 to 21. Delia and the children were living with her son-in-law, Jason Drisko, in 1860, with Levi noted as being there also. (But he was not.) He showed up in Vancouver, WA. around 1851. He had several legal claims for debt in Maine in the 1840's. He was a Justice of the Peace in Washougal, Washington from1852-53.
Levi was awarded Joint GLO Contracts 4 and 5 with John Lowell in 1855, although they had separate contracts. John Lowell was from East Machias, Maine, only about 10 miles from where Levi lived. Lowell drowned in 1856 while serving as an expressman for the Volunteers, and Levi finished the Contracts as "Compassman." He was the first Mayor of Vancouver, Washington in 1858, City Surveyor of Vancouver in 1857, and surveyed the first plat of Vancouver, in 1858, which was later resurveyed under the defective plats statute in 1881. From 1857-62 he surveyed many of the early Donation Land Claims in Clark County. From 1860-62 he was Clark County Sheriff and in 1863 a Legislative Road Commissioner.
Levi was a Charter Member of Masonic Lodge Number 4 in 1857 and Past Master in 1863; a member of Washington Territorial Council (Senate) in 1865-66 (from Clark Co.) and the Territorial Legislature in 1876-79 (from Yakima County); Vancouver City Surveyor in 1867; Clark County Auditor from 1867-71; and Clark County Surveyor 1872-74. He patented 120 acres near Hockinson, WA in 1892, after his death, and patented 80 acres 2 miles west of Ellensburg, Washington in 1878.
Levi returned to surveying contracts in 1871 and 1872. Contract 121 was in the foothills of Clark, Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties. Levi was 67 years old at the time, and this was tough ground. The notes stated that he used George H. Steward as compassman in T3N R3E, but there probably were more. The South half of the work in T3N R3E makes no sense, like the notes were lost and made up. There were corners and BT's before the 1902 fire, so he was there. The North half has corners but as the survey went North, it deviated from true position by up to 1000 feet. Other surveyors report poor quality work on the rest of the surveys on the West side. George H. Steward was the Notary for the Contract 147 in 1872 in Yakima, both before the work and after, and may have been compassman. Those surveys also have problems.
Levi was voted into the Washington Territorial Assembly in 1878, and at the same time elected Surveyor of Yakima County in 1878. Levi secured a water right for a sawmill on the Yakima River 4 miles upstream from Ellensburg in 1876, and sold the mill in 1882. He was in West Kittitas, WA in 1880, a Charter and first Past Master in Ellensburg in 1882, and finally showed up in Jonesboro, Maine in 1883 after a long absence of 33 years. His wife and all but one of his children were all still alive and there to greet him. Courtesy: USGS.
Contributor: LBN (49278253)
Levi Farnsworth is the son of Ichabod Farnsworth and Anna B. Cummings. Levi married Delia Speare Watts on December 30, 1827 in Jonesboro, Maine.
Born in Jonesborough, Maine, Levi and his brothers were ships carpenters. He left Machias, Maine on November 4, 1849 in the cargo ship, Agate, headed for the Pacific Coast, leaving his wife, Delia, and 7 children in Maine, ages 1 to 21. Delia and the children were living with her son-in-law, Jason Drisko, in 1860, with Levi noted as being there also. (But he was not.) He showed up in Vancouver, WA. around 1851. He had several legal claims for debt in Maine in the 1840's. He was a Justice of the Peace in Washougal, Washington from1852-53.
Levi was awarded Joint GLO Contracts 4 and 5 with John Lowell in 1855, although they had separate contracts. John Lowell was from East Machias, Maine, only about 10 miles from where Levi lived. Lowell drowned in 1856 while serving as an expressman for the Volunteers, and Levi finished the Contracts as "Compassman." He was the first Mayor of Vancouver, Washington in 1858, City Surveyor of Vancouver in 1857, and surveyed the first plat of Vancouver, in 1858, which was later resurveyed under the defective plats statute in 1881. From 1857-62 he surveyed many of the early Donation Land Claims in Clark County. From 1860-62 he was Clark County Sheriff and in 1863 a Legislative Road Commissioner.
Levi was a Charter Member of Masonic Lodge Number 4 in 1857 and Past Master in 1863; a member of Washington Territorial Council (Senate) in 1865-66 (from Clark Co.) and the Territorial Legislature in 1876-79 (from Yakima County); Vancouver City Surveyor in 1867; Clark County Auditor from 1867-71; and Clark County Surveyor 1872-74. He patented 120 acres near Hockinson, WA in 1892, after his death, and patented 80 acres 2 miles west of Ellensburg, Washington in 1878.
