Farnsworth, John F.

Born: 1820-03-27 Lower Canada

Died: 1897-07-14 Washington, DC

John F. Farnsworth moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, with his family when he was young. He studied law there and subsequently began a practice in St. Charles, Illinois. In October 1846, Farnsworth married Mary A. Clark in Livingston County, Michigan. The couple settled in St. Charles, where, in 1850, Farnsworth was practicing law and owned $1,500 in real property. In 1852, Farnsworth moved to Chicago and won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1856. Although he was initially a Democrat, Farnsworth had become an abolitionist Republican by that time. Voters returned him to the House in 1858 but he was not re-nominated in 1860. In 1860, Farnsworth and his family were back in St. Charles, and Farnsworth owned $1,000 in real property, with a personal estate of $1,000. Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Farnsworth recruited the Eighth Illinois Cavalry and served as its colonel. He earned command of a brigade during the Maryland campaign and won promotion to brigadier general before the end of 1862. Farnsworth again won election to the House in 1862 and remained there until 1873.

Ezra J. Warner, Generals In Blue: Lives of Union Commanders (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1964), 149-50; Michigan, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1822-1940, 12 October 1846, Livingston County (Lehi, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, 2016); U.S. Census Office, Seventh Census of the United States (1850), St. Charles, Kane County, IL, 116; U.S. Census Office, Eighth Census of the United States (1860), St. Charles, Kane County, IL, 31; Gravestone, North Cemetery, St. Charles, IL.