Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 545 - 546 

JAMES FARROW, who is numbered among the early settlers of Grant Township, has assisted materially in the development of its agricultural resources, and is one of its most prosperous farmers and stock-raisers, giving especial attention to the latter industry. His land is finely improved, and he handles good grades of horses, cattle and swine, exhibiting some of the best specimens of these to be found in the northern part of the county. In the meantime, while tilling the soil and looking after his personal interests, he has also contributed his quota to the general welfare of the people around him, assisting in the establishment of schools, of which he has been a Director in his district for a number of years. He assisted in organizing the district, and was instrumental in securing the present creditable school building. He keeps himself well posted upon current events, and occupies a good position both socially and financially among his neighbors. He is a Democrat of pronounced views, but cherishes a healthy contempt for the office-seeker, and has chosen to make himself useful in his own quiet and unobtrusive manner as a private citizen.

            Mr. Farrow first opened his infant eyes in Licking County, Ohio, his birth taking place Dec. 1, 1832. He was the eldest child of his parents, whose union constituted the second marriage of each, and whose united families comprised seven children. The father, William Farrow by name, was a native of New Jersey, and the mother, who in her girlhood was Miss Susan Larimore, was born in Virginia. William Farrow upon leaving his native State located in Licking County, Ohio, whence he emigrated a few years later to Illinois, where he settled among the early pioneers of Tazewell County. There he also carried on dairying in connection with farming, and died in the spring of 1868, when about sixty years of age. The mother survived her husband ten years, her death taking place at the old homestead in 1878.

            James Farrow received simply the advantages of a common-school education, and was content with the employments of a farmer's life. He grew to manhood in Tazewell County, Ill., and was there married, April 5, 1855, to Miss Charlotte Hamson, who was born in Tazewell County, Ill., June 11, 1836, and was the seventh of the fourteen children who comprised the family of James and Christina (Pepers) Hamson, natives respectively of Ohio and Maryland. The paternal grandparents, John and Rucinda Hamson, were natives of Ohio, and on her mother's side the grandparents of Mrs. Farrow were Frederick and Deborah Pepers, natives of Maryland. Both families removed to the Buckeye State during its early settlement.

            Our subject, after his marriage, located on a farm in Tazewell County, Ill., where he remained several years, and then removed to a farm in McLean County, where he continued until coming to this State. He made his advent into this county in March, 1876, and purchased a quarter of section 16, in Grant Township, to which lie has since given his time and attention, and transformed it from an uncultivated tract into fine and fertile fields, enclosed with beautiful hedge fencing, and embellished with good buildings. His live stock includes good grades of horses, cattle and Poland-China swine.

            To our subject and his wife there have been born seven children, of whom one, a little daughter, Laura, died when about two years of age. The six surviving were named respectively: William Allen, Mary Caroline, Charles S., Lilly E., James Edwin and Benjamin Franklin. William A. is an employe of the Kansas City & St. Joseph Railroad, and is located in Kansas City; Mary C., Mrs. Hatfield, is a resident of Wichita. The others remain at home with their parents, the two younger attending the district school. Lilly E. was a student for some time of the High School at Wichita.

            The Farrow farm is finely located about five miles from Valley Center, and is the object of admiration by the traveler passing through this section of country.

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