Levi returned to surveying contracts in 1871 and 1872. Contract 121 was in the foothills of Clark, Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties. Levi was 67 years old at the time, and this was tough ground. The notes stated that he used George H. Steward as compassman in T3N R3E, but there probably were more. The South half of the work in T3N R3E makes no sense, like the notes were lost and made up. There were corners and BT's before the 1902 fire, so he was there. The North half has corners but as the survey went North, it deviated from true position by up to 1000 feet. Other surveyors report poor quality work on the rest of the surveys on the West side. George H. Steward was the Notary for the Contract 147 in 1872 in Yakima, both before the work and after, and may have been compassman. Those surveys also have problems.
Levi was voted into the Washington Territorial Assembly in 1878, and at the same time elected Surveyor of Yakima County in 1878. Levi secured a water right for a sawmill on the Yakima River 4 miles upstream from Ellensburg in 1876, and sold the mill in 1882. He was in West Kittitas, WA in 1880, a Charter and first Past Master in Ellensburg in 1882, and finally showed up in Jonesboro, Maine in 1883 after a long absence of 33 years. His wife and all but one of his children were all still alive and there to greet him. Courtesy: USGS.
Contributor: LBN (49278253)
Born in Jonesborough, Maine, Levi and his brothers were ships carpenters. He left Machias, Maine on November 4, 1849 in the cargo ship, Agate, headed for the Pacific Coast, leaving his wife, Delia, and 7 children in Maine, ages 1 to 21. Delia and the children were living with her son-in-law, Jason Drisko, in 1860, with Levi noted as being there also. (But he was not.) He showed up in Vancouver, WA. around 1851. He had several legal claims for debt in Maine in the 1840's. He was a Justice of the Peace in Washougal, Washington from1852-53.
Levi was awarded Joint GLO Contracts 4 and 5 with John Lowell in 1855, although they had separate contracts. John Lowell was from East Machias, Maine, only about 10 miles from where Levi lived. Lowell drowned in 1856 while serving as an expressman for the Volunteers, and Levi finished the Contracts as "Compassman." He was the first Mayor of Vancouver, Washington in 1858, City Surveyor of Vancouver in 1857, and surveyed the first plat of Vancouver, in 1858, which was later resurveyed under the defective plats statute in 1881. From 1857-62 he surveyed many of the early Donation Land Claims in Clark County. From 1860-62 he was Clark County Sheriff and in 1863 a Legislative Road Commissioner.
Levi was a Charter Member of Masonic Lodge Number 4 in 1857 and Past Master in 1863; a member of Washington Territorial Council (Senate) in 1865-66 (from Clark Co.) and the Territorial Legislature in 1876-79 (from Yakima County); Vancouver City Surveyor in 1867; Clark County Auditor from 1867-71; and Clark County Surveyor 1872-74. He patented 120 acres near Hockinson, WA in 1892, after his death, and patented 80 acres 2 miles west of Ellensburg, Washington in 1878.
Levi returned to surveying contracts in 1871 and 1872. Contract 121 was in the foothills of Clark, Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties. Levi was 67 years old at the time, and this was tough ground. The notes stated that he used George H. Steward as compassman in T3N R3E, but there probably were more. The South half of the work in T3N R3E makes no sense, like the notes were lost and made up. There were corners and BT's before the 1902 fire, so he was there. The North half has corners but as the survey went North, it deviated from true position by up to 1000 feet. Other surveyors report poor quality work on the rest of the surveys on the West side. George H. Steward was the Notary for the Contract 147 in 1872 in Yakima, both before the work and after, and may have been compassman. Those surveys also have problems.
Levi was voted into the Washington Territorial Assembly in 1878, and at the same time elected Surveyor of Yakima County in 1878. Levi secured a water right for a sawmill on the Yakima River 4 miles upstream from Ellensburg in 1876, and sold the mill in 1882. He was in West Kittitas, WA in 1880, a Charter and first Past Master in Ellensburg in 1882, and finally showed up in Jonesboro, Maine in 1883 after a long absence of 33 years. His wife and all but one of his children were all still alive and there to greet him. Courtesy: USGS.
Contributor: LBN (49278253)
Inscription
FATHER
LEVI FARNSWORTH
DIED
Jan. 13, 1884,
Æ. 79 yrs. 3 ms.
He who was as dear as life could be,
Hath cross alone the narrow sea.
Why should we fear the distant shore,
Since him we loved has gone before.
Family Members
Siblings
Advertisement
Advertisement